A state bill prohibiting the slaughter of racehorses passed the New York Assembly early on Thursday morning and has been sent to Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The bill, which passed in the New York Senate in early February, prohibits the sale of any horse “known” to be a racehorse or racehorse breeding stock for the purposes of slaughter, which the bill defines as the “intentional killing” of a horse “for human or animal consumption.” Any individual who violates the law would be fined “not more than $1,000” for each horse, while any company or corporate entity would be fined “not more than $2,500” per horse. Violators would also face license revocation by the New York Gaming Commission. The slaughter of horses is already banned in the U.S. under a federal law, but horse slaughterhouses continue to operate in Mexico and Canada. According to individuals involved in the effort, the racing industry participated in the drafting of the legislation and supported its passage. “The New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and all our members are gratified that we are able to work with animal advocates both within the sport and in the legislature to achieve this historic legislation benefiting horses that are bred and raced in New York,” said Joe Appelbaum, the president of NYTHA, in a prepared statement. All fines collected under the law will go toward aftercare programs run by the New York State Breeding Fund. “This legislation positions New York as the national leader when it comes to responsibly protecting our retired racehorses,” said David O’Rourke, the president of the New York Racing Association, which already had a house rule prohibiting the sale of any horses at its tracks to slaughter. “NYRA is proud to have long supported all elements of this important legislation because it reflects our commitment to aftercare.” As a condition of the law, all breeding stock in New York will be required to be micro-chipped, and all sales of racehorses and breeding stock in New York will need to be documented with The Jockey Club. Micro-chipping of all foals registered with The Jockey Club began in 2017. Liability under the law will be limited to the last owner of the horse.