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69th Legislature 2025 SJ 27
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – SJ 27
ENROLLED BILL
A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF
MONTANA URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO TAKE ACTION REGARDING LIVESTOCK
BRUCELLOSIS VACCINATIONS.
WHEREAS, brucellosis, also known as "Contagious Abortion" or "Bang's Disease," is the most
common zoonotic disease, described by the United States Department of Agriculture as "a contagious,
infectious, and communicable disease, primarily affecting cattle, bison, and swine, and is caused by bacteria of
the genus Brucella;" and
WHEREAS, brucellosis is known to cause stillbirth, loss of young, reduced milk production, and
infertility in livestock; and
WHEREAS, there are no successful, affordable treatments for brucellosis in livestock, meaning that
vaccination is the only available method of control or prevention of brucellosis; and
WHEREAS, the Montana Legislature maintains that it is in the best interest of all Montanans to have
protection from the highly infectious Brucellosis disease; and
WHEREAS, the Montana Department of Livestock requires that all sexually intact female cattle or
domestic bison 12 months of age or older in Beaverhead, Big Horn, Broadwater, Carbon, Gallatin, Jefferson,
Madison, Park, Stillwater, and Sweet Grass counties must be vaccinated against brucellosis. These vaccination
requirements apply to resident cattle in the listed Montana counties, as well as cattle seasonally grazing in the
counties. Other department rule requires brucellosis testing when leaving the Designated Surveillance Area,
summer grazing in the Designated Surveillance Area, or changing ownership; and
WHEREAS, the Colorado Serum Company located in Denver, Colorado, is the only producer of the
Brucella abortus vaccine, strain RB-51, in the United States; and
WHEREAS, there is a shortage of availability of the brucellosis vaccine due to reported production
69th Legislature 2025 SJ 27
- 2 - Authorized Print Version – SJ 27
ENROLLED BILL
problems coupled with shipping delays from the Colorado plant. In February 2025, North Dakota issued a
temporary waiver of rule allowing the age of brucellosis vaccination to be extended from 12 months to 14
months for heifers due to the shortage of available vaccines.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF
THE STATE OF MONTANA:
That the 69th Legislature of the State of Montana urges the United States Congress to take meaningful
action to increase the production and distribution of brucellosis vaccinations for livestock by enacting legislation
that:
(1) expands the availability of brucellosis vaccinations for livestock;
(2) requires assistance to be provided to states for rapid response to any brucellosis outbreak; and
(3) provides funding opportunities, such as grant programs, to states for preventative brucellosis
vaccinations in livestock.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Secretary of State send a copy of this resolution to the
President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the United
States Department of Agriculture, the United States Department of the Interior, the United States Bureau of
Land Management, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, each member of the Montana Congressional
Delegation, and each federally recognized tribal government in Montana.
- END -
I hereby certify that the within bill,
SJ 27, originated in the Senate.
___________________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
___________________________________________
President of the Senate
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
___________________________________________
Speaker of the House
Signed this _______________________________day
of____________________________________, 2025.
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 27
INTRODUCED BY W. CURDY, T. TEZAK, W. GALT, B. GILLESPIE, W. MCKAMEY, S. MORIGEAU, J.
KASSMIER, B. PHALEN, D. LOGE, E. ALBUS
A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF
MONTANA URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO TAKE ACTION REGARDING LIVESTOCK
BRUCELLOSIS VACCINATIONS.