VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

• Code of Virginia
• Virginia Administrative Code
• Constitution of Virginia
• Charters
• Authorities
• Compacts
• Uncodified Acts
• RIS Users (account required)

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

• Bills & Resolutions
  session legislation
• Bill Summaries
  session summaries
• Reports to the General Assembly
  House and Senate documents
• Legislative Liaisons
  State agency contacts

ACROSS SESSIONS

• Subject Index: Since 1995
• Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
• Summaries: Since 1994

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

1997 SESSION

• history | hilite | pdf | print version

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 645 Requesting the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to study its current fee structure for the voluntary inspection of bison, fallow deer and ratites, as compared to actual costs incurred by the Department, and to suggest a revised fee structure which would reflect the actual costs of such inspections.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 2, 1997 Agreed to by the Senate, February 19, 1997

WHEREAS, there is a new and expanding consumer market for the meat of bison and ratites (ostriches and emus); and

WHEREAS, such animals are subject to voluntary inspections under the regulations of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture; and

WHEREAS, the Department's actual cost of inspection is thought to be somewhat less than what the Department charges the meat processor; and

WHEREAS, the cost of such inspections passed on to meat processors in other states is considerably less; and

WHEREAS, there is no cost to meat processors for the inspection of cattle, swine, chickens, and other common livestock because of federal matching funds; and

WHEREAS, lowering the cost of such inspections will lower the cost of the product passed on to the consumer; and

WHEREAS, lowering the cost of the product to the consumer will help stimulate economic development in this emerging industry; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services be requested to study its current fee structure for the voluntary inspection of bison, fallow deer and ratites, as compared to actual costs incurred by the Department, and to suggest a revised fee structure which would reflect the actual costs of such inspections.

The Department shall complete its work in time to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 1998 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.