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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session |
Senate: NR DP 7-0-1-0 | Third Read 25-2-3-0House: LARA DPA/SE 5-3-0-0 |
SB
1199: veterinary medical examining board; continuation
NOW: salt river horse herd
Sponsor: Senator Dunn, LD 25
House Engrossed
Overview
An emergency measure that provides additional regulation for the management and handling of the Salt River Horse Herd (Herd) including genetic management and private entity contracting. Requires the Arizona Department of Agriculture (ADA) to post related information on ADA's website.
History
The Director of ADA or the Director's authorized representative, with the advice of the state veterinarian, exercise general supervision over the livestock interests of the state, protect the livestock industry from theft and the livestock and poultry industries from contagious and infectious diseases and protect the public from diseased and unwholesome meat products (A.R.S. § 3-1203).
The Herd is a wild and free-roaming herd of horses that are managed by the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group (SRWHMG). ADA awarded SRWHMG with the contract on February 18, 2026 to continue to manage the Herd (ADA).
Current law prohibits a person to harass, shoot, injure, kill or slaughter a horse that is a part of the Herd. Arizona is required to enter into an agreement with the U.S. Forest Services to implement or address any issues relating to the Salt River Horse Herd (A.R.S. § 3-1491).
Provisions
1. Specifies that a person cannot intentionally harass, shoot, injure, kill or slaughter a horse that is or was part of the Herd. (Sec. 1)
2. Allows a county sheriff or ADA to remove and transfer an unidentified horse to a private entity engaged in an agreement regarding the Herd with the state. (Sec. 1)
3. Enables a private entity engaged in an agreement regarding the Herd with the state to adopt an unidentified horse through an adoption contract. (Sec. 1)
4. Instructs ADA to post the agreement between the U.S. Forest Service and Arizona on ADA's website. (Sec. 1)
5. Requires Arizona to give preference to an entity with a record and experience with issues relating to the Herd. (Sec. 1)
6. Directs ADA to maintain a genetically viable Herd consistent with genetic viability standards and peer reviewed studies. (Sec. 1)
7. Instructs ADA to make genetic assessment data and all related studies referenced on ADA's website. (Sec. 1)
8. Classifies a person who interferes with, takes, chases, captures or euthanizes a Herd horse without written authorization is guilty of a petty offense. (Sec. 1)
9. Defines interferes with to include:
a. approaching a Herd horse within 50 feet whilst a horse that is part of the Herd is present; and
b. approaching an authorized Herd feeding station within 50 feet. (Sec. 1)
10. Requires ADA to contract for an independent genetic assessment of the Herd and outlines testing criteria. (Sec. 2)
11. Specifies that ADA will give the genetic assessment contract to a provider with demonstrated equine genetics expertise. (Sec. 2)
12. Prohibits a private entity entered into a contract with the state related to the Herd from:
a. removing a horse from the Herd if the herd maintains a negative growth rate unless removal is necessary to prevent or alleviate suffering of an individual horse; and
b. employing fertility control and population control measures other than nonhormonal fertility control vaccines that preserve the mare's natural reproductive cycle and behavior. (Sec. 2)
13. Prohibits ADA from entering into any new agreement with a private entity to address Herd issues that includes an obligation to remove Herd horses from the Herd.
14. Removes provisions on prescribed genetic assessment contracting and Herd management requirements for the contractor. (Sec. 2)
15. Contains legislative findings clauses. (Sec. 3, 4)
16. Contains an emergency clause. (Sec. 5)
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Initials CW/HC SB 1199
5/6/2026 Page 0 House Engrossed
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