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Committee approves bill raising caps on livestock inspection fees; industry witnesses say rulemaking will set actual rates
Summary
A House committee gave a unanimous do-pass recommendation to Senate Bill 101, which raises allowable caps on inspection fees collected by the New Mexico Livestock Board; the board and industry witnesses said any fee increases would occur through rulemaking, with small annual increments and public comment.
A House of Representatives committee voted unanimously to report Senate Bill 101 out of committee after hearing from the New Mexico Livestock Board and industry witnesses.
"This bill raises the cap on livestock fees. It does not raise livestock fees. It raises the cap on the fees," a committee member said while introducing the measure.
Belinda Garland, executive director of the New Mexico Livestock Board, told the committee, "We are asking that the caps that we can charge for our fees be increased to the amounts proposed in the bill...for the fees to actually be raised, then our board has to do that through the rule making process. So there's the 30 day public comment period. There's the public hearing. So all of the producers from around the state would have time to comment on any fees that are increased." Garland said increases would be small and controlled: "These fees can only be increased 10¢ annually. For sheep and goats, they can only be increased 4¢ annually."
Garland also said the bill includes a seasonal-grazing provision that requires a 50% inspection charge when an owner temporarily moves animals into another district, provided ownership does not change.
Tom Patterson, president-elect of the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association, testified in favor of the bill on behalf of producers, saying the Livestock Board "is charged with protecting our cattle from theft and from protecting them from disease" and that growers supported the board's request.
The committee moved for a do-pass recommendation. Representative Duncan made the motion; Representative Vincent seconded. Committee members recorded no opposition and the bill was reported out of committee by unanimous voice vote.
