S.B. No. 691
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to an animal share exemption for certain meat and meat food
  products; providing a civil penalty.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 433, Health and Safety
  Code, is amended by adding Section 433.0065 to read as follows:
         Sec. 433.0065.  ANIMAL SHARE EXEMPTION; CIVIL PENALTY. (a)  
  In this section, "animal share" means an ownership interest in one
  or more identified livestock animals created by a contract between
  a farmer or rancher who owns the livestock and a prospective
  co-owner of the livestock.
         (b)  An animal share executed by a co-owner and a farmer or
  rancher under this section must include:
               (1)  a bill of sale the farmer or rancher provides to
  the co-owner conveying an ownership interest in the livestock;
               (2)  a provision authorizing the farmer or rancher to
  board the livestock and arrange preparation of the livestock as
  meat and meat food products for the co-owner; and
               (3)  a provision entitling the co-owner to a share of
  meat and meat food products derived from the livestock.
         (c)  The provisions of this chapter requiring inspection of
  livestock before slaughter and inspection of the preparation of
  meat and meat food products do not apply to the slaughter of
  livestock and preparation of meat and meat food products if:
               (1)  ownership of the livestock under an animal share
  is established before the livestock is slaughtered and the meat and
  meat food products are prepared;
               (2)  the meat and meat food products are:
                     (A)  prepared from livestock subject to an animal
  share and delivered to the establishment preparing the products by
  the farmer or rancher boarding the livestock; and
                     (B)  following preparation, delivered directly to
  the co-owner;
               (3)  on delivery of the meat or meat food products to
  the co-owner, the establishment provides to the co-owner notice
  that the department has not inspected the meat or meat food products
  in:
                     (A)  a separate written statement that
  prominently displays the warning; or
                     (B)  a warning statement prominently displayed on
  a label affixed to the meat or meat food product packaging;
               (4)  the label affixed to the meat or meat food product
  clearly and conspicuously states "Not for Sale"; and
               (5)  the farmer or rancher provides to the co-owner
  information describing the standards the farmer or rancher followed
  in maintaining livestock health and preparing the meat and meat
  food products derived from the livestock.
         (d)  A person may not sell, donate, or commercially
  redistribute meat or meat food products produced in accordance with
  this section.  A person who violates this subsection is liable to
  this state for a civil penalty in the amount of $10,000 for each
  violation.  The attorney general may bring an action to recover a
  civil penalty authorized under this subsection and may recover
  reasonable expenses incurred in obtaining the civil penalty,
  including court costs, attorney's fees, investigative costs,
  witness fees, and deposition expenses.
         (e)  A farmer or rancher may not publish a statement that
  implies department approval or endorsement regarding meat or meat
  food products delivered pursuant to an animal share.
         (f)  The adulteration and misbranding provisions of this
  chapter, other than the requirement of an inspection legend, apply
  to meat or meat food products prepared by a processing
  establishment under this section. 
         (g)  This section does not authorize the preparation of meat
  or meat food products in violation of the Federal Meat Inspection
  Act (21 U.S.C. Section 601 et seq.).
         SECTION 2.  Section 433.024(b), Health and Safety Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The department shall inspect each slaughtering
  establishment whose primary business is the selling of livestock to
  be slaughtered by the purchaser on premises owned or operated by the
  seller.  This subsection does not nullify the provisions in Section
  433.006 relating to exemptions or Section 433.0065 relating to an
  animal share exemption.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 691 passed the Senate on
  April 3, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 691 passed the House on
  May 19, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 126, Nays 17,
  two present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor