H-2249.1
HOUSE BILL 2059
State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session
By Representatives Stearns, Ramos, Senn, Ramel, Morgan, Peterson,
Callan, Gregerson, Santos, and Reeves
Prefiled 12/29/23. Read first time 01/08/24. Referred to Committee
on Agriculture and Natural Resources.
1 AN ACT Relating to the sale of halal food products; amending RCW
2 15.130.140; adding a new chapter to Title 69 RCW; and prescribing
3 penalties.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
5 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The definitions in this section apply
6 throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires
7 otherwise.
8 (1) "Food product" includes any article other than drugs, whether
9 in raw or prepared form, liquid or solid, or packaged or unpackaged,
10 and that is used for human consumption.
11 (2) "Halal" means a food product prepared, processed, and
12 maintained in strict accordance with the requisites of Islamic
13 principles and customs including, but not limited to, the slaughter
14 of an animal and preparation thereof for human consumption.
15 (3) "Person" includes individuals, partnerships, corporations,
16 and associations.
17 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. No person may knowingly sell or offer for
18 sale any food product marked, stamped, tagged, branded, labeled, or
19 represented as halal when that person knows that the food product is
20 not halal and when the representation is likely to cause a
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1 prospective purchaser to believe that it is halal. Such a
2 representation may be made in any language, orally or in writing, or
3 by display of a sign, mark, insignia, or simulation.
4 NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) A person who violates this chapter is
5 guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
6 (2) A violation of this chapter constitutes a violation of the
7 consumer protection act, chapter 19.86 RCW.
8 NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This chapter may be known and cited as the
9 halal food consumer protection act.
10 Sec. 5. RCW 15.130.140 and 2018 c 236 s 105 are each amended to
11 read as follows:
12 (1) Food in transit from one processing facility to another
13 processing facility to complete its preparation for sale is exempt
14 from the labeling requirements of this chapter, but is otherwise
15 subject to all applicable provisions of this chapter.
16 (2) This chapter is not applicable to kosher food to the extent
17 necessary to produce kosher food products as defined in RCW
18 69.90.010.
19 (3) This chapter is not applicable to halal food to the extent
20 necessary to produce halal food as defined in section 1 of this act.
21 NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Sections 1 through 4 of this act
22 constitute a new chapter in Title 69 RCW.
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Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 15.130.140