SS/HCS/HB 574 - This act specifies that the Missouri Department of Agriculture, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the county sheriff for the county in which the facility is located, the United States Department of Agriculture, and any other federal or Missouri state agency with statutory or regulatory authority shall have exclusive authority to inspect the grounds or facilities located in Missouri for the production of eggs, milk or other dairy products, or the raising of livestock or poultry. No person, individual, corporation or other association, governmental entity, or any other entity shall inspect such grounds or facilities to enforce or carry out the laws of Missouri or any other state unless specifically requested by the owner of the grounds or facilities, or pursuant to a search warrant lawfully issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.
The act shall not apply to:
1. Inspections performed in charter counties, except for St. Charles County, the city of St. Louis, or Kansas City;
2. Inspections performed on any further processing component of any production agriculture farm; or
3. Certain searches carried out by Department of Conservation agents and other law enforcement officers.
No testimony or evidence regarding any condition or event at the grounds or facilities listed in the act shall be admissible in any criminal prosecution unless offered by certain individuals listed in the act.
This act is similar to SCS/SB 254 (2021), SCS/SB 699 (2020), HB 1583 (2020), and the perfected HCS/HB 951 (2019).
JAMIE ANDREWS