Efforts to Keep Livestock Probes Quiet

By The Associated Press

4:31 AM EST, March 3, 2005

Lawmakers in several states are working on bills that would keep secret information developed during investigations of reports of animal diseases, including bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad-cow disease:

* Colorado: Information obtained and held by the agriculture commissioner through testing for certain diseases and the results of surveillance and investigation could be closed to the public at the commissioner's discretion until the matter is dismissed without action or a quarantine is issued. Pending.

* Idaho: Exempts from public disclosure records the state collects to increase traceability of infected or exposed animals and the registration of the premises where those animals are held. Signed into law in 2004.

* Maryland: The agriculture secretary would be required to maintain all reports regarding animal disease testing and surveillance in such a way as to protect the identity of the animal owners. Disclosure of such information to a "person of interest" as defined by the secretary or to a government agency would be allowed if the secretary determines it's necessary to protect the public health or prevent the spread of infectious disease. Pending.

* Utah: Would provide "protected" status to agriculture department records relating to the National Animal Identification System and programs dealing with tracking, identifying or controlling livestock diseases. Pending.

* Wyoming: Information collected about certain diseases identified by the state veterinarian shall be confidential, and access will be limited to the person who reports the disease and the state veterinarian. The veterinarian has the discretion to give the information to whoever needs to have it, such as neighboring ranchers, other state agencies or the public. False reporting of the disease is now a misdemeanor. Signed into law in February.