Senate Rejects Governor's Horse Slaughter Amendments

HELENA – The Montana Legislature has rejected the governor’s amendments to the horse slaughter bill and returned it to him unchanged.

Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer sent House Bill 418 back to lawmakers after striking the legal protections it would have offered to slaughterhouses.

The governor has said the original bill set barriers against citizens’ right to challenge operating permits. The Environmental Protection Agency sent him a letter expressing a similar worry.

The Senate firmly rejected the governor’s changes to the bill on a 44-5 vote Thursday. The House did the same last week.

Schweitzer has 10 days to sign or veto the measure. If he does neither, it automatically becomes law.

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