Forwarded with permission Proposed Pro-Animal Ownership Legislation Sun Feb 1, 20091:26 pm(PST)Representative Roy Ragland, Chair of the Agriculture, Forestry, and Economic Development committee of the Arkansas State House of Representatives has introduced a bill to protect the rights of animal owners and prohibit any state, city, county, or private organizationfrom requiring animal owners to register in any animal identification system. The bill has been referred to the committee on Agriculture,Forestry, and Economic Development. PLEASE let these legislators know we support this legislation that could provide valuable protection for the rights of all animal owners in the state of Arkansas by contacting the committee members (I have included their email addresses or phone numbers below). I also have included a link to the full bill and some extracted sections of the bill. HSUS is AGAINST this bill (of course - the bill will protect our rights to own animals, so they don't want it to pass.) HB 1046, Freedom to Farm Act
http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assemb...lls/HB1046.pdf Animal ownership by hobbyists, commercial producers, and home food providers make valuable contributions to this state. Animal ownership rights should be protected. Protecting the right of ownership, production, exhibition, and sale of animals is integral to ensuring the economic growth and general welfare of this state. The purpose of the Freedom to Farm Act is to encourage and protect animal ownership, animals, home food production, direct farm-to-consumer sales, hobby production, off-farm commercial sales,animal exhibition, and businesses that serve animal owners. Unless otherwise required by a law or rule that was in effect before January 1, 2009, no state, county, city, or public or private agency shall require an animal owner or real estate owner to: (1) Register or enroll in the National Animal Identification System;(2) Register the animal owner's premises or property;(3) Have a premises identification;(4) Use an electronic identification device on or in an animal;(5) Secure a permit or a license for ownership or production of an animal; or(6) Report the movement, sale, or purchase of an animal. Referred to the Committee on AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT- HOUSE Membership of the Arkansas AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Committee - HOUSE Chair Representative Roy Ragland
raglandr@arkleg.state.ar.usVice Chair Representative Jerry Brown (870) 238-3132Representative Curren Everett (870) 895-2164Representative Gregg Reep
reepg@arkleg.state.ar.usRepresentative Monty Davenport (870) 449-6745Representative Mike Burris
burrism@arkleg.state.ar.usRepresentative Bill Sample
sampleb@arkleg.state.ar.usRepresentative Robbie Wills
willsr@arkleg.state.ar.usRepresentative Nathan George
georgen@arkleg.state.ar.usRepresentative John Lowery
loweryj@arkleg.state.ar.usRepresentative Robert Moore
moorer@arkleg.state.ar.usRepresentative Joan Cash
cashj@arkleg.state.ar.usRepresentative Lance Reynolds
reynoldsl@arkleg.state.ar.usRepresentative Jim House
housej@arkleg.state.ar.usRepresentative Bryan King
kingb@arkleg.state.ar.usRepresentative Mike Patterson=2
0pattersonm@arkleg.state.ar.usRepresentative Terry Rice
ricet@arkleg.state.ar.usRepresentative Robert Dale
redale@yahoo.comRepresentative Monty Betts
bettsm@arkleg.state.ar.usRepresentative Jim Nickels
nickelsj@arkleg.state.ar.us