INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — A bill authored by State Senator Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) to change who pays for bovine tuberculosis testing passed the House of Representatives recently by a vote of 96-0.
Senate Enrolled Act 294 would require county councils and the Indiana State Board of Animal Health to each pay 50 percent of expenses related to bovine tuberculosis testing when required.
Indiana is considered a tuberculosis-free state under the U.S. Department of Agriculture rules.
As a result of an occurrence of elk strain bovine tuberculosis in Franklin County, the USDA required the Board of Animal Health to conduct blood testing of all cattle in a 10-mile radius of the infected animal.
Under current Indiana law, the county is required to pay for 100 percent of the costs of testing.
There are five counties that were involved in recent testing - Franklin, Fayette, Rush, Dearborn and Decatur.
The original projected cost for Franklin County was $91,000, although the final cost is anticipated to be less.
All tests completed have been negative.
SEA 294 will now be considered by Governor Eric Holcomb.
