| Chapter 026 |
| 2022 -- H 7785 Enacted 05/24/2022 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO ANIMALS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY -- ANIMAL DISEASES IN GENERAL |
Introduced By: Representative Brandon C. Potter |
| Date Introduced: March 03, 2022 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 4-4-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 4-4 entitled "Animal Diseases |
| in General" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 4-4-1. Appointment of inspectors to inspect diseased animals -- Quarantine -- |
| Veterinarians. |
| (a) The director of environmental management may appoint one or more inspectors in the |
| state, whose duty it is to visit and inquire into the condition of any domestic animal in the state |
| whenever there is reason to suspect that any domestic animal, the carcass of any domestic animal |
| or tissues or products, is affected with tuberculosis, or other a contagious, infectious, zoonotic, or |
| communicable disease; and the inspectors are authorized to quarantine any diseased domestic |
| animal, the carcass of any diseased domestic animal, or restrict the movement of any tissues or |
| products produced by any domestic animal suspected of being affected with a contagious, |
| infectious, zoonotic, or communicable disease until such quarantine or movement restriction is |
| released by a veterinarian employed by the director. The director may also employ, from time to |
| time, any number of veterinary surgeons that he or she may find necessary to carry out the purposes |
| of this chapter. |
| (b) The director of the department of environmental management may establish quarantine |
| or control zones consistent with state and United States Department of Agriculture emergency plans |
| to restrict the movement of animals, animal carcasses, animal tissues, and animal products |
| suspected of being affected with a contagious, infectious, zoonotic, or communicable disease. Any |
| control or quarantine zone established under this authority will remain in effect until the chief of |
| agriculture and/or the state veterinarian determine that the zone is no longer necessary to mitigate |
| the threat of disease. |
| (c) The director of the department of environmental management may order examination |
| or testing of any quarantined animal or animal in a quarantine or control zone for disease |
| surveillance purposes or as a term of the order of quarantine. The director may authorize qualified |
| department personnel to carry out any examination or testing or may order the testing to be |
| performed by a licensed veterinarian qualified to perform the testing. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC005252 |
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