ENROLLED

Senate Bill No. 235

(By Senators Edgell, Bailey, Dempsey, Love, Facemyer and Guills)

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[Passed April 8, 2005; in effect ninety days from passage.]

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AN ACT to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §19-9-7a, relating to National Animal Identification System; requiring state participation in the program; providing rule-making authority; and exempting premises and animal identification data from disclosure pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §19-9-7a, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 9. DISEASES AMONG DOMESTIC ANIMALS.
§19-9-7a. National Animal Identification System; rulemaking; exemption.
West Virginia shall be a participating state in the United States Department of Agriculture's National Animal Identification System. The Commissioner may propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code governing the collection of farm premises and animal identification data.
The premises and animal identification data collected by the Commissioner in accordance with the requirements of the National Animal Identification System are specifically exempt from disclosure under the provisions of article one, chapter twenty-nine-b of this code.