ASSEMBLY, No. 329

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

211th LEGISLATURE

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2004 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman LORETTA WEINBERG

District 37 (Bergen)

Assemblyman REED GUSCIORA

District 15 (Mercer)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblymen Conaway, Conners, Chivukula, Van Drew, McKeon, Panter and Assemblywoman Voss

SYNOPSIS

    Requires humane treatment of calves raised for veal.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

    Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

(Sponsorship Updated As Of: 6/24/2005)

An Act concerning the humane treatment of calves raised for the production of veal and supplementing Title 4 of the Revised Statutes.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. No person shall raise a calf for the production of veal unless the person complies with the following requirements:

    a. The calf must be raised in an enclosure of sufficient size to permit the calf to be free to turn around in a complete circle without difficulty, lie with its legs outstretched, and groom itself, without any impediment such as chaining or tethering, except that the calf may be chained or tethered for no more than one hour during feeding time;

    b. The calf must be fed a daily diet containing sufficient iron to prevent anemia and maintain it in good health and vigor and, if the calf is more than 14 days old, it must be provided each day with food containing sufficient digestible fiber to prevent impairment of the development of its rumen; and

    c. The provisions of subsection a. of this section to the contrary notwithstanding, no provision of this section shall be construed to prevent the chaining or tethering of calves at fairs.

    2. The provisions of section 1 of P.L.1995, c.311 (C.4:22-16.1) to the contrary notwithstanding, any person who violates a provision of this act shall be guilty of a disorderly persons offense.

    3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill would establish certain requirements pertaining to the raising of calves in a humane manner for the production of veal.

    Specifically, the bill requires that a veal calf (1) be raised in an enclosure of sufficient size to permit the calf to be free to turn around in a complete circle without difficulty, lie with its legs outstretched, and groom itself, without any impediment such as chaining or tethering, except that the calf may be chained or tethered for no more than one hour during feeding time; and (2) be fed a daily diet containing sufficient iron to prevent anemia and maintain it in good health and vigor and, if the calf is more than 14 days old, be provided each day with food containing sufficient digestible fiber to prevent impairment of the development of its rumen. The bill also permits the chaining or tethering of calves at fairs.

    The bill further provides that a person who violates the provisions of the bill would be guilty of a disorderly persons offense. A disorderly persons offense is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and a prison term of up to six months.