Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that allows swine farmers to rebuild enclosures for pregnant sows and buildings that shelter swine on a continuous basis that are destroyed by fire or an act of God with greater leeway for compliance with public health and safety requirements that such structures be located at least a certain distance away from residences, schools, hospitals, churches, parks, childcare centers, and wells.

Highlights:

- Allows swine farmers to rebuild buildings that shelter swine on a continuous basis that are destroyed by fire or an act of God without fully complying with the public health and safety regulations when all of the following conditions are met: the rebuilding costs are greater than 33 percent of the insurance value before damage, the new structure does not increase the building’s previous capacity, the new structure replaces a structure built prior to July 11, 1995, the new structure is not located on a 100-year floodplain, and the new structure will comply with the public health and safety requirements to the "maximum extent practicable" (Sec. 2). - Allows swine farmers to rebuild structures with stalls for pregnant sows as more spacious structures with pens for pregnant sows or to rebuild structures to adapt operations into a different type of swine production (Sec. 2). - Allows a swine farmer who cannot convert structures with stalls for pregnant sows as more spacious structures with pens for pregnant sows without violating the public health and safety regulations to apply to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for a variance to allow such rebuilding (Sec. 2). - Requires the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to issue as few variances as necessary and allows the Department to impose conditions on any variance to protect public health, safety, welfare, or the environment (Sec. 2). - Allows the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources to impose a fine up to $10,000 against violators of these regulations (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text