Senate agriculture committee reports bill to ban sale and manufacture of lab-grown meat

The West Virginia Senate Agriculture Committee voted to report Senate Bill 751 to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass and, under its double reference, first be referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The bill would create a new section of state code prohibiting the manufacture, sale or distribution of lab-grown (cultivated) products described to resemble egg, fish, meat or poultry, with criminal penalties and an administrative enforcement mechanism. Committee counsel summarized the measure and invited questions.

Committee counsel told the committee the bill would make the manufacture, sale or distribution of cultivated meat a misdemeanor and set penalties at a maximum fine of $500 or a maximum term of imprisonment of one year. Counsel also said the Department of Health would be authorized to suspend a food establishment's operating permit after written notice and a hearing for alleged violations; the establishment could resume operations after the period of suspension. Counsel said the bill does not prohibit research on lab-grown meat products and provides for rulemaking to implement the measure.

Senator from Jefferson asked how enforcement would work, asking whether ‘‘it'd be law enforcement?’’ Committee counsel confirmed that the bill includes criminal penalties and that the Department of Health could pursue administrative permit suspensions as a civil enforcement tool.

Committee counsel also noted that a separate law, referred to in committee as the Truth in Food Labeling Act, already addresses labeling of these products in state code; counsel said SB 751 would go further by preempting labeling and flatly prohibiting sale, manufacture and distribution of cultivated meat within the state. Counsel told the panel that several other states have considered or passed similar measures.

Vice Chair moved that SB 751 be reported to the full Senate with a recommendation that it do pass, subject to the bill's original double reference to the Judiciary Committee. The chair put the question by voice vote and declared the motion adopted; the committee did not record individual roll-call votes.

With the committee's recommendation, the bill will proceed to the Judiciary Committee before the full Senate considers it.

Votes at a glance: SB 751 — Motion to report to full Senate with recommendation that it pass and to refer first to Judiciary; mover: Vice Chair (Senate Agriculture Committee); outcome: adopted by voice vote; vote tally not specified.