l9n/ Mississippi

2025 Regular Session

House Bill 913

Meat labeling; require accurate labeling of meat and nonmeat products by processors, retail and food establishment prior to final sale.

Became law as Chapter 483, Laws of 2025, signed April 17, 2025, 90 days after it was filed.

What it does

The synopsis the Legislature published with the bill.

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR LABELING REQUIREMENTS FOR MEAT AND MEAT SUBSTITUTE PRODUCTS IN AN EFFORT TO PREVENT CONSUMER CONFUSION; TO DEFINE TERMINOLOGY USED IN THIS ACT; TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SHALL INSPECT AN INVENTORY OF FOOD PRODUCTS OFFERED FOR SALE OR SOLD AT A FOOD PROCESSING PLANT, RETAIL OR FOOD ESTABLISHMENT BASED ON A CREDIBLE COMPLAINT; TO PRESCRIBE THE CRITERIA THAT ALLOWS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF MISBRANDED MEAT PRODUCTS; TO PROHIBIT FOOD PROCESSING PLANTS, RETAIL AND FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS FROM OFFERING FOR SALE OR SELL A FOOD PRODUCT THAT IS MISBRANDED AS A MEAT PRODUCT; TO PRESCRIBE ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS THAT MAY BE TAKEN BY THE DEPARTMENT AGAINST ENTITIES THAT VIOLATE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO PRESCRIBE CIVIL PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS; TO PRESCRIBE THE MANNER BY WHICH ACCUSED VIOLATORS WHO HAVE RECEIVED THE IMPOSITION OF A CIVIL PENALTY TO CONTEST AND APPEAL THE DECISION OF THE DEPARTMENT TO IMPOSE SUCH PENALTY; TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT SHALL NOT SUSPEND OR REVOKE A LICENSE ISSUED TO A FOOD PROCESSING PLANT, RETAIL OR FOOD ESTABLISHMENT FOR VIOLATIONS; TO REQUIRE THE EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, THE BOARDS OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES AND LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS TO ESTABLISH POLICIES TO PREVENT THE PURCHASE OF FOOD PRODUCTS THAT ARE MISBRANDED AS A MEAT PRODUCT OR IS A CULTIVATED-PROTEIN FOOD PRODUCT; TO REQUIRE ALL RETAIL AND FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS OF FOOD PRODUCTS, MEATS, MEAT-FOOD PRODUCTS, CULTIVATED-PROTEIN FOOD PRODUCTS, MANUFACTURED-PROTEIN FOOD PRODUCTS, INSECT-PROTEIN FOOD PRODUCTS TO INFORM CONSUMERS OF THE PRODUCTS' AUTHENTICITY AS A MEAT OR NONMEAT PRODUCT WITH APPROPRIATE LABELING AT THE FINAL POINT OF SALE; TO PRESCRIBE THE REQUIRED METHOD OF NOTIFICATION; TO PROVIDE THAT THE COMMISSIONER MAY REQUIRE CERTAIN ENTITIES TO MAINTAIN A VERIFIABLE RECORD-KEEPING AUDIT TRAIL FOR PURPOSES OF VERIFYING COMPLIANCE; TO REQUIRE DISTRIBUTORS OR WHOLESALERS ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS OF SUPPLYING MEAT, MEAT-FOOD PRODUCTS, CULTIVATED-PROTEIN FOOD PRODUCTS, MANUFACTURED-PROTEIN FOOD PRODUCTS, INSECT-PROTEIN FOOD PRODUCTS AND PLANT-PROTEIN FOOD PRODUCTS TO A RETAILER OR FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE RETAILER OR FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT INDICATING THE AUTHENTICITY OF PRODUCT AS A MEAT OR NONMEAT; TO AMEND SECTIONS 75-35-3, 75-35-15, 75-33-3 AND 75-33-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PRECEDING PROVISIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

Sponsors

Who carried the bill in each chamber, and who signed on. Each name leads to the member's page.

In the House of Representatives

2 co-sponsors

Lester Carpenter, Jeff Hale

Its course

January 17 to April 17, 2025, on one scale. In the top row each mark is a day something happened; taller marks are busier days.

Each committee stop sits inside its chamber.

Every action20 actions on 15 days

In the House of RepresentativesJan 17 to Jan 2912 days

AgricultureJan 17 to Jan 2811 days

In the SenateJan 29 to Mar 636 days

AgricultureFeb 17 to Feb 2710 days

Back in the House of RepresentativesMar 6 to Apr 732 days

With the GovernorApr 7 to Apr 1710 days

Amendments

Each amendment offered, and what became of it.

  • Senate committee amendmentAdopted

    Adopted Mar 6

Text

Each version as the Legislature printed it.

l9n doesn't hold this bill's text yet.

What happened

In l9n's words, one line for each step. Every action as the Legislature published it is below.

In the House of Representatives Jan 17 – Jan 29

  1. Referred to the House committee on Agriculture
  2. Reported from committee in the House: title sufficient, do pass
  3. Passed the House

In the Senate Jan 30 – Mar 6

  1. Sent to the Senate
  2. Referred to the Senate committee on Agriculture
  3. Reported from committee in the Senate: title sufficient, do pass as amended
  4. Amended in the Senate
  5. Passed the Senate as amended

Back in the House of Representatives Mar 6 – Apr 7

  1. Released in the Senate to be sent on at once
  2. Returned to the House to concur in the Senate's amendments
  3. Declined in the House to concur, and invited a conference
  4. Conferees named in the House: Pigott, Mangold and Wallace
  5. Conferees named in the Senate: Whaley, Berry and Hill
  6. Conference report filed in the Senate
  7. Conference report filed in the House
  8. Conference report adopted in the House
  9. Conference report adopted in the Senate
  10. Enrolled bill signed in the House

To the Governor Apr 7 – Apr 17

  1. Enrolled bill signed in the Senate
  2. Approved by the Governor
All 20 actions, as published