Florida Senate - 2010                                    SB 1708
       
       
       
       By Senator Crist
       
       
       
       
       12-01465-10                                           20101708__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the unlawful slaughter of horses;
    3         amending s. 500.451, F.S.; prohibiting specified acts
    4         relating to horsemeat for human consumption; providing
    5         penalties; increasing the classification of offenses
    6         relating to horsemeat for human consumption; providing
    7         for suspension of licenses of certain businesses for
    8         offenses relating to horsemeat; providing mandatory
    9         minimum penalties; amending s. 828.125, F.S.; revising
   10         provisions prohibiting certain acts relating to horses
   11         to apply to all horses regardless of breed; providing
   12         mandatory minimum penalties; providing an effective
   13         date.
   14  
   15  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   16  
   17         Section 1. Section 500.451, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   18  read:
   19         500.451 Horse meat; offenses sale for human consumption.—
   20         (1) It is unlawful for any person to:
   21         (a) Sell in the markets of this state horse meat for human
   22  consumption unless the horse meat is clearly stamped, marked,
   23  and described as horse meat for human consumption.
   24         (b) Knowingly transport, distribute, sell, purchase, or
   25  possess horsemeat for human consumption which is not clearly
   26  stamped, marked, and described as horsemeat for human
   27  consumption or horsemeat that is not acquired from a licensed
   28  slaughterhouse.
   29         (2) A person that violates this section commits is guilty
   30  of a felony misdemeanor of the third second degree, punishable
   31  as provided in s. 775.082, or s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, except
   32  that any person who commits a violation of this section shall be
   33  sentenced to a minimum mandatory fine of $3,500 and a minimum
   34  mandatory period of incarceration of 1 year.
   35         (3) In addition to any penalties provided in subsection
   36  (2), any license of any restaurant, store, or other business may
   37  be suspended as provided in the applicable licensing law upon
   38  conviction of an owner or employee of that business for a
   39  violation of this section in connection with that business.
   40         Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 828.125, Florida
   41  Statutes, is amended to read:
   42         828.125 Killing or aggravated abuse of registered breed
   43  horses or cattle; offenses; penalties.—Any other provisions of
   44  this chapter to the contrary notwithstanding:
   45         (1) Any person who willfully and unlawfully, by any means
   46  whatsoever, kills, maims, mutilates, or causes great bodily harm
   47  or permanent breeding disability to any animal of the genus
   48  Equus (horse) or any animal of any registered breed or
   49  recognized registered hybrid of the genus Equus (horse) or genus
   50  Bos (cattle) commits, or any recognized registered hybrid of the
   51  specified genera, shall be guilty of a felony of the second
   52  degree, punishable as provided by s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s.
   53  775.084, except that any person who commits a violation of this
   54  subsection shall be sentenced to a minimum mandatory fine of
   55  $3,500 and a minimum mandatory period of incarceration of 1
   56  year.
   57         Section 3. This act shall take effect October 1, 2010.