AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Egg Marketing Law.
     Amend various sections of KRS Chapter 260 relating to egg marketing to exempt those from buying a license who sell only directly to consumers and do not exceed a sales limit of 60 dozen eggs per calendar week, rather than those who sell only eggs produced by their own flocks; provide for license renewals; subject any person selling eggs without the required license to having his eggs removed from sale until a license has been acquired; increase certain license category fees; increase the assessment fee on all eggs bought or sold within the Commonwealth to $.02 for each fifteen dozen shell egg lot; assess a fee of $.005 per 10 pound lot of pasteurized, liquid, or frozen egg products and a fee of $.01 per 10 pound lot of dried, dehydrated, hard-cooked, or specialty egg products; prohibit licenses from being transferred; provide that those who are exempt from licensing are not exempt from inspection, with the exception of consumers; provide that the shell eggs or egg products used by these license-exempt persons are not exempt from the required assessment fee; amend labeling requirements for egg packs; prohibit egg cartons from being reused; provide the Department of Agriculture free access to any establishment where eggs are handled for the purpose of inspecting the premises to determine compliance with the provisions of the Kentucky egg marketing law; provide the department access to public eating places to determine compliance with the provisions of the Kentucky egg marketing law; allow inspectors to break any form of sealing on a case or container, and, if repacking is necessary, require the original packer to absorb the expenses involved; require egg cartons with cracked, leaking, or frozen eggs to be removed from a retail display on a daily basis; prohibit a retailer from reworking or repacking eggs into full cartons; amend penalty provisions to make violations of the egg marketing law consistent at not exceeding $100 for each offense; require the department to asses a penalty of not less than $25 nor more than $100 for each violation of improper labeling, and require the penalty funds to be credited to the department for use in carrying out the provisions of the egg marketing law.

     Jan 13-introduced in House
     Jan 14-to Agriculture and Small Business (H)
     Jan 26-posted in committee
     Feb 5-reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
     Feb 6-2nd reading, to Rules
     Feb 11-posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for February 12, 1998
     Feb 12-3rd reading, passed 65-25
     Feb 17-received in Senate
     Feb 18-to Agriculture and Natural Resources (S)
     Mar 11-reported favorably, 1st reading, to Consent Calendar
     Mar 12-2nd reading, to Rules
     Mar 13-posted for passage in the Consent Orders of the Day for March 17, 1998
     Mar 17-3rd reading, passed 36-0
     Mar 18-received in House
     Mar 19-enrolled, signed by each presiding officer, delivered to Governor
     Mar 27-signed by Governor