An Act to Improve Efficiency of Meat and Poultry Processing
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0311
Sponsors: FOSTER, GUERIN
Amends: 22 MRSA §2512

Legislative Document
No. 311
H.P. 211
House of Representatives, February 3, 2025
An Act to Improve Efficiency of Meat and Poultry Processing 
Facilities by Requiring the Designation of State Inspectors as 
Essential
(EMERGENCY)
Received by the Clerk of the House on January 30, 2025.  Referred to the Committee on 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed 
pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative FOSTER of Dexter.
Cosponsored by Senator GUERIN of Penobscot and
Representatives: ALBERT of Madawaska, CRAY of Palmyra, DANA of the Passamaquoddy 
Tribe, GUERRETTE of Caribou, HALL of Wilton, QUINT of Hodgdon, SHAGOURY of 
Hallowell, Senator: HICKMAN of Kennebec.
Emergency preamble.  Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, Maine's meat and poultry inspection program exists to protect the health 
and welfare of consumers by ensuring that livestock and poultry used in the production of 
meat and poultry products, respectively, are humanely handled and disease-free and the 
resulting products are wholesome, not adulterated and correctly labeled and packaged; and
Whereas, the Legislature finds that the services provided by the meat and poultry 
inspection program are essential services; and
Whereas, this legislation must take effect before the expiration of the 90-day period 
to ensure the health and welfare of Maine residents and to preserve the economic welfare 
of the State; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §2512, sub-§1, ¶F, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 777, §1, is 
amended to read:
F.  Establish standards relating to sanitation for all establishments required to have 
inspection under paragraph A or persons required to be licensed under section 2514; 
and
Sec. 2.  22 MRSA §2512, sub-§1, ¶G, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 777, §1, is 
amended to read:
G.  Require that persons licensed under this chapter keep records; fully and correctly 
disclose all transactions involved in their business; and afford to the commissioner and 
the commissioner's representatives, including representatives of other governmental 
agencies designated by the commissioner, access to their places of business and 
opportunity, at all reasonable times, to examine the facilities, inventory and records, to 
copy the records and to take reasonable samples of the inventory upon the payment of 
the fair market value.; and
Sec. 3.  22 MRSA §2512, sub-§1, ¶H is enacted to read:
H.  Designate state inspectors essential to the operations of official establishments and 
require inspection to continue at an official establishment on state holidays or beyond 
the regular work shift or workweek for state inspectors as long as the necessary 
inspectors are available and the official establishment pays all overtime salaries for 
inspections necessary to keep the plant open and other expenses caused by the overtime 
employment.
Sec. 4.  22 MRSA §2512, sub-§2, ¶E, as amended by PL 2021, c. 64, §14, is 
repealed.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation 
takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to 
designate state inspectors authorized to perform inspection functions under the laws 
governing meat and poultry inspections essential to the operations of establishments at 
which inspection of the slaughter of livestock or poultry or the preparation of livestock 
products or poultry products occurs.
The bill also directs the commissioner to require, rather than authorize as in current 
law, inspection to continue at such an establishment on state holidays or beyond the regular 
work shift or workweek for state inspectors as long as the necessary inspectors are available 
and the establishment pays all overtime salaries for inspections necessary to keep the plant 
open and other expenses caused by the overtime employment.