States Roll Back Ban on Slaughter

Twelve state legislatures are now considering measures to express their support of or actively encourage the reestablishment of U.S. horse processing plants.

Resolutions indicating opposition to HR 503, the federal Conyers-Burton Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act, which would eliminate horse slaughter nationwide and prohibit the export of horses to slaughter are either under consideration or have already passed in:

• Arizona (SCM 1001)
• Kansas (HCR 5004)
• Minnesota (SF 133)
• North Dakota (HB 1496)
• South Dakota (SCR 2)
• Utah (HJR 7)
• Wyoming (HJR 8)

Bills amending state laws to promote private investor plant development are pending in:

• Arkansas (HCR 1004)
• Illinois (HB 0583)
• Missouri (House, HCR 19 House; Senate, SCR 8)
• Montana (HB 418)
• Tennessee (HB 1361)

The state measures were prompted by a resolution submitted into the National Conference of State Legislatures' (NCSL) Agriculture and Energy Committee in December 2008 by Wyoming State Rep. Sue Wallis and then South Dakota State Rep. Dave Sigdestad.

The NCSL is a bipartisan organization that advocates for state governments' interests before Congress and other federal agencies. The resolution encourages legislators in rural states to promote horse processing on the basis of generating jobs and addressing the issue of unwanted horses.

"We want to take the emotion out of the slaughter issue and look at it economically," Sigdestad said.