Bill Text: FL S1708 | 2010 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Unlawful Slaughter of Horses [SPSC]
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-04-21 - Placed on Special Order Calendar; Read 2nd time -SJ 00699; Amendment(s) adopted (652748, 446552, 161094) -SJ 00699; Substituted CS/HB 765 -SJ 00699; Laid on Table, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/HB 765 (Ch. 2010-87) -SJ 00699 [S1708 Detail]
Download: Florida-2010-S1708-Comm_Sub.html
Florida Senate - 2010 CS for SB 1708 By the Committee on Criminal Justice; and Senators Crist and Bullard 591-03786-10 20101708c1 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to the unlawful slaughter of horses; 3 providing a short title; amending s. 500.451, F.S.; 4 prohibiting specified acts relating to horsemeat for 5 human consumption; providing penalties; increasing the 6 classification of offenses relating to horsemeat for 7 human consumption; providing for suspension of 8 licenses of certain businesses for offenses relating 9 to horsemeat; providing mandatory minimum penalties; 10 amending s. 828.125, F.S.; revising provisions 11 prohibiting certain acts relating to horses to apply 12 to all horses regardless of breed; providing mandatory 13 minimum penalties; providing an effective date. 14 15 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 16 17 Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Ivonne Rodriguez 18 Horse Protection Act.” 19 Section 2. Section 500.451, Florida Statutes, is amended to 20 read: 21 500.451 Horse meat; offensessale for human consumption.— 22 (1) It is unlawful for any person to: 23 (a) Sell in the markets of this state horse meat for human 24 consumption unless the horse meat is clearly stamped, marked, 25 and described as horse meat for human consumption. 26 (b) Knowingly transport, distribute, sell, purchase, or 27 possess horsemeat for human consumption which is not clearly 28 stamped, marked, and described as horsemeat for human 29 consumption or horsemeat that is not acquired from a licensed 30 slaughterhouse. 31 (2) A person that violates this section commitsis guilty32ofa felonymisdemeanorof the thirdseconddegree, punishable 33 as provided in s. 775.082,ors. 775.083, or s. 775.084, except 34 that any person who commits a violation of this section shall be 35 sentenced to a minimum mandatory fine of $3,500 and a minimum 36 mandatory period of incarceration of 1 year. 37 (3) In addition to any penalties provided in subsection 38 (2), any license of any restaurant, store, or other business may 39 be suspended as provided in the applicable licensing law upon 40 conviction of an owner or employee of that business for a 41 violation of this section in connection with that business. 42 Section 3. Subsection (1) of section 828.125, Florida 43 Statutes, is amended to read: 44 828.125 Killing or aggravated abuse ofregistered breed45 horses or cattle; offenses; penalties.—Any other provisions of 46 this chapter to the contrary notwithstanding: 47 (1) Any person who willfully and unlawfully, by any means 48 whatsoever, kills, maims, mutilates, or causes great bodily harm 49 or permanent breeding disability to any animal of the genus 50 Equus (horse) or any animal of any registered breed or 51 recognized registered hybrid of the genusEquus(horse) or genus52 Bos (cattle) commits, or any recognized registered hybrid of the53specified genera, shall be guilty ofa felony of the second 54 degree, punishable as provided by s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 55 775.084, except that any person who commits a violation of this 56 subsection shall be sentenced to a minimum mandatory fine of 57 $3,500 and a minimum mandatory period of incarceration of 1 58 year. 59 Section 4. This act shall take effect October 1, 2010.