What's happening
This bill prohibits the slaughter, sale, transport, and possession of horses and horseflesh for human consumption in New York.
Why it matters
Expands protections to all equines. The law covers not just horses, but also ponies, donkeys, mules, asses, and burros, making it a broad ban on equine slaughter and commerce for human consumption purposes.
Targets every stage of the supply chain. The bill prohibits not only slaughter, but also the sale, possession, transport, import, export, and even the intent to engage in these activities if for human consumption—closing potential loopholes and making enforcement stricter.
Imposes both criminal and civil penalties. Violators can face up to a year in jail or significant fines, with escalating civil penalties for repeat offenses, signaling serious consequences for individuals and corporations alike.
Directs penalties to animal welfare. Money collected from civil penalties goes into the state’s animal population control fund, potentially supporting spay/neuter programs and other animal welfare initiatives, thus reinvesting in animal protection.
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Who cares
Horse owners and dealers
The bill would prohibit selling, buying, giving away or possessing equines with intent to have them slaughtered when they know or should know the meat is intended for human consumption.
Slaughterhouse operators
Slaughtering horses, ponies, donkeys and other equines for human consumption would carry misdemeanor penalties or civil fines.
Horse transporters and import-export businesses
The bill would prohibit transporting horses for slaughter for human consumption and importing or exporting horses or horseflesh known or reasonably understood to be intended for that purpose.
Horsemeat retailers
The bill would prohibit retail sales of horseflesh for human consumption and possession with intent to sell it at retail for that purpose.
Headline styles
Ban Horse Slaughter for Food
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
7 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to agriculture
- Referred to agriculture
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Ban Horse Slaughter for Food
In Senate Committee · Agriculture · Sponsor James Tedisco
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1102
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 14, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. GLICK, JAFFEE, L. ROSENTHAL, DINOWITZ, ENGLE- BRIGHT, BUCHWALD, McDONOUGH -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. COLTON, GARBARINO, GOTTFRIED, LUPARDO, PERRY, SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to prohibiting the slaughtering of horses for human consumption
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new section 381 to read as follows:
§ 381. Prohibition of slaughtering horses for human consumption. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it shall be unlawful for any person to slaughter or have another person slaughter a horse where such person knows or should know that any part of such horse will be used for human consumption.
2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it shall be unlawful for any person to sell, offer to sell or barter, give away, purchase, possess, transport, deliver, or receive any horse with the intent of slaughtering or having another person slaughter such horse if such person knows or should know that any of the horseflesh is intended for human consumption.
3. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it shall be unlawful for any person to sell at retail, barter, offer to sell at retail or barter, give away, or purchase at retail, if such person knows or should know that any of the horseflesh will be used for human consumption.
4. It shall be unlawful for any person to possess horseflesh with the intent to sell such horseflesh at retail for the purpose of human consumption.
5. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it shall be unlawful for any person to import into or export from this state, live horses
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05040-01-9
A. 1102 2
where such person knows or should know that such horse is intended for slaughter for human consumption.
6. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it shall be unlawful for any person to import into or export from this state, horseflesh where such person knows or should know that such horseflesh is intended for human consumption.
7. As used in this section, the term "horse" includes all members of the equine family, including horses, ponies, donkeys, mules, asses and burros; and the term "horseflesh" means the flesh of a dead horse, including the animal's viscera, skin, hair, hide, hooves, and bones; the term "person" means an individual, corporation, partnership, trust, association or other legal entity.
8. A violation of this section is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or by both. In lieu of criminal prosecution, a violation of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars for an individual and up to five thousand dollars for a corporation for the first violation. Any subsequent violation shall be punishable by a civil penalty of up to twenty-five thousand dollars.
9. Any civil penalties collected pursuant to this section of law shall be payable to the animal population control fund established pursuant to section ninety-seven-xx of the state finance law.
10. The provisions of this section are in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other laws protecting animal welfare. This section may not be construed to limit any state law or rules protecting the welfare of animals or to prevent a local governing body from adopting and enforcing its own animal welfare laws and regulations.
11. If any provision of this section, or the application thereof to any person or circumstances, is held invalid or unconstitutional, that invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect other provisions or applications of this section that can be given effect without the invalid or unconstitutional provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this section are severable.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.