Criminal Offenses

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included a claim that local governments could create more stringent rules, which is not explicitly stated in the official source material. The bill does clarify that it doesn't supersede or limit existing laws but does not specify local government rule-making powers beyond this context.

Rules for Farm Animal Treatment

This bill makes it illegal to confine breeding pigs and calves raised for veal in small spaces that prevent them from moving freely or lying down comfortably starting July 1, 2030.

What This Bill Does

• Makes it a crime for farmers to confine breeding pigs or calves raised for veal in ways that limit their movement, such as not being able to lie down, stand up, stretch out fully, or turn around without touching the sides of an enclosure.
• Requires at least 24 square feet of space per breeding pig and 43 square feet per calf raised for veal.
• Exempts certain situations like medical research, veterinary care, transportation, fairs, humane slaughter from being considered a crime under this law.
• Sets fines between $250 to $1,000 for each animal confined improperly.

Who It Names or Affects

• Farm owners and operators who keep breeding pigs or calves raised for veal.

Terms To Know

Breeding pig

A female pig kept for commercial breeding that is six months old or older, or pregnant.

Calf raised for veal

A young cow kept specifically to produce veal meat.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not apply before July 1, 2030.
• It doesn't change other existing laws about animal welfare.

Official Summary Text

As of
July 1, 2030
, this bill generally establishes an offense
for a farm owner or operator to knowingly confine a breeding pig or a calf raised for veal
in any of the following ways:



In a manner that prevents the animal from

lying down
,
standing up
,
fully extending all of the animal's limbs without touching the side of an enclosure or another animal
,
or

turning in a complete circle without any impediment, including a tether, and without touching the side of an enclosure or another animal
.



In the case of a breeding pig, within an enclosure with less than
24
square feet of useable floor space per breeding pig
.



In the case of a calf raised for veal, within an enclosure with less than
43
square feet of useable floor space per calf.

However, this bill provides that it is not
an offense
if the confinement occurs during (
i
)
t
he conduct of medical research; (
ii
)
t
he conduct of an examination, testing, individual treatment, or surgery for veterinary purposes; (
iii
)
t
ransportation of the animal; (
iv
)
a
state or county fair exhibit
ion; (
v
)
a
4-H program, or similar exhibition; (
vi
)
t
emporary periods for animal husbandry purposes, provided the confinement is for no more than six hours in a
24
-hour period and no more than a total of

24 hours in a
30
-day period; (
vii
)
h
umane
slaughtering of the animal in accordance with all applicable laws and rules; or (
viii
)
f
or a breeding pig, the five-day period prior to the expected date of the breeding pig giving birth or any day the breeding pig is nursing piglets.

This bill provides
that a
violation of this
bill
is a Class B misdemeanor
,
subject to a minimum fine of $250 nor more than

$1,000 for each offense. Each breeding pig or calf raised for veal confined in an enclosure in violation of
this bill
constitutes a separate offense.

It is not
an affirmative defense to an alleged violation that a breeding pig or calf raised for veal is domestic livestock, or was kept as part of an agricultural operation or in accordance with customary animal husbandry or farming practices.

This bill
clarifies that it does not
supersede or limit the applicability of a local, federal, or state law, rule, or regulation protecting animal welfare, or prevent any local government legislative body from adopting or enacting any ordinance or resolutions concer
ning the protection and welfare of animals that are more stringent than this
bill
.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 1325
By Kyle

HOUSE BILL 1261
By Jones J

HB1261
003084
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 14; Title 40, Chapter 39; Title 43; Title 44
and Title 53, relative to the treatment of animals.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 14, Part 2, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Breeding pig" means any female pig, kept for the purpose of
commercial breeding, that is six (6) months of age or older, or pregnant;
(2) "Calf raised for veal" means any calf of a bovine species kept for the
purpose of producing veal;
(3) "Enclosure" means any structure used to confine a breeding pig or
calf raised for veal;
(4) "Farm"
(A) Means the land and the buildings, support facilities, and
equipment thereon, that are wholly or partially used for the commercial
production of agricultural food products, or animals or animal products
used for food or fiber; and
(B) Does not include live animal markets;
(5) "Farm owner or operator" means any person who owns or operates a
farm in this state; and
(6) "Useable floor space" means the total square footage of floor space
provided to a breeding pig or a calf raised for veal, calculated by dividing the total

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square footage of floor space in the enclosure by the number of pigs or calves,
as applicable, kept in the enclosure.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c), it is an offense for a farm owner or
operator to knowingly confine a breeding pig or a calf raised for veal:
(1) In a manner that prevents the animal from:
(A) Lying down;
(B) Standing up;
(C) Fully extending all of the animal's limbs without touching the
side of an enclosure or another animal; or
(D) Turning in a complete circle without any impediment,
including a tether, and without touching the side of an enclosure or
another animal;
(2) In the case of a breeding pig, within an enclosure with less than
twenty-four square feet (24 sq. ft.) of useable floor space per breeding pig; or
(3) In the case of a calf raised for veal, within an enclosure with less than
forty-three square feet (43 sq. ft.) of useable floor space per calf.
(c) It is not an offense under this section, if the confinement occurs during:
(1) The conduct of medical research;
(2) The conduct of an examination, testing, individual treatment, or
surgery for veterinary purposes;
(3) Transportation of the animal;
(4) A state or county fair exhibition;
(5) A 4-H program, or similar exhibition;

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(6) Temporary periods for animal husbandry purposes, provided the
confinement is for no more than six (6) hours in a twenty-four-hour period and no
more than a total of twenty-four (24) hours in a thirty-day period;
(7) Humane slaughtering of the animal in accordance with all applicable
laws and rules; or
(8) For a breeding pig, the five-day period prior to the expected date of
the breeding pig giving birth or any day the breeding pig is nursing piglets.
(d) It is not an affirmative defense to an alleged violation of this section that a
breeding pig or calf raised for veal is domestic livestock, or was kept as part of an
agricultural operation or in accordance with customary animal husbandry or farming
practices.
(e) A violation of this section is a Class B misdemeanor subject to a minimum
fine of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) for
each offense. Each breeding pig or calf raised for veal confined in an enclosure in
violation of subsection (b) constitutes a separate offense.
(f) This section does not supersede or limit the applicability of a local, federal, or
state law, rule, or regulation protecting animal welfare, or prevent any local government
legislative body from adopting or enacting any ordinance or resolutions concerning the
protection and welfare of animals that are more stringent than this section.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2030, the public welfare requiring it.