Bill Sponsor
Senate Bill 626
117th Congress(2021-2022)
Lacey Act Amendments of 2021
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced in Senate on Mar 9, 2021
Overview
Text
Introduced in Senate 
Mar 9, 2021
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Introduced in Senate(Mar 9, 2021)
Mar 9, 2021
Not Scanned for Linkage
About Linkage
Multiple bills can contain the same text. This could be an identical bill in the opposite chamber or a smaller bill with a section embedded in a larger bill.
Bill Sponsor regularly scans bill texts to find sections that are contained in other bill texts. When a matching section is found, the bills containing that section can be viewed by clicking "View Bills" within the bill text section.
Bill Sponsor is currently only finding exact word-for-word section matches. In a future release, partial matches will be included.
S. 626 (Introduced-in-Senate)


117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 626


To amend title 18, United States Code, to enhance protections against the importation, and transport between States, of injurious species, and for other purposes.


IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 9, 2021

Mr. Rubio (for himself and Mr. Schatz) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works


A BILL

To amend title 18, United States Code, to enhance protections against the importation, and transport between States, of injurious species, and for other purposes.

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 “Lacey Act Amendments of 2021”.

SEC. 2. Amendments.

(a) In general.—Section 42 of title 18, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(1)—

(A) in the first sentence, by striking “shipment between the continental United States” and inserting “transport between the States”; and

(B) by inserting after the first sentence the following: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe by regulation an emergency designation prohibiting the importation of any species of wild mammals, wild birds, fish (including mollusks and crustacea), amphibians, or reptiles, or the offspring or eggs of any such species, as injurious to human beings, to the interests of agriculture, horticulture, forestry, or to wildlife or the wildlife resources of the United States, for not more than 3 years, under this subsection, if the Secretary of the Interior determines that such regulation is necessary to address an imminent threat to human beings, to the interests of agriculture, horticulture, forestry, or to wildlife or the wildlife resources of the United States. An emergency designation prescribed under this subsection shall take effect immediately upon publication in the Federal Register, unless the Secretary of the Interior prescribes an effective date that is not later than 60 days after the date of publication. During the period during which an emergency designation prescribed under this subsection for a species is in effect, the Secretary of the Interior shall evaluate whether the species should be designated as an injurious wildlife species under the first sentence of this paragraph.”; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

“(d) Presumptive prohibition on importation.—

“(1) IN GENERAL.—Importation into the United States of any species of wild mammals, wild birds, fish (including mollusks and crustacea), amphibians, or reptiles, or the offspring or eggs of any such species, that is not native to the United States and, as of the date of enactment of the Lacey Act Amendments of 2021, is not prohibited under subsection (a)(1), is prohibited, unless—

“(A) during the 1-year period preceding the date of enactment of the Lacey Act Amendments of 2021, the species was, in more than minimal quantities—

“(i) imported into the United States; or

“(ii) transported between the States, any territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any possession of the United States; or

“(B) the Secretary of the Interior determines, after an opportunity for public comment, that the species does not pose a significant risk of invasiveness to the United States and publishes a notice in the Federal Register of the determination.

“(2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary of the Interior under subsection (a)(1).”.

(b) Conforming amendments.—Section 42(a) of title 18, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in paragraph (2), by inserting “and subsection (d)” after “this subsection”;

(2) in paragraph (3)—

(A) by striking “the foregoing” and inserting “paragraph (1) or subsection (d)”; and

(B) by striking “this Act” each place the term appears and inserting “this section”;

(3) in paragraph (4), by inserting “or subsection (d)” after “this subsection”; and

(4) in paragraph (5)—

(A) by inserting “and subsection (d)” after “this subsection”; and

(B) by striking “hereunder” and inserting “under such provisions”.

(c) Regulations; effective date.—

(1) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall promulgate regulations to define the term “minimal quantities” for purposes of subsection (d)(1)(A) of section 42 of title 18, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)(2).

(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subsection (d) of section 42 of title 18, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)(2), shall take effect on the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.