House Study Bill 58 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION BILL BY CHAIRPERSON COLLINS) A BILL FOR An Act providing for the ethical use of research animals. 1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 2 TLSB 1050YC (3) 91 da/ns
H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 162.4A, Code 2025, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 162.4A Operation of a research facility certificate of 3 registration. 4 1. A research facility shall only operate pursuant to 5 a certificate of registration issued by the department as 6 provided in section 162.2A . The 7 2. In order to comply with the provisions of this chapter, a 8 research facility shall maintain must do all of the following: 9 a. Maintain records as required by the department in order 10 for the department to ensure the research facilitys compliance 11 with the provisions of this chapter . A research facility shall 12 not 13 b. Comply with the provisions of chapter 162A. 14 c. Only purchase a dog or cat from a commercial 15 establishment that does not have has been issued or renewed a 16 valid authorization issued or renewed by the department under 17 this chapter or a similar authorization issued or renewed by an 18 authorized entity in another state. 19 Sec. 2. Section 162.10, Code 2025, is amended to read as 20 follows: 21 162.10 Qualified research facilities adoption program. 22 1. As used in this section , unless the context otherwise 23 requires: 24 a. Animal rescue organization means a person other than 25 an animal shelter operating on a nonprofit basis to place 26 unwanted, abandoned, abused, or stray dogs or cats in permanent 27 adopted homes as provided by rules adopted by the department. 28 b. (1) Qualified research facility means a research 29 facility, including but not limited to a regents institution, 30 that conducts experiments on dogs or cats for research, 31 education, testing, or another scientific purpose; and that 32 receives moneys from the state or federal government. 33 (2) Qualified research facility includes a research 34 facility that conducts experiments on dogs or cats for 35 -1- LSB 1050YC (3) 91 da/ns 1/ 9
H.F. _____ research, education, testing, or another scientific purpose, 1 in collaboration with a research facility described in 2 subparagraph (1). 3 c. Retired animal means a dog or cat confined at a 4 qualified research facility, if the dog or cat has been 5 previously used for research, education, testing, or another 6 scientific purpose; and the dog or cat is no longer required 7 to be confined by the qualified research facility for any of 8 those purposes. 9 2. 1. A qualified research facility shall establish an 10 adoption program for retired animals confined at the qualified 11 research facility for placement in a permanent adoptive 12 home. In order to be eligible for adoption under the program, 13 the retired animal must not have no a substantial medical 14 condition, and must not pose no a safety risk to the public, 15 that would prevent the dogs or cats successful integration 16 into a permanent adoptive home. 17 3. 2. Once a dog or cat becomes a retired animal and is 18 eligible for adoption under the adoption program, the qualified 19 research facility must do at least one of the following: 20 a. Offer to transfer ownership and custody of the retired 21 animal to an animal shelter or animal rescue organization to 22 facilitate the transfer of ownership and custody of the retired 23 animal to a person for placement into the persons permanent 24 adoptive home. A qualified research facility must enter into 25 an agreement with one or more animal shelters or animal rescue 26 organizations electing to participate in the program. 27 b. Offer to transfer ownership and custody of the retired 28 animal to a person for private placement in the persons 29 permanent adoptive home according to an arrangement agreed to 30 by the qualified research facility and the person. 31 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION . 162A.1 Short title. 32 This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Ethics 33 in Animal Research Act . 34 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION . 162A.2 Definitions. 35 -2- LSB 1050YC (3) 91 da/ns 2/ 9
H.F. _____ As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise 1 requires: 2 1. Animal means a vertebrate animal other than a human. 3 2. Animal rescue organization means a person, other than 4 an animal shelter, operating on a nonprofit basis to place 5 unwanted, abandoned, abused, or stray dogs or cats in permanent 6 adopted homes as provided by rules adopted by the department. 7 3. a. Animal research means the investigation of, or 8 instruction concerning the structure or function of living 9 organisms, and the cause, prevention, control, or cure of 10 diseases, discomfort, impairment, or abnormal conditions 11 affecting human beings or animals. 12 b. Animal research does not include subjecting an animal 13 to circumstances for purposes of doing any of the following: 14 (1) Administering a form of recognized veterinary treatment 15 for the purpose of protecting the welfare of the animal, or 16 reducing or eliminating the animals suffering or confusion. 17 (2) The conduct of normal animal husbandry practices, 18 including but not limited to an accepted livestock management 19 practice as defined in section 169.3. 20 4. Animal research project or project means to conduct 21 animal research in order to answer a specific question, to 22 support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or 23 likelihood of a scientific result. 24 5. Animal shelter means the same as defined in section 25 162.2 operating pursuant to a certificate of registration 26 issued by the department pursuant to section 162.4. 27 6. Animal Welfare Act means the federal Animal Welfare 28 Act, 7 U.S.C. ch. 54, and regulations promulgated by the United 29 States department of agriculture and published in 9 C.F.R. ch. 30 1. 31 7. Board means the state board of regents. 32 8. College or university means an accredited public or 33 private college or university, including but not limited to 34 a university under the control of the state board of regents 35 -3- LSB 1050YC (3) 91 da/ns 3/ 9
H.F. _____ as provided in chapter 262, or a community college under the 1 jurisdiction of a board of directors for a merged area as 2 provided in chapter 260C. 3 9. Department means the department of agriculture and land 4 stewardship. 5 10. a. Devocalization means a surgical procedure that 6 changes an animals vocal apparatus in a manner that alters, 7 softens, reduces, or eliminates vocal sounds produced by the 8 animal. 9 b. Devocalization includes a surgical procedure described 10 as ventriculocordectomy or vocal cordectomy that results in 11 cutting, notching, punching, abrading, lasering, or suturing 12 tissue associated with an animals vocal chords. 13 11. Medically necessary means a service performed on any 14 animal that is all of the following: 15 a. Consistent with the symptoms or a diagnosis made in 16 conformance with recommended veterinary practice standards. 17 b. Reasonably calculated to prevent, diagnose, correct, 18 cure, alleviate, or prevent the worsening of a condition that, 19 left untreated, may result in any of the following: 20 (1) The end of life. 21 (2) Pain, suffering, or loss of function. 22 (3) Illness or infirmity. 23 (4) The aggravation of a disability or chronic illness. 24 c. An effective course of treatment for the animal according 25 to recommended veterinary practice. 26 12. a. Qualified research facility means a research 27 facility that is a college or university, if the research 28 facility performs animal research using state moneys. 29 b. Qualified research facility includes any research 30 facility that acts under contract with a qualified research 31 facility. 32 13. Research facility means a research facility as defined 33 in section 162.2 that is required to operate pursuant to a 34 certificate of registration issued by the department pursuant 35 -4- LSB 1050YC (3) 91 da/ns 4/ 9
H.F. _____ section 162.4A. 1 14. Retired animal means a dog or cat confined at a 2 qualified research facility, if the dog or cat has been 3 previously used as part of an animal research project and the 4 dog or cat is no longer needed or required to be confined by the 5 qualified research facility. 6 15. State agency means the same as defined in section 7 8A.101. 8 16. State moneys means moneys appropriated or allocated 9 from the state treasury, including the general fund of the 10 state or other fund, account, or source of revenue controlled 11 by the state, including deposits, transfers, and earnings. 12 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION . 162A.3 Use of state moneys by 13 qualified research facilities restrictions. 14 1. a. A qualified research facility shall not use state 15 moneys to conduct research that causes an animal pain or 16 distress as described as a category D procedure or E 17 procedure published by the United States department of 18 agriculture, animal and plant health inspection service, under 19 the Animal Welfare Act. 20 b. Paragraph a does not apply to a medically necessary 21 procedure if the animal undergoes a category D procedure 22 described in paragraph a subject to all of the categorys 23 required conditions, including the recommended use of an 24 appropriate anesthetic, analgesic, or tranquilizing drug. 25 2. A qualified research facility shall not use state moneys 26 to conduct research involving devocalization. 27 Sec. 6. NEW SECTION . 162A.4 Use of state moneys by state 28 agencies under contract. 29 1. If a state agency enters into a contract with a private 30 research facility to perform an animal research project, the 31 contract shall specify the amount and percentage of the total 32 cost of performing the project financed by state moneys. 33 2. If the state agency determines that the private research 34 facility performing the animal research has used more state 35 -5- LSB 1050YC (3) 91 da/ns 5/ 9
H.F. _____ moneys than required to perform the project, the private 1 research facility shall not be eligible to enter into another 2 contract with any state agency to perform a project for a 3 twelve-month period. 4 Sec. 7. NEW SECTION . 162A.5 Animal research report 5 qualified research facilities. 6 1. Not later than March 1 of each year, a qualified research 7 facility shall prepare and publish an animal research report. 8 The qualified research facility shall publish the report on its 9 internet site in a conspicuous location and in a manner that is 10 easily accessible to the public. 11 2. The animal research report must state for the prior 12 calendar year all of the following: 13 a. The total amount of state moneys expended by the 14 qualified research facility to support all animal research 15 projects. 16 b. For each animal research project, the report shall 17 include for the prior calendar year a list of active animal 18 research projects performed by the qualified research facility 19 and financed by state moneys. The report must include for each 20 project all of the following: 21 (1) The title of the project and a brief statement of its 22 purpose. 23 (2) The number and species of animals used. 24 (3) (a) The amount equal to the total cost of performing 25 the project. 26 (b) The amount and percentage of that total cost of 27 performing the project financed by state moneys. 28 (c) The amount and percentage of that total cost of 29 performing the project financed by sources other than state 30 moneys. 31 (4) The expiration date of the project and the expected 32 total amount of state moneys expended on that date. 33 c. The extent to which the qualified research facility 34 has complied with the public health service policy on humane 35 -6- LSB 1050YC (3) 91 da/ns 6/ 9
H.F. _____ care and use of laboratory animals published by the national 1 institutes of health, office of laboratory animal welfare, 2 and the applicable provisions of the Animal Welfare Act. The 3 report must include any corrective action taken in response to 4 a finding of noncompliance. 5 d. (1) The total number of animals used in an animal 6 research project that have been placed for adoption, including 7 animals transferred to animal shelters and animal rescue 8 organizations. 9 (2) The total number of animals used in a project that 10 have died, and a brief statement explaining the cause of 11 death, including why an animal was destroyed and the manner of 12 destruction. 13 (3) A detailed explanation of specific efforts by the 14 facility to reduce the use of animals in research. The 15 explanation must include the number of animals by species used 16 in research each year for the past three calendar years and 17 anticipated numbers expected to be used in the next calendar 18 year. 19 Sec. 8. NEW SECTION . 162A.6 State animal research report 20 state board of regents. 21 1. Not later than March 1 of each year, the state board 22 of regents shall prepare and submit a state animal research 23 report to the governor and general assembly. The state report 24 shall be a compilation of information in animal research 25 reports submitted to the board by qualified research facilities 26 according to requirements established by rules adopted by the 27 board pursuant to chapter 17A. The board shall publish the 28 state report on its internet site in a conspicuous location and 29 in a manner that is easily accessible to the public. The board 30 shall disseminate information in the state report to interested 31 press organizations. 32 Sec. 9. CODE EDITOR DIRECTIVE. 33 1. The Code editor is directed to transfer section 162.10 34 to section 162A.11. 35 -7- LSB 1050YC (3) 91 da/ns 7/ 9
H.F. _____ 2. The Code editor shall correct internal references in the 1 Code and in any enacted legislation as necessary due to the 2 enactment of this section. 3 EXPLANATION 4 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 5 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 6 BACKGROUND. This bill amends provisions in Code chapter 7 162 that regulate commercial establishments possessing or 8 controlling animals, including dogs or cats. A commercial 9 establishment includes a research facility associated with an 10 educational or scientific entity, including a state board of 11 regents institution, concerned with the prevention, control, 12 or cure of diseases or abnormal conditions of human beings or 13 animals. The department of agriculture and land stewardship is 14 responsible for certifying research facilities (Code section 15 162.4A). A research facility may participate in an adoption 16 program for dogs or cats confined at the research facility once 17 the dog or cat is retired from use (Code section 162.10). 18 BILLS PROVISIONS GENERAL. The bill creates new Code 19 chapter 162A regulating the use of a research animal used by 20 a qualified research facility performing an animal research 21 project (project) using state moneys. Such research does 22 not include providing an animal with recognized veterinary 23 treatment or normal animal husbandry practices. The bill 24 regulates animal research performed by a qualified research 25 facility which is limited to a public or private college or 26 university performing animal research using state moneys. 27 BILLS PROVISIONS RESTRICTIONS. The bill provides 28 that a qualified research facility is prohibited from using 29 state moneys to conduct research that causes an animal pain 30 or distress, unless it is classified as a medically necessary 31 procedure accompanied by an appropriate anesthetic, analgesic, 32 or tranquilizing drug. The bill prohibits the practice of 33 devocalization. 34 BILLS PROVISIONS USE OF STATE MONEYS UNDER CONTRACT. The 35 -8- LSB 1050YC (3) 91 da/ns 8/ 9
H.F. _____ bill applies to a state agency which enters into a contract 1 with a private research facility to perform an animal research 2 project. The contract must state the amount and percentage 3 of the total cost of performing the project financed by state 4 moneys. The bill requires that the contract specify the amount 5 and percentage of the total cost of performing the project 6 financed by state moneys. The bill also provides that if 7 the private research facility expends more state moneys than 8 necessary to complete a project, the facility is prohibited 9 from entering into a similar contract with the state for twelve 10 months. 11 BILLS PROVISIONS REPORTING. The bill provides that 12 not later than March 1, a qualified research facility must 13 prepare and publish an animal research report (report). The 14 report must include information regarding state moneys used 15 to support projects, a description of the projects and the 16 number and species of animal used, the amount of state moneys 17 expended, the extent to which the qualified research facility 18 has complied with applicable federal standards of care, the 19 disposition of the animals after they are no longer of research 20 value, and efforts to reduce the number of animals used. The 21 bill provides that not later than March 1, the state board of 22 regents must prepare and submit a state animal research report 23 to the governor and general assembly. The report shall be 24 prepared as a compilation using information submitted to the 25 board by qualified research facilities. 26 BILLS PROVISIONS CODE EDITOR DIRECTIVE. The bill 27 provides for the transfer of the provision allowing for the 28 adoption of research animals from Code chapter 162 to new Code 29 chapter 162A. 30 -9- LSB 1050YC (3) 91 da/ns 9/ 9