§19-1C-7. Enforcement of livestock care standards.

(a) The commissioner shall administer and enforce the standards established pursuant to this article. This authority may include, but is not limited to:

(1) Coordinating with and providing assistance to law-enforcement officers;

(2) Assisting law-enforcement officers with investigations and other actions taken in response to complaints regarding the care of livestock;

(3) Working with county, municipal, and state authorities to address situations in which a livestock care complaint needs to be reassigned due to a conflict of interest;

(4) Providing training for law-enforcement officers on the livestock care standards and proper animal handling techniques; and

(5) Providing opinions to law-enforcement officers, when such opinions are requested, regarding the application of livestock care standards promulgated pursuant to this article.

(b) State, county, and local law-enforcement officers shall notify the commissioner of all complaints and investigations concerning care of livestock, and may seek the advice and opinion of the commissioner regarding application of the livestock care standards in those cases.

(c) No later than September 1, 2021, the commissioner shall notify state, county, and local law-enforcement officers of the changes made to this article of code during the 2021 Regular Legislative Session.