H 966 Massachusetts House · 194th Legislature (2025-2026)

An Act prohibiting the mistreatment of birds

This bill prohibits force-feeding birds to enlarge their livers beyond normal size and bans the sale of products derived from such practices. It defines "force feeding" as methods like tube-feeding that cause birds to consume excessive food, and redefines "poultry" to include domesticated birds like ducks and geese. The law specifically bans force-feeding birds for liver enlargement (Section 4) and prohibits selling products made from force-fed birds (Section 5). It directly affects poultry producers and businesses involved in products like foie gras, which relies on this practice. The bill clarifies legal definitions to enforce these restrictions without using technical jargon.
Bill status passed 3 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Feb 2025
Governor
Introduced Feb 27, 2025 Last action Mar 30, 2026
Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate. No roll call record of that vote is available.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
5
Key actions
1
Committee
1
Feb 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred
upper
Feb 27, 2025
Committee
Referred to the committee on Environment and Natural Resources
lower
1 primary · 12 co-sponsors

Sponsors