S.B. 2977 Summary

• Creates new chapter establishing confinement standards for egg-laying hens, defining cage-free housing systems that must include enrichments such as perches, nest boxes, and dust bathing areas with minimum usable floor space requirements of 1 square foot per hen (or 1.5 square feet in single-level systems).

• Prohibits farm owners/operators from knowingly confining egg-laying hens in a cruel manner beginning June 30, 2027, with exceptions for medical research, veterinary treatment, transportation, fair exhibitions, slaughter, and temporary husbandry periods not exceeding 6 hours daily.

• Prohibits businesses from selling shell eggs or egg products beginning June 30, 2027, that were produced by hens confined in violation of humane housing best practices, with a good faith defense available for reliance on supplier written certification.

• Exempts farms with 75,000 or fewer egg-laying hens from cruel confinement restrictions if hens have at least 1 square foot of usable floor space and no additional hens added after June 30, 2027, may bring flock above that threshold.

• Establishes civil penalties of $500 to $1,000 per violation, with violations of sales prohibitions also treated as unfair/deceptive trade practices; authorizes department of agriculture to adopt implementing rules.