Action on Several Bills by the PA General Assembly

There was action on several bills by the Pennsylvania General Assembly this week, including:

·         SB 1003 which will amend Title 3 (Agriculture) or the PA Consolidated Statutes, providing exemptions for those establishments which produce, process, package or sell honey, maple syrup or pasteurized cider from registration of food establishments.

o   This bill had been referred to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs committee on June 6, 2013 and was reported by the committee, without change, and underwent first consideration on June 17, 2013.

·         HB 84 which would further provide for the purchase of agricultural conservation easements and abrogating regulations, requiring county governing bodies to inspect all agricultural conservation easements to ensure compliance with the terms of the easement.

o   This bill was passed by both houses of the General Assembly (Senate – 1/22/13; House 6/17/13) and was signed by the House on 6/18/13.

·         HB 164 which will amend Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the PA Consolidated Statutes, criminalizing the possession of animal fighting paraphernalia and further defines what constitutes “animal fighting paraphernalia.”

o   This bill passed in the House on June 17, 2013 and will now move to the Senate.

 

Written By Gaby Gilbeau – Research Assistant

The Agricultural Law Resource and Reference Center

June 18, 2013