Under IC 4-22-2-24, notice is hereby given that on October 10, 2013, at 9:40 a.m., at the Indiana State Board of Animal Health, Discovery Hall Suite 100, 1202 East 38th Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) will hold a public hearing on a proposed rule that will amend BOAH rules at 345 IAC 6 governing contagious equine metritis (CEM).

The purpose of the changes are to conform BOAH's rules to the new United States Department of Agriculture - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) requirements at 9 CFR 93.301. This section contains standards for the importation of horses from regions affected with CEM, which is a highly contagious venereal disease of horses and other equines. The new federal rule, which took effect on March 13, 2013, makes certain changes to testing requirements for imported stallions and mares. The proposed rule updates the incorporation by reference at 345 IAC 6-2-2 from January 1, 2004, to January 1, 2013. It also incorporates by reference the USDA final rule in the February 11, 2013, Federal Register (78 Fed. Reg. 9577). Indiana must be approved by USDA to receive stallions and mares imported from a CEM-affected region. In order to maintain this approval, the state must demonstrate that its requirements are equivalent to the federal import standards. The BOAH is considering these changes because, if the agency does not update its rule, the state would no longer be eligible to approve and operate CEM quarantine facilities in the state. The changes in this proposed rule will not impose significant additional costs on regulated entities. The proposed rule does not impose costs beyond what is required by federal law. Therefore, the proposed rule would not impose requirements or costs under IC 4-22-2-24(d)(3).

Copies of these rules are now on file at the Indiana State Board of Animal Health, Discovery Hall Suite 100, 1202 East 38th Street and Legislative Services Agency, Indiana Government Center North, 100 North Senate Avenue, Room N201, Indianapolis, Indiana and are open for public inspection.