South Carolina General Assembly
118th Session, 2009-2010

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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

S. 480

STATUS INFORMATION

Concurrent Resolution
Sponsors: Senator Verdin
Document Path: l:\s-res\dbv\006hors.kmm.dbv.docx

Introduced in the Senate on February 25, 2009
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources

Summary: Horses

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   2/25/2009  Senate  Introduced SJ-15
   2/25/2009  Senate  Referred to Committee on Agriculture and Natural 
                        Resources SJ-15

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

2/25/2009

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

TO URGE CONGRESS TO OPPOSE FEDERAL LEGISLATION THAT INTERFERES WITH A STATE'S ABILITY TO DIRECT THE TRANSPORT OR PROCESSING OF HORSES.

Whereas, the processing of horses has become a controversial and emotional issue that has resulted in the closing of all horse processing facilities in the United States; and

Whereas, federal legislation was introduced to amend the 1970 Horse Protection Act to prohibit shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donating 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 had significant economic impact on the entire equine industry and have resulted in significant increases in abandoned and starving animals; and

Whereas, the increase in unwanted or unusable horses has overwhelmed private animal welfare agencies and the public's ability 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, increasing annually; and

Whereas, issues related to humane handling and slaughter of surplus domestic horses are best addressed by appropriate regulations and inspection and not by banning or exporting the issue; and

Whereas, state agriculture and rural leaders recognize the necessity and benefit of a state's ability to direct the transport and processing of horses. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:

That the regulation of horse transport and processing should be left to the states and that Congress should not enact legislation that interferes with states' authority to regulate the transport or processing of horses.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the President of the United States, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States Congress, and the members of the South Carolina Congressional delegation.

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This web page was last updated on Monday, November 23, 2009 at 2:42 P.M.