With the budget out of the way, as well as the tax reform debate, the issue keeping Lansing abuzz beyond the redistricting debate is the regulation of the sporting swine industry in Michigan. With a Department of Natural Resources order set to take effect July 8th shutting down sporting swine facilities, a split House of Representatives acted Thursday to impose regulations on the industry and to permit 65 such facilities.
Although active enforcement of the DNR order would not begin until April of 2012, the five-bill package passed to the Senate Thursday would establish registration requirements, inspections, fees, fence heights and require a facility inform the state of an escaped swine within 48 hours.
HB 4503, 4504, 4505, 4506 and 4699 were passed with a handful of Democrats supporting the measures and a similar number of Republicans voting in opposition. If passed by the Senate and signed by the Governor, the package calls for the regulation of the industry to be handled by the Department of Natural Resources in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.