Section 277.190

Title XVII AGRICULTURE AND ANIMALS

Chapter 277

Effective - 28 Aug 2009   

  277.190.  Inspection of records of certain licensees by law enforcement — hold order, contents — violation, penalty — confidentiality of information. — 1.  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, upon request of a law enforcement officer to inspect any record open to inspection by the state veterinarian under section 277.120, or any record open to inspection by the department of agriculture, of any livestock sales or market licensee to determine the origin and destination of any livestock handled by the licensee, the law enforcement officer shall be entitled to inspect such records of the licensee without prior notice or the necessity of obtaining a search warrant during regular business hours in a manner so as to minimize interference with or delay to the licensee's business operation.  When a law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that livestock in the possession of a licensee is misappropriated, the officer may place a hold order on the livestock.  The hold order shall contain the following information:

  (1)  The name of the licensee;

  (2)  The name and mailing address of the licensee where the livestock is held;

  (3)  The name, title, and identification number of the law enforcement officer placing the hold order;

  (4)  The name and address of the agency to which the law enforcement officer is attached and the claim or case number, if any, assigned by the agency to the claim regarding the livestock;

  (5)  A description of the livestock; and

  (6)  The time of expiration of the holding period.

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The hold order shall be signed and dated by the issuing officer and signed and dated by the licensee or the licensee's designee as evidence of the hold order's issuance by the officer, receipt by the licensee and the beginning time of the holding period.  The officer issuing the hold order shall provide an executed copy of the hold order to the licensee for the licensee's record-keeping purposes at no cost to the licensee.

  2.  For the purposes of this section, the term "hold order" shall mean a written legal instrument issued to a licensee by a law enforcement officer ordering the licensee to retain physical possession of livestock in the possession of a licensee or livestock purchased by and in the possession of a licensee and not to return, sell or otherwise dispose of such livestock that is believed to be misappropriated for up to twenty-four hours.

  3.  Upon receiving the hold order, the licensee shall retain physical possession of the livestock subject to the order in a secured area.

  4.  A violation of, or noncompliance with, this section shall be a class A misdemeanor.  Gross negligence or willful noncompliance with the provisions of this section by a licensee shall be cause for the licensing authority to suspend or revoke the licensee's license.  Any imposed suspensions or revocation provided for by this subsection may be appealed by the licensee to the licensing authority or to a court of competent jurisdiction.

  5.  All records and information that relate to a licensee's purchases or transactions and that are delivered to or otherwise obtained by an appropriate law enforcement officer under this section are confidential and may be used only by such appropriate law enforcement officer and only for the following official law enforcement purposes:

  (1)  The investigation of a crime specifically involving the livestock delivered to the licensee in a purchase or transaction; or

  (2)  The notification of property crime victims of where livestock that has been reported misappropriated can be located.

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(L. 2009 H.B. 62 § 1)