Relating to the management of the spread of diseases in animals, and including effective date provisions

This bill relates to control of infectious diseases in animals.2 to include chronic wasting disease. By operation of law, the bill allows the department of agriculture and land stewardship to adopt rules and exercise certain powers to control the spread of chronic wasting disease in animals under the department’s jurisdiction. The bill requires the natural resource commission to act to prevent, control, or eradicate an infectious or contagious disease in any wild animal. The bill authorizes the commission to establish a disease management zone for any wild animal, upon the finding of an infectious or contagious disease in a population of that animal, and take certain actions to prevent the spread of disease through that animal population. The bill allows a state biologist or conservation officer to go to a residence or approach a private landowner or tenant to provide information regarding wild animal disease prevention, containment, and eradication efforts in the area or to request and obtain permission to collect wildlife samples. The bill takes effect upon enactment.