Bill > HB1611

This bill creates the Game Fowl Farm Registration and Preservation Act, which establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for game fowl farms in Arkansas. The legislation requires all game fowl farms to register every two years with the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission, free of charge, primarily for disease tracking and breeder recognition purposes. Farms must undergo mandatory disease testing every two years for avian influenza, Virulent Newcastle disease, and Pullorum disease, with testing costs covered by the commission. The bill introduces penalties for non-registration and non-compliance, including civil fines ranging from $250 to $500 and potential suspension from poultry-related activities. Additionally, the bill amends the definition of animal fighting to explicitly exclude lawful game fowl breeding and exhibition activities, and creates a new offense of unlawful rooster fighting with graduated penalties: first-degree offenses (organizing or profiting from rooster fights) are classified as Class D felonies, while second-degree offenses (attending or participating in fights) are Class A misdemeanors. The bill includes protections for roosters seized during investigations, ensuring they are not euthanized without veterinary justification and are returned if the owner is not convicted. An emergency clause emphasizes the urgent need to protect Arkansas's poultry industry and cultural agricultural practices, making the act immediately effective upon gubernatorial approval or other specified conditions.