Montana horse slaughter bill now law (US)

By RYAN HALL and JOHN S. ADAMS Staff Writers | Great Falls Tribune | Posted May 2, 2009

HELENA — Gov. Brian Schweitzer on Friday refused to sign a controversial horse-slaughter bill in the allotted time, allowing it to become law.

“The governor made his opinion on this bill known, the Legislature did the same. No action was taken and the bill has now become law,” Schweitzer’s spokeswoman, Sarah Elliot, said in a Friday release.

House Bill 418, sponsored by Rep. Ed Butcher, R-Winifred, prevents Montana courts from issuing an injunction stopping or delaying the construction of an equine-processing facility. It also requires anyone who challenges a facility’s environmental permit to post a bond.

Last month, Schweitzer sent the bill back to the Legislature after striking that language. At a news conference announcing his plan to issue amendatory vetoes on the measure, Schweitzer compared the bill to a Trojan horse, saying the provisions he wanted to strike would have “unintended consequences” if left in the bill.

“This bill, while it may have an effect of encouraging someone to build a horse-slaughter plant in Montana … unfortunately it does so much more,” Schweitzer said at the time. GreatFallsTribune.com >>