Public Safety and Wildlife Protection Act
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (29 Jun 2016): Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
What this bill does
H.R. 5560, the Public Safety and Wildlife Protection Act, would prohibit the interstate transport, import, or export of steel-jaw leghold traps and Conibear traps in the United States. It would also make it unlawful to sell, receive, acquire, or purchase such traps if they were moved in violation of the ban. The Secretary of the Interior would be responsible for enforcement, with civil fines starting at up to $500 per trap for a first offense and rising to $1,000 per trap, or up to two years imprisonment, for subsequent violations. The bill also authorizes rewards for individuals who provide information leading to a conviction, allows forfeiture of illegally transported traps, and permits the Attorney General to seek injunctions against violators.
The bill would primarily affect trappers, trap manufacturers, and distributors who use or sell these specific trap types, as well as agencies such as the Departments of the Interior, Commerce, and Treasury, which would share enforcement duties. It would not affect traps used entirely within a single state, nor cage/box traps, live beaver traps, or mouse/rat snap traps, which are explicitly excluded from the definitions.
The bill was introduced in the House on June 22, 2016, during the 114th Congress, and referred to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Foreign Affairs. It did not receive a vote and did not become law; under congressional rules, it expired at the end of that Congress.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Public Safety and Wildlife Protection Act
This bill prohibits importing, exporting, delivering, carrying, transporting, selling, receiving, acquiring, or purchasing steel-jaw leghold traps or Conibear traps.
Steel-jaw leghold traps are certain spring-powered pan or sear-activated devices with steel jaws that are designed to snap closed on animals. Conibear traps consist of metal frames hinged at the center point and powered by two torsion springs that create a scissor-like action designed to kill animals by snapping their spinal columns. Both types of traps exclude cage or box traps, suitcase-type live beaver traps, or mouse or rat snap traps.
The bill establishes penalties for violating the prohibition on the traps.
The Department of the Interior must pay rewards for information that leads to a conviction of a violation of this bill, unless the information was provided by officers or employees of federal, state, or local governments while they were performing official duties.
Timeline
29 Jun 2016
Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 5560 do?
- H.R. 5560, the Public Safety and Wildlife Protection Act, would prohibit the interstate transport, import, or export of steel-jaw leghold traps and Conibear traps in the United States. It would also make it unlawful to sell, receive, acquire, or purchase such traps if they were moved in violation of the ban. The Secretary of the Interior would be responsible for enforcement, with civil fines starting at up to $500 per trap for a first offense and rising to $1,000 per trap, or up to two years imprisonment, for subsequent violations. The bill also authorizes rewards for individuals who provide information leading to a conviction, allows forfeiture of illegally transported traps, and permits the Attorney General to seek injunctions against violators. The bill would primarily affect trappers, trap manufacturers, and distributors who use or sell these specific trap types, as well as agencies such as the Departments of the Interior, Commerce, and Treasury, which would share enforcement duties. It would not affect traps used entirely within a single state, nor cage/box traps, live beaver traps, or mouse/rat snap traps, which are explicitly excluded from the definitions. The bill was introduced in the House on June 22, 2016, during the 114th Congress, and referred to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Foreign Affairs. It did not receive a vote and did not become law; under congressional rules, it expired at the end of that Congress.
- Has H.R. 5560 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for H.R. 5560. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored H.R. 5560?
- H.R. 5560 was sponsored by Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12] (D-NC), with 25 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 5560?
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade. (29 Jun 2016).
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