This bill, introduced in June 2024, requires the Department of Transportation to create an enforcement system for inspecting vehicles and vessels that transport farm animals across state lines to ensure compliance with animal welfare standards. The legislation prohibits the interstate movement of livestock deemed "unfit to travel," which includes animals that are sick, injured, weak, unable to stand, blind, or in late pregnancy or early postpartum stages, with limited exceptions for animals being transported for veterinary care. The Secretary of Transportation has 180 days from the bill's enactment to develop the enforcement mechanism in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, which may also issue rules and regulations to support these efforts. The bill affects livestock transporters, carriers, and vessel operators who move animals across state lines, as well as livestock producers and shippers who would need to comply with the new restrictions. No specific funding amount is mentioned in the legislation, though implementing the enforcement mechanism would require resources from existing agency budgets.
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