Vermont proposal would require minimum space for egg-laying hens, create enforcement penalties

Representative Rachelson told the House Agriculture Committee that she refiled H.4 to set uniform space requirements for egg-laying hens whose eggs are sold in Vermont, citing animal welfare, human health and consumer-protection reasons.

"The three issues are animal cruelty, health, and consumer protection," Representative Rachelson said, summarizing the bill's aims.

The bill would add a definition of "egg-laying hen" to Title 6, create an unlawful-confinement prohibition, and require a minimum amount of usable floor space per hen to meet the state's standards for eggs offered for sale. Under the draft discussed at the hearing, a multi-tiered barn must provide about 1 square foot of usable floor space per hen; non–multi-tier facilities would need about 1.5 square feet per hen. The draft exempts temporary confinement for medical research, examination, certain animal husbandry tasks, agricultural fairs, and humane slaughter that complies with state slaughter laws.

Legislative counsel Michael Grady said the measure is modeled on California’s approach after Proposition 12 and described the federal legal backdrop.…