H.R. 7159

[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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