Colorado Legislative Council Staff

NO FISCAL IMPACT

TITLE:            CONCERNING THE CONTROL OF LIVESTOCK DESIGNATED DISEASES.

Summary of Assessment

            This bill revises statutes governing the prevention and eradication of animal diseases to include a "designated disease", in addition to brucellosis. The bill authorizes the state Department of Agriculture to enter into cooperative agreements with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in carrying out a program of disease control according to uniform methods and rules established by the USDA for the control or eradication of a designated disease, including brucellosis. The bill repeals portions of statute that exempt violators of the quarantine laws from civil penalties. The bill continuously appropriates moneys from an existing fund established for the purchase of vaccine and other related expenses for designated disease control and eradication. The bill will become effective upon the signature of the Governor.

            Under current law, the State Agricultural Commission and the State Veterinarian are authorized to implement and administer a program to control and eradicate brucellosis in livestock in the state. This bill expands that program to include any designated disease, including brucellosis, determined by the department to be an economic threat to the state's livestock industry or a risk to human health.

            Under current law, the department is authorized to call upon local law enforcement agencies to enforce quarantines. The department is authorized to compensate those agencies for certain services. This bill is not anticipated to affect the duties or annual operating expenditures of the State Veterinarian, the department, or local law enforcement agencies. The repeal of the exemption for violators of the state quarantine laws is not anticipated to generate a source of state revenue. Therefore, this bill is assessed as having no fiscal impact.

Departments Contacted

            Agriculture                 Law