[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7159 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7159
To amend the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to adjust provisions relating
to captive wildlife offenses.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 20, 2026
Mr. Gosar introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to adjust provisions relating
to captive wildlife offenses.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Local Zoos Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO CAPTIVE WILDLIFE OFFENSES UNDER LACEY ACT
AMENDMENTS OF 1981.
(a) In General.--Section 3(e) of the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981
(16 U.S.C. 3372(e)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``in paragraph (2)'' and
inserting ``in paragraphs (2) and (3)'';
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)--
(i) by inserting ``an entity licensed to
hold animals under a Class B license from the
Department of Agriculture,'' before ``an entity
exhibiting animals'';
(ii) in clause (i)--
(I) in subclause (I), by inserting
``, including an owner, executive, or
volunteer,'' after ``or contractor'';
and
(II) in subclause (II), by
inserting ``or other veterinary or
medical professional, such as a
veterinary assistant, veterinary
technician, or non-veterinary
specialist'' after ``veterinarian)'';
and
(iii) in clause (ii), by striking ``snow
leopard (Uncia uncia),'';
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``or'' at the
end;
(C) in subparagraph (E)(iii), by striking the
period at the end and inserting ``; or''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(F) a person described in subparagraph (A), (B),
or (C) that is in possession of any prohibited wildlife
species and--
``(i) registers each individual animal of
each prohibited wildlife species possessed by
the person with the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service; and
``(ii) beginning on the date of such
registration, does not--
``(I) breed, acquire, or sell any
prohibited wildlife species;
``(II) allow direct contact between
the public and any prohibited wildlife
species; and
``(III) exhibit to the public any
prohibited wildlife species.''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Export and import to foreign entities.--
Notwithstanding paragraph (1), an entity or a facility
described in paragraph (2)(A) that is in compliance with the
requirements of that paragraph may export to or import from a
foreign entity that is authorized to operate in the country
within which it is located and is lawfully operating in such
country at the time of such export or import a prohibited
wildlife species.
``(4) Cancellation of mistaken registration.--
``(A) In general.--A covered registered entity or
individual may submit to the Secretary of the Interior,
acting through the Director of the United States Fish
and Wildlife Service, an application to cancel the
registration under paragraph (2)(E) of such covered
registered entity or individual.
``(B) Application requirement.--A covered
registered entity or individual shall include in an
application submitted under subparagraph (A) evidence
sufficient for the Secretary of the Interior, acting
through the Director of the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service, to determine that the covered
registered entity or individual qualifies for an
exception from the application of paragraph (1)
pursuant to subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph
(2) as of the date on which the covered registered
entity or individual--
``(i) registered with the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service under paragraph
(2)(E); and
``(ii) submits such application.
``(C) Grant of application.--If the Secretary of
the Interior, acting through the Director of the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service, makes an affirmative
determination under subparagraph (B) with respect to an
application submitted by a covered registered entity or
individual under subparagraph (A), the Director shall
grant such application.
``(D) Covered registered entity or individual
defined.--In this paragraph, the term `covered
registered entity or individual' means an entity or
individual described in paragraph (2)(E) that--
``(i) is in compliance with the
requirements of that paragraph;
``(ii) registered with the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service as described in that
paragraph; and
``(iii) would have, on the date of such
registration, qualified for an exception from
the application of paragraph (1) pursuant to
subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph
(2).''.
(b) Definition of Prohibited Wildlife Species.--Section 2(h) of the
Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 (16 U.S.C. 3371(h)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``The term'' and inserting the following:
``(1) In general.--The term''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Exclusions.--The term `prohibited wildlife species'
does not include the snow leopard (Uncia uncia) or the clouded
leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) or any hybrid of either such
species.''.
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