HF 4065

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 02/22/2024 02:56pm

A bill for an act
relating to agriculture; allowing the importation of live Cervidae to certain
accredited facilities; amending Minnesota Statutes 2023 Supplement, section
35.155, subdivision 12.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2023 Supplement, section 35.155, subdivision 12, is amended
to read:

Subd. 12.

Importation.

(a) A person must not import live Cervidae into the state from
a state or province where chronic wasting disease has been detected in the farmed or wild
cervid population in the last five years unless the animal has tested not detected for chronic
wasting disease with a validated live-animal test.

(b) Live Cervidae or Cervidae semen must originate from a herd that has been subject
to a state-, federal-, or provincial-approved chronic wasting disease herd certification program
and that has reached a status equivalent to the highest certification.

(c) Cervidae imported in violation of this section may be seized and destroyed by the
commissioner of natural resources.

(d) This subdivision does not apply to the interstate transfer of animals between two
facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums new text begin or the Zoological Association
of America new text end .

(e) Notwithstanding this subdivision, the commissioner of natural resources may issue
a permit allowing the importation of orphaned wild cervid species that are not susceptible
to chronic wasting disease from another state to an Association of Zoos and Aquariums
accredited institution in Minnesota following a joint risk-based assessment conducted by
the commissioner and the institution.