H. B. 2449

                        (By Delegates Sobonya, Miller, Butler, Folk, Frich, Overington,

                                     Householder, Ihle, J. Nelson, Faircloth and Hill)

                        [Introduced January 28, 2015; referred to the

                        Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources then Health and Human Resources.]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §19-1-4e, relating to permitting coowners of cows to receive raw milk from those cows; and authorizing rule making.

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 §19-1-4e, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 1. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

§19-1-4e. Owners of cows may receive raw milk.

            (a) The owner of a cow, cow shares or a dairy herd may receive raw milk directly from the farm or dairy where the cow or dairy herd is located. A person who is the owner of a cow share in a cow or dairy herd may receive raw milk on behalf of another owner of the same cow or dairy herd.

            (b) The Commissioner of Agriculture shall propose rules, including regulatory standards, for legislative approval in accordance with article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code for the purpose of carrying out the requirements of subsection (a) of this section by October 1, 2015.

            NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to permit coowners of cows to receive raw milk from those cows. The bill authorizes rule making.

            This section is new; therefore, it has been completely underscored.