BILL ANALYSIS SENATE FOOD and AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE Senator Dean Florez, Chairman BILL NO: SJR 22 HEARING: 3/16/10 AUTHOR: Florez FISCAL: No VERSION: 2/10/10 CONSULTANT: John Chandler Horses. BACKGROUND AND EXISTING LAW In 1998, California voters passed Proposition 6, the Prohibition on Slaughter of Horses and Sale of Horsemeat for Human Consumption Initiative, with over 59% of the vote. Proposition 6 established a felony crime for any person who buys, sells, gives away, holds, imports, exports, or accepts a horse with the intent to slaughter or have another slaughter the horse for human consumption. The proposition also established a misdemeanor for the sale of horsemeat for human consumption. Currently in the United States Congress, there are two bills, HR 503 and S 727, to create the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2009. These bills would amend the federal criminal code to impose a fine and/or prison term of up to three years for possessing, shipping, transporting, purchasing, selling, delivering, or receiving any horse, horse flesh, or carcass with the intent that it be used for human consumption. The bills reduce the prison term to one year if the offense involves less than five horses or less than 2,000 pounds of horse flesh or carcass and the offender has no prior conviction for this offense. HR 503 and S 727 are the latest efforts to prevent the slaughter of horses for human consumption. During previous Congressional sessions, similar efforts have attempted to move a horse slaughter ban through Congress. However, none of those bills has made it into federal law. It is estimated that around 100,000 American horses are slaughtered for their meat per year. PROPOSED LAW SJR 22 requests Congress to support federal legislation to protect American horses from slaughter for human consumption. COMMENTS 1.Proponents of this resolution state that despite the passage SJR 22 - Page 2 of Proposition 6 in California to stop the slaughter of horses for human consumption California horses are being transported out of the state to auction where they can be purchased for slaughter for human consumption. A national standard by federal law preventing horse slaughter for human consumption would reinforce the actions taken in California, with the passage of Proposition 6, to protect California's horses from slaughter for human consumption. Proponents further state that many of the horses sent to slaughter are in sound and good condition. When these horses are sent to auction, horse rescue operators report being outbid by buyers sending horses to slaughter. Congressional adoption of a national ban would help horse rescue operations while bringing federal law protecting horses from human consumption to the same level as California. SUPPORT American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals The Humane Society of the United States OPPOSITION None received