Sample Resolutions: California BILL NUMBER: SJR 22 ENROLLED BILL TEXT

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1 Sample Resolutions: California BILL NUMBER: SJR 22 ENROLLED BILL TEXT ADOPTED IN SENATE AUGUST 25, 2010 ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 16, 2010 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 2, 2010 INTRODUCED BY Senator Florez SJR 22, Florez. Horses. This measure memorializes the Congress to support federal legislation to protect American horses from slaughter for human consumption. WHEREAS, California voters enacted a ban on the slaughter of horses for human consumption and the sale of horsemeat for human consumption in 1998; and WHEREAS, California horses continue to be transported and sold out of state, making protection of our horses difficult and dependent on the passage of a federal ban on the movement of horses for purposes of slaughter for human consumption; and WHEREAS, The slaughter of American horses has continued unabated despite the closing in 2007 of the three slaughter houses then still operating within the United States; and WHEREAS, Federal legislation has been introduced, the Conyers-Burton Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2009, that would prohibit the possession, shipping, transporting, purchasing, selling, delivering, or receiving of horses and other equines in interstate or foreign commerce for slaughter for human consumption; and WHEREAS, Horse slaughter is not humane euthanasia and methods used to kill American horses in Canada and Mexico are cruel and crude, causing suffering to these animals; and WHEREAS, Horse slaughter has been detrimental to the communities where slaughtering facilities have been located, with significant 1

2 negative impacts to these communities ranging from nuisance odors to chronic sewer and environmental violations; and WHEREAS, Horse slaughter provides a quick and likely untraceable avenue for disposal of stolen horses; and WHEREAS, Horse slaughter is not a means of controlling numbers of unwanted, abandoned, or neglected horses, but, rather, is a for-profit operation driven by a demand for horsemeat in some foreign countries; and WHEREAS, American horses are not raised, fed, or medicated within the FDA guidelines established for food animals, making them potentially unfit and unsafe for human consumption; and WHEREAS, In America, horses are an icon of our history, traditions, and culture, revered for their contributions to the building of this country, their companionship, and their special bond with people; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature hereby urges Congress to support federal legislation to protect American horses from slaughter for human consumption; and be it further Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate is hereby authorized and directed to transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, the Majority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States. Rhode Island H 6026 H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO SUPPORT FEDERAL LEGISLATION TO PROTECT AMERICAN HORSES FROM SLAUGHTER FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION Introduced By: Representatives A Rice, Serpa, and Gallison 1 WHEREAS, The slaughter of American horses has continued unabated despite the 2 closing in 2007 of the three slaughter houses then still operating within the United States; and 2

3 3 WHEREAS, Federal legislation has been introduced, the Conyers-Burton Prevention of 4 Equine Cruelty Act of 2009, that would prohibit the possession, shipping, transporting, 5 purchasing, selling, delivering, or receiving of horses and other equines in interstate or foreign 6 commerce for slaughter for human consumption; and 7 WHEREAS, Horse slaughter is not humane euthanasia and is in fact animal torture and 8 cruelty; and 9 WHEREAS, Horse slaughter has been detrimental to the communities where 10 slaughtering facilities have been located, with significant negative impacts to these communities 11 ranging from nuisance odors to chronic sewer and environmental violations; and 12 WHEREAS, Horse slaughter has been found to increase and abet horse theft; and 13 WHEREAS, Horse slaughter is not a means of controlling numbers of unwanted, 14 abandoned or neglected horses, but, rather, is a for-profit operation driven by a demand for 15 horsemeat in some foreign countries; and 16 WHEREAS, American horses are not raised, fed and medicated within the FDA 17 guidelines established for food animals, making them potentially unfit and unsafe for human 18 consumption; and 19 WHEREAS, In America, horses are an icon of our history, traditions, and culture, 2 1 revered for their contributions to the building of this country, their companionship and special 2 bond with people; now, therefore be it 3 RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and 4 Providence Plantations hereby urges the United States Congress to support federal legislation to 5 protect American horses from slaughter for human consumption; and be it further 6 RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to 7 transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Majority 3

4 8 Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, 9 and to the members of the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation. South Dakota House Concurrent Resolution 1003 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION, Supporting the reintroduction of horse slaughter and processing operations in the United States. WHEREAS, in recent years, the slaughter and processing of horses has become a controversial and emotional issue which has resulted in the closing of the last horse processing and slaughter facility in the United States; and WHEREAS, thousands of unwanted horses annually are exposed to abandonment and neglect because of the cessation of horse slaughter in the United States. The nation's inadequate and overburdened horse rescue and adoption facilities cannot begin to handle the influx of additional unwanted and abandoned horses each year that result from the cessation of equine slaughter, processing, and transport activity. In addition, the current economic downturn has added significantly to the problem of abandoned and neglected horses; and WHEREAS, the South Dakota Legislature in 2009 overwhelmingly adopted SCR 2, Urging the Reinstatement and Funding of a Federal Inspection Program Governing Horse Slaughter and Euthanasia Facilities, and SCR 10, Supporting Legislative Efforts in Other States Addressing the Need to Provide for Equine Slaughter and Processing in the United States; and WHEREAS, in 2009 a number of states, including Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, and Wyoming, introduced a variety of bills and resolutions opposing efforts to restrict the market, transport, processing, or export of horses; recognizing the need for humane horse processing facilities in the United States; and supporting state efforts to establish facilities in the United States; and WHEREAS, in 2008 and 2009, such diverse organizations as the Midwestern Legislative Conference of the Council of State Governments, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the National Congress of American Indians adopted resolutions and policy in support of horse processing and related activities in the United States; and 4

5 WHEREAS, there is a critical need for humane horse processing facilities in the United States to reduce the suffering inflicted on unwanted and abandoned horses and to meet overseas export markets for horsemeat in a humane manner: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the House of Representatives of the Eighty-fifth Legislature of the State of South Dakota, the Senate concurring therein, that the South Dakota Legislature urges the Congress and the United States Department of Agriculture to reinstate and fully fund USDA's inspection program for horse euthanasia and horse slaughter facilities and to enact legislation to facilitate the resumption of equine processing and slaughter in the United States. Oklahoma ENGROSSED HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO By: Shoemake and Richardson of the House and Ballenger of the Senate A Concurrent Resolution memorializing Congress to oppose certain federal legislation relating to domestic horses; and providing for distribution. WHEREAS, the processing of horses has become a controversial and emotional issue and has resulted in the closing of all horse processing facilities throughout the United States; and 5

6 WHEREAS, federal legislation was introduced to amend the 1970 Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines for processing and other purposes; and WHEREAS, the loss of secondary markets has severely impacted the livestock industry by eliminating the salvage value of horses and has significantly reduced the market value of all horses; and WHEREAS, prohibitions regarding the processing of horses have resulted in significant increases in abandoned and starving animals and have had significant economic impact on the entire equine industry; and WHEREAS, the increase in unwanted or unusable horses has overwhelmed private animal welfare agencies and the ability of the public to care for surplus domestic horses; and WHEREAS, the annual number of unwanted or unusable surplus domestic horses is estimated to be one hundred thousand, compounding annually; and WHEREAS, issues related to the humane handling and slaughter of surplus domestic horses are best addressed by proper regulations and inspection and not by banning or exporting the issue; and WHEREAS, state agriculture and rural leaders recognize the necessity and benefit of the ability of a state to direct the transport and processing of horses. 6

7 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 2ND SESSION OF THE 52ND OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN: THAT Congress is urged to oppose federal legislation that interferes with the ability of a state to direct the transport or processing of horses. THAT copies of this resolution be dispatched to the President of the United States, President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States Congress and the members of the Oklahoma Congressional Delegation. Adopted by the House of Representatives the 15th day of February, Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives Adopted by the Senate the day of, Presiding Officer of the Senate 7