OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — An animal welfare group in Washington is dropping its planned initiative that would have required businesses to provide egg-laying hens with more spacious cages.
Washingtonians for Humane Farms said in a statement Thursday that it will not turn in more than 350,000 signatures this week because of a promising plan at the federal level. The United Egg Producers and animal welfare groups have jointly agreed to push for new laws.
At least three other groups in Washington are planning to turn in signatures Friday to qualify their initiatives for this year’s ballot. One would privatize the state’s liquor sales. Another would require the Legislature to set tolls. The last one would require background checks for long-term-care workers.
