H. B. 4530


(By Delegates Beane, Ennis, Perdue, Blair and Frich)



(Originating in the Committee on Government Organization)

[February 18, 2004]



A BILL to amend and reenact §19-2B-1 of the code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §19-2B-1a, all relating to continuation of the meat and poultry inspection program.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §19-2B-1 of the code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted; and that said code be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §19-2B-1a, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 2B. INSPECTION OF MEAT AND POULTRY.
§19-2B-1. Purpose and construction. continuation of meat and poultry inspection program.
Subject to the provisions of section seven of this article, the basic purpose of this article is to provide for the inspection, labeling and disposition of animals, poultry, carcasses, meat products and poultry products which are to be sold or offered for sale through commercial outlets for human consumption, the licensing of commercial slaughterers, custom slaughterers and processors, and the inspection of slaughterhouses and processing plants located in the state of West Virginia. This article, being intended to protect the health of the citizens of West Virginia, shall be liberally construed.
After having conducted a preliminary performance review through its joint committee on government operations, pursuant to article ten, chapter four of this code, the Legislature hereby finds and declares that the meat inspection program should be continued and reestablished. Accordingly, notwithstanding the provisions of article ten, chapter four of this code, the meat and poultry inspection program shall continue to exist until the first day of July, two thousand four.
§19-2B-1a. Continuation of meat and poultry inspection program.
The meat and poultry inspection program shall continue to exist, pursuant to the provisions of article ten, chapter four of this code, until the first day of July, two thousand ten, unless sooner terminated, continued or reestablished pursuant to the provisions of that article.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.
Section one-a is new, therefore strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.