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NAIS News Across the Country: 2009 State Bills

As of Friday, March 27, 2009: 

Arkansas:  HB 1046, to limit NAIS to a voluntary program only, has stalled in the Senate, and ARAPA is trying to get a second hearing on the bill.  Please contact your state Senator to express your opposition to NAIS and your continued support for HB 1046!  You can find contact information here.  The Senate is also hearing a resolution, HCR1014, opposing a mandatory NAIS.

ILLINOIS:  A resolution has been introduced by Senator Luechtefeld and co-sponsored by Senator Sullivan.  SR 127 notes the problems that a mandatory NAIS would cause, and calls for animal identification to "remain at the State level and not be initiated at the national level."  For more information, click here

MONTANA: HB 592, which would have limited NAIS to a voluntary program only, unanimously passed the House, but has been tabled in the Senate Committee.  A resolution is being considered in its place.  You can read the bill and more information here 

North Dakota: The Legislature has adopted a concurrent resolution urging Congress to examine carefully the known and potential impacts of implementing a national animal identification system. Concurrent Resolution No. 4019.  You can read the resolution here

South Dakota:  HB 1224 would have barred a mandatory or coercive NAIS program.  The House of Representatives voted it down on Monday, February 23. For more information, click here

Texas: SB 682 and HB 3322 would limit NAIS to a voluntary, non-coercive program in Texas!  For more information, click here.

Utah: HB 183 has been signed by the Governor! We all owe a big thanks to the bill's sponsors, Representative Melvin R. Brown and Senator Kevin T. Van Tassell!  H.B. 183 forbids the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food from requiring anyone to participate in NAIS.  Neither the Agriculture Department or a political subdivision in Utah may use coercive means such as denying, revoking, or limiting services, licenses, permits, grants, or other benefits to force someone to participate in NAIS.  The bill also provides that someone who participates in NAIS may withdraw from participation at any time. There are some limits to these provisions, for example if someone is "part of an ongoing disease investigation, monitoring, or control program for which" the state agency "has responsibility," then the agency isn't obligated to remove a person's information from the database.  The bill also allows the agency  to establish NAIS if it is required by federal law, but the state rules may not be more stringent than the federal law.

Washington state: HB 2086 and SB 5956 would have limit NAIS to a voluntary, non-coercive program.  The House and Senate Agriculture Committees held hearings on the bills on February 17, but never passed them out of committee, and the bills appear to be dead for this session.

Wyoming: The anti-NAIS bill and resolution did not make it to a vote.  HB 16 - Cottage Food Industry - was approved.
 

Four States Adopt Laws Barring Mandatory NAIS

Arizona: In 2007, Arizona adopted a law that bars the agency form mandating or forcing participation in NAIS.  The sponsor, Senator Johnson, learned about NAIS at the Freedom 21 Conference, when Judith McGeary and Karin Bergener (of the Liberty Ark Steering Committee) spoke about it.  Among other things, she used our Top 10 Myths to help educate members of the House Committee about the truth about NAIS! SB 1428 was codified at Section 3-1207 of the Arizona Revised Statutes.

Kentucky: In 2008, Kentucky adopted a law limiting its agency to a voluntary non-coercive one, absent binding federal regulations.  HB 495 was codified at KRS 257.497.   

Missouri: In 2008, Missouri adopted a law that its state agency could not mandate "or otherwise force" NAIS without specific statutory authorization.  The law also provides for the right to withdraw from the program.  SB 931.

Nebraska: In 2008, Nebraksa adopted LB 632, limiting its program to a voluntary program only and requiring the Agriculture Department to develop a procedure for people to withdraw from NAIS.  The law was codified at Section 54-702 ofthe Revised Statutes.

last updated February 4, 2009