Committee advances bill to certify haulers, brokers of food‑processing residuals

House Bill 587 was amended and reported out of the Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee after lawmakers added a new chapter to the agricultural code to create a certification program for haulers and brokers of food‑processing residuals.

The bill, sponsored by Representative Friel, would “establish a certification requirement for haulers and brokers of food processing residuals,” and the amendment offered by Chairman Mao replaces the existing language with a new chapter in the agricultural code. "It's a lot of work on bipartisan level to put this bill together, and I appreciate the support and working with Chairman Mao to get this over the finish line," Representative Friel said on the floor.

The committee considered and adopted an amendment that creates a new chapter in Title 3 of the agricultural code to establish the "commercial animal and food‑processing residuals hauler, broker and certification program," modeled after the existing commercial manure hauler broker certification program. Nate (staff member) described the amendment as replacing the prior language with that new chapter.

Representative Borowitz registered a negative vote during the amendment roll call and asked the clerk to record his opposition when the amendment was considered. After the amendment passed, the committee voted to consider the bill; House Bill 587 was then reported from the Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee as amended.

The committee record shows the bill had previously been tabled at an earlier meeting and was brought back for consideration at this session. The transcript does not specify implementation dates, fee schedules, or the agency that would administer the new certification; those details are not specified in the committee record and would be determined later in drafting or in follow‑up committee work.

The committee chair closed the item and moved to the next order of business after reporting the bill out of committee.