To establish enforceable certification standards to protect the health and well-being of egg laying hens in commercial egg laying operations. The standards are phased in, starting with commercial operations of fifty-thousand or more hens on July 8th, 2012. The certification requirements are those established in the 2010 edition of the united egg producers animal husbandry guidelines for United States egg laying flocks. (Companion: HB 1813).   Official Text and Analysis.

To simplify administration by requiring proof of compliance be submitted as part of the license renewal process for commercial egg operations under the Wholesome Egg and Egg Products Act. Effective dates are consolidated so that the requirements all take effect on August 1, 2012, rather than different dates for different size of operations.

Establishes enforceable certification standards to protect the health and well being of egg-laying hens in commercial egg-laying operations. The certification requirements are those established in the 2010 edition of the united egg producers animal husbandry guidelines for United States egg-laying flocks. This bill requries proof of compliance be submitted as part of the license renewal process for commercial egg operations under the Wholesome Egg and Egg Products Act. All requirements take effect on August 1, 2012.

To create statutory exemptions from the definition of "egg products"; clarifies that standards equivalent to the third-party standards recognized in the bill satisfy the bill's requirements if recognized by the director of the Department of Agriculture; requires any hen housing facilities built between 2012 and 2017 to be convertible to the American Humane Association's 2011 standards (or equivalents); requires, after 2016, all hen housing facilities built after 2012 to operated consistent with the American Humane Association's 2011 standards (or equivalents); requires all hen housing facilities to be operated consistent with the American Humane Association's 2011 standards (or equivalents) after 2025; applies the same hen housing standards to eggs intended to be exported from Washington as those that apply to eggs intended for intrastate commerce; delays the effect of the bill until January 1, 2012; adds a severability clause; and modernizes language.

To require, with some exceptions, all commercial egg layer operations to only use cages after January 1, 2018 that allows the hen to turn around freely, lay down, stand up, and fully extending the hen's wings and prohibits the cages of hens from being stacked or otherwise placed on top of or below another cage.

To create parallel requirements to the American Humane Association's facility system plan for commercial egg layer operations that requires, on the same timeline as compliance with the American Humane Association's standards is required, each hen to be provided with 116.3 square feet of space and access to areas for nesting, perching, and scratching.

To require new and renewal applicants for an egg handlers license to prove compliance with certain third party operational standards. Includes the handling of egg products in the definition of an egg handler.

Senate concurred with the House amendments.