HB 23-1264 Summary

• Authorizes the Commissioner of Agriculture to conduct surveillance and inspect livestock suspected of disease exposure, as a sanitary measure under commissioner-adopted rules.

• Grants the Commissioner authority to investigate livestock disease compliance, access animal premises with consent or administrative search warrant during regular business hours, administer oaths, issue administrative subpoenas, and compel witness testimony and document production.

• Allows the Commissioner to petition district court to compel witness compliance with subpoenas, with violations punishable as contempt of court; permits closing investigation records to public inspection during investigatory period except by court order.

• Reduces condemnation appraisal process from three appraisers to two appraisers; requires the Governor to determine appropriate appraisement within 90 days after receiving appraisals and recommendation, with the Commissioner's recommendation automatically becoming the determined appraisal if Governor fails to act within 90 days.

• Clarifies that falsifying health certificates for animal import or export into or out of the state is unlawful.