STATEWIDE — Three bills sponsored by State Senator Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) aimed at improving Indiana’s agriculture landscape have passed the Senate.
House Enrolled Act 1147 would require the state seed commissioner to charge a fair market fee for testing the purity and germination of large quantities of seeds, which is standard in the seed testing industry. Small quantities of seed would be tested without any charge.
House Bill 1148 would provide that the state veterinarian serves as the chief administrative officer of the Indiana Center for Animal Policy, which co-locates the Indiana Board of Veterinary Medicine and State Board of Animal Health. This will allow for more efficiency by cross utilizing staff, resources, and expertise.
House Bill 1149 would establish requirements for the preparation and sale of food products from a home-based vendor. A home-based vendor would be required to obtain a food handlers certificate and submit it to their local health department.
“These bills will impact Indiana’s agriculture industry and make lasting positive changes to improve our state,” Leising said. “These three bills collectively work to make our agricultural sector safer and more efficient.”
Having been amended, HB 1148 and HB 1149 will now return to the House of Representatives for further consideration. HEA 1147 will now move to the governor for consideration.
To learn more about these bills or to watch the legislative session, visit iga.in.gov.
(State Senator Jean Leising press release)
