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H 4424

An Act relative to rodeos

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Adam Scanlon

Massachusetts rodeos must comply with the PRCA Rule Book Official Rodeo Rules, aligning safety, animal welfare, and procedures for organizers, staff, and competitors.

Read second and ordered to a third reading
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Bill Summary · H 4424

Summary of Massachusetts H 4424 (An Act relative to rodeos)

A concise overview of the bill’s purpose, provisions, and potential impact based on the text and current legislative status.

Overview and intent

  • Purpose: To regulate rodeos in Massachusetts by requiring adherence to official professional rodeo standards.
  • Core idea: Mandate that rodeos comply with the Official Rodeo Rules published in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Rule Book.

Key provisions

  • New statutory requirement: The bill inserts a new section (Section 2B1/2) into Chapter 128 of the General Laws.
  • Compliance standard: “Rodeos shall comply with all Official Rodeo Rules as appearing in the most recently published edition of the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association Rule Book.”
  • Definition of rodeo: A broad definition is provided, describing rodeos as competitions or exhibitions in which participants showcase skills related to traditional cowboy activities. Activities listed include bull riding, bronc riding (including bareback), steer wrestling, calf roping, team roping, and the use of animals such as bulls, steers, calves, broncs, and horses.
  • Scope of rules: The defined rule set applies to the activities and animals described, aligning MA rodeos with PRCA standards.

Definitions and scope

  • “Rodeo” is explicitly defined to cover a range of traditional cowboy activities and animals typically involved in rodeo events.
  • The governing rules are the most recently published PRCA Rule Book at the time of enforcement, ensuring updates in professional standards are incorporated automatically.

Stakeholders and potential impact

  • Rodeo organizers and event venues in Massachusetts: Required to implement and enforce PRCA rules to operate.
  • Participants (competitors) and rodeo staff: Subject to the PRCA rules governing safety, animal welfare, equipment, and competition procedures.
  • Animals used in rodeos: Indirectly affected through adherence to PRCA animal welfare and handling standards embedded in the rule book.
  • State regulators and enforcement bodies: Responsible for interpreting and ensuring compliance, though specific enforcement mechanisms are not detailed in the text.

Compliance, enforcement, and gaps

  • The bill identifies the standard (PRCA Rule Book) but does not specify penalties, enforcement mechanisms, or grace periods within the text provided.
  • No explicit effective date is stated in the excerpt; effectiveness would depend on passage and any later implementing regulations.

Procedural status and timeline

  • Introduced: September 8, 2025.
  • Committee action: Reported by the Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries; new draft referred to House Steering, Policy and Scheduling.
  • Floor actions (as of the latest notes):
    • September 18, 2025: Committee reported the matter to the Orders of the Day; Rules suspended; read second and ordered to a third reading.
  • Current stage: Read second and ordered to a third reading; status indicates movement toward final floor consideration.

Notes and considerations

  • The bill’s approach ties Massachusetts rodeo regulation to an external professional standard (PRCA Rule Book), which can provide uniformity but may raise questions about local tailoring, enforcement, and any MA-specific welfare concerns outside PRCA rules.
  • Clarifications that could be helpful in future amendments: explicit enforcement tools, penalties for noncompliance, effective date, and any exemptions or transitional provisions for existing rodeos.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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