Horse processing plant development is prohibited in New Jersey under a bill passed by that state’s legislature this week.

Earlier this year A2023 sponsored in the New Jersey Assembly by Assemblymen Ron Dancer, and S1976, a twin senate bill sponsored by Sen. Raymond Lesniak was introduced to amend New Jersey animal cruelty statues to prohibit anyone from knowingly slaughtering a horse or selling horsemeat for human consumption. Under the legislation violators would be charged with a disorderly persons offense and could face fines of between $500 and $1,000 for each horse slaughtered or each carcass or meat product sold.

In May members of the Assembly’s Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee passed A2023 by a unanimous vote. Most recently on June 25 the New Jersey state senate passed the legislation by a 35-4 margin.

When Gov. Chris Christie signs the legislation, New Jersey becomes the fifth state to ban horse processing development by state stature. Laws in California, Texas, Oklahoma, and Illinois ban horse processing in those states