HB2991eng 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB2991 Engrossed LRB098 08295 MGM 38398 b

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Lion Meat Act.

Section 5. Administration of Act. This Act shall be administered by the Director of Agriculture.

Section 10. Definitions. When used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) "Lion meat" means the flesh of any lion (Panthera leo).

(2) "Slaughter" means killing lions for commercialization.

(3) "Person" means any individual, partnership, cooperative, association, firm, or corporation.

(4) "Buyer" means a person who is engaged in the business of buying lion meat or other lion parts.

(5) "Commercialization" means selling or bartering, offering to sell or barter, purchasing, possessing, transporting, delivering, or receiving lion meat or any product, item, or substance containing lion meat or labeled or advertised as containing lion meat. "Commercialization" also includes serving lion meat as a part of a meal by any restaurant, hotel, or other commercial establishment.

(6) "Transport" or "ship" means to convey by means of parcel post, express, freight baggage, or shipment by common carrier of any description or by automobile, motorcycle, or other vehicle of any kind or by watercraft or aircraft of any kind or by any other means of transportation.

(7) "Department" means the Department of Agriculture.

(8) "Director" means the Director of Agriculture.

Section 15. Slaughter unlawful.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it is unlawful for any person to slaughter a lion.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it is unlawful for any person to possess, breed, import to this State, export from this State, buy, or sell lions for the purpose of slaughter.

Section 20. Slaughter for human consumption unlawful.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it is unlawful for any person to slaughter a lion for the purpose of human consumption or commercialization of any part of a lion.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it is unlawful for any person to possess, sell, buy, give away, hold, or accept lion meat or any product, item, or substance containing or labeled as containing lion meat for the purpose of human consumption.

Section 25. Commercialization of lion meat unlawful.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it is unlawful for a person to sell or barter, offer to sell or barter, purchase, possess, transport, deliver, receive, import into this State, export from this State, or in any other manner commercialize lion meat or any product, item, or substance containing or labeled or advertised as containing lion meat.

Section 30. Rules. The Department shall adopt and enforce any rules necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.

Section 35. Enforcement. The Department shall, in the name and by the authority of the People of the State of Illinois, bring or cause to be brought actions and proceedings to enforce the provisions of this Act.

Section 40. Violation. Whoever violates any provision of this Act shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.