FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jesse Cordray, Press Secretary
Jesse.Cordray@iga.in.gov
317-232-9498
Emma Balzer, Press Secretary Intern
Emma.Balzer@iga.in.gov
STATEHOUSE (March 10, 2021) – A bill authored by State Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) that would address the testing and reporting of diseased animals passed the House Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development unanimously this week.
Under current law, if a veterinarian, owner, caretaker or custodian of an animal knows or suspects that an animal has a disease or condition that requires reporting to the state, the individual must report it to the state veterinarian or a local health officer within 48 hours.
Senate Bill 53 would instead require those individuals to report their findings within 24 hours. SB 53 would also require a laboratory or animal health professional to report the type of any tests performed as well as the positive diagnoses for certain diseases within 24 hours after a test renders a positive diagnosis.
"Indiana farmers need safeguards against the possibility of a disease outbreak, and we need to establish a protection process that can help the state's agricultural production should an outbreak occur," Leising said. "SB 53 would ensure that animal sickness is handled properly in order to contain an outbreak that could cause irreparable loss to the farm or other farms that may come into contact with the diseased animal."
SB 53 will now be considered by the full House of Representatives.
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For a high-resolution photo of State Sen. Leising, click here.
