Bill > HR7159

This bill, titled the "Protecting Local Zoos Act of 2026," amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to adjust rules concerning captive wildlife offenses. Specifically, it modifies provisions related to entities licensed by the Department of Agriculture to hold animals, expanding the scope to include owners, executives, and volunteers, as well as veterinary assistants, technicians, and other medical professionals. The bill removes the snow leopard from a list of prohibited wildlife species and adds exclusions for snow leopards, clouded leopards, and their hybrids from the definition of "prohibited wildlife species." It also introduces new conditions for entities possessing prohibited wildlife species, requiring registration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and prohibiting breeding, acquisition, sale, public contact, and exhibition of these animals after registration. Furthermore, the bill allows licensed entities to export and import prohibited wildlife species to and from authorized foreign entities, and establishes a process for canceling mistaken registrations for entities or individuals who were originally eligible for an exception to the prohibited wildlife species rules.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7159/all-info