The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee accepted two amendments to Substitute House Bill 10 and voted 7-0 to report the substituted bill to the committee on rules and reference.

Vice Chair Kaler explained the first amendment (AM 130699) as permitting boards of county commissioners, with the consent of the director of the Department of Agriculture, to appoint multiple deputy positions where current law permitted only one deputy. Kaler said the amendment also corrected a provision enacted under House Bill 96.

Kaler described the second amendment (AM 1361042) as allowing the animal and consumer protection fund—supported by livestock dealer fees—to be used to administer the law governing the Livestock Care Standards Board and to support the entirety of the law governing livestock dealers, instead of being limited to specified provisions. He said this language also corrected a provision from House Bill 96.

Why it matters: The changes affect how county commissions staff and fund oversight of livestock dealers and the Livestock Care Standards Board. Expanding allowable uses of dealer-fee revenue and clarifying deputy appointment authority could change local implementation and funding flows for enforcement and board administration.

The committee received written opponent testimony from Uma Valletti, M.D., representing Upside Foods; no proponents or opponents spoke in person. After the amendments were accepted without objection, Vice Chair Kaler moved to favorably report the substitute bill. The clerk called the roll and the motion passed with seven affirmative votes and no negative votes. The committee held the roll open until 5:00 p.m.

The committee did not take further amendments or refer the bill for an immediate floor vote; the action reported the substitute bill to the committee on rules and reference.