HOUSE BILL NO. 4496

April 24, 2019, Introduced by Reps. Hertel, Ellison, Pohutsky, Shannon, Clemente, Brann, Witwer, Kuppa, Elder, Wittenberg, Cherry, Hood, Cynthia Johnson, Pagan, Lasinski and Wozniak and referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform.

A bill to require research facilities to offer laboratory animals no longer used for research to animal protection shelters for adoption before euthanization; to require research facilities to submit annual reports to the department of agriculture and rural development that provide certain information regarding the release of laboratory animals; and to provide immunity from civil liability under certain conditions.

the people of the state of michigan enact:

Sec. 1. As used in this act:

(a) "Animal protection shelter" means that term as defined in section 1 of 1969 PA 287, MCL 287.331.

(b) "Department" means the department of agriculture and rural development.

(c) "Laboratory animal" means a dog, of the species Canis familiaris, or a cat, of the species Felis catus, that is used or intended to be used for laboratory research at a research facility.

(d) "Laboratory research" means research, tests, or experiments conducted for educational, scientific, medical, or experimental purposes.

(e) "Research facility" means any institution of higher education or any facility, whether privately or publicly owned, leased, or operated, where laboratory research is performed.

Sec. 2. (1) Before euthanizing a laboratory animal that is no longer needed for research purposes, a research facility shall offer the animal to an animal protection shelter located in this state for adoption, unless euthanizing the animal is required for health or safety reasons.

(2) A research facility may enter into a written agreement with an animal protection shelter to carry out the purposes of subsection (1).

(3) A research facility that provides a laboratory animal to an animal protection shelter under subsection (1) is immune from civil liability for or resulting from the transfer of the animal, if the research facility acted in good faith concerning the health and physical condition of the animal.

(4) Not later than December 31 of each year, a research facility that uses laboratory animals for laboratory research shall submit to the department a report that includes all of the following information for the preceding year:

(a) The total number of laboratory animals owned by the facility.

(b) The total number of laboratory animals that are used for research conducted at the facility.

(c) The total number of laboratory animals released by the facility to animal protection shelters for adoption.

(d) The name and address of each animal protection shelter to which a laboratory animal was released by the facility.

(e) A list of the names and addresses of the animal protection shelters with which the facility has entered into an agreement under subsection (2).