ANIMAL EUTHANASIA TRAINING REQ.                                                     H.B. 4813 (S-1):

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                      REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

House Bill 4813 (Substitute S-1 as reported)

Sponsor:  Representative Hank Vaupel

House Committee:  Regulatory Reform

Senate Committee:  Regulatory Reform

CONTENT

The bill would amend Article 7 (Controlled Substances) of the Public Health Code to revise the requirements for a class B dealer or an animal shelter to acquire a limited permit for the purpose of buying, possessing, and administering a commercially prepared, premixed solution of sodium pentobarbital to euthanize animals. The bill would require a class B dealer to do the following:

-- Certify that the dealer or an employee of the dealer received and documented completion of at least 16 hours of training in the use of a commercially prepared, premixed solution of sodium pentobarbital and an animal tranquilizer to perform euthanasia on animals.

-- Make available to certain State and Federal departments its records of use of sodium pentobarbital. 

-- Ensure that the dealer or an employee of the dealer who completed the training required before the bill took effect only administered a commercially prepared, premixed solution of sodium pentobarbital to perform euthanasia on an animal, until December 31, 2021.

An animal control shelter or animal protection shelter could acquire a limited permit for the purpose of buying, possessing, and administering a commercially prepared, premixed solution of sodium pentobarbital, or an animal tranquilizer, to use exclusively as an adjunct in the process of performing euthanasia on animals.  The shelter would have to ensure that its employees received and documented completion of the same training as would be required for a class B dealer. Until December 31, 2021, a shelter would have to ensure that an employee who completed the training required before the bill took effect only administered a commercially prepared solution of xylazine hydrochloride or sodium pentobarbital to perform euthanasia on an animal.

MCL 333.7333                                                         Legislative Analyst:  Stephen Jackson

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have a minimal fiscal impact on State and local government.  Minor changes to the existing Board of Pharmacy - Animal Euthanasia and Sedation Rules (R 338.3501 - 338.3523) regarding increased training requirements would be necessary.  Rule promulgation would be a minor cost that the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs could absorb.  Increased training requirements for the administration of certain drugs by local government-operated animal shelters could result in slightly higher training costs for some shelters.

Date Completed:  1-26-18                                                     Fiscal Analyst:  Bruce Baker

                                                                                                       Michael Siracuse

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.