ANIMALS--HORSE MEAT

Amends the Illinois Horse Meat Act. Exempts certain types of horse meat from regulation under the Act. Creates the Equine Rescue Assistance Fund. Requires certain facilities to collect a $25 fee for each slaughtered horse and to remit those sums to the Department of Agriculture for deposit into the Equine Rescue Assistance Fund. Requires the Department to create and administer an Equine Rescue Assistance Program to make grants to qualified equine rescue organizations for the expansion of equine rescue facilities and for the care and maintenance of rescued horses. Repeals a provision that prohibits the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Amends the Animals Intended for Food Act. Expands the definition of "animal" to include "horses, mules, or other equidae". Amends the Illinois Equine Infectious Anemia Control Act. Allows equidae more than 12 months of age to enter the State for immediate slaughter without a certificate of veterinary inspection. Requires equidae entering the State for immediate slaughter to be accompanied by a consignment direct to slaughter at an approved equine slaughtering establishment. Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. Creates an exemption from the general prohibition against selling, offering to sell, leading, riding, transporting, or driving on any public way any equidae that, because of debility, disease, lameness, or any other cause could not be worked in this State. Deletes a provision that prohibits injured equidae from being sent directly to a slaughter facility. Amends the Humane Slaughter of Livestock Act. Deletes a provision in the definition of the term "livestock" that excludes "horses, mules, or other equidae to be used in and for the preparation of meat or meat products for consumption by human beings". Effective immediately.