United States 116th Congress Status: In Committee 1 D cosponsors

HR 2863 — Traveling Exotic Animal and Public Safety Protection Act

Last action — Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture.

Track this bill free

No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 116th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Traveling Exotic Animal and Public Safety Protection Act This bill prohibits the use of exotic or wild animals in performances of a traveling animal act, such as a circus, carnival, or parade. The prohibition does not apply to zoos, aquariums, research facilities, wildlife sanctuaries, and other entities. The prohibition also does not apply to domestic animals or farm animals.

Bill Text

Sections of law this bill changes

1 section in 1 law

From the bill's own amending language, matched to the official United States Code (current through Public Law 119-121).

Transportation, sale, and handling of certain animals · 7 U.S.C. ch. 54 1 section
  • § 2143 Standards and certification process for humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of animals Amends

    7 U.S.C. § 2143

    The law today

    (a) Promulgation of standards, rules, regulations, and orders; requirements; research facilities; State authority (1) The Secretary shall promulgate standards to govern the humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of animals by dealers, research facilities, and exhibitors. (2) The standards described in paragraph (1) shall include minimum requirements— (A) for handling, housing, feeding, watering, sanitation, ventilation, shelter from extremes of weather and temperatures, adequate veterinary care, and separation by species where the Secretary finds necessary for humane handling, care, or treatment of animals; and (B) for exercise of dogs, as determined by an attending veterinarian in accordance with general standards promulgated by the Secretary, and for a physical environment adequate to promote the psychological well-being of primates. (3) In addition to the requirements under paragraph (2), the standards described in paragraph (1) shall, with respect to animals in research facilities, include requirements— (A) for animal care, treatment, and practices in experimental procedures to ensure that animal pain and distress are minimized, including adequate veterinary care with the appropriate use of anesthetic, analgesic, tranquilizing drugs, or euthanasia; (B) that the principal investigator considers alternatives to any procedure likely to produce pain to or distress in an experimental animal; (C) in any practice which could cause pain to animals— (i) that a doctor of veterinary medicine is consulted in the planning of such procedures; (ii) for the use of tranquilizers, analgesics, and anesthetics; (iii) for pre-surgical and post-surgical care by laboratory workers, in accordance with established veterinary medical and nursing procedures; (iv) against the use of paralytics without anesthesia; and (v) that the withholding of tranquilizers, anesthesia, analgesia, or euthanasia when scientifically necessary shall continue for only the necessary period of time; (D) that no animal is used in more than one major operative experiment from which it is allowed to recover except in cases of— (i) scientific necessity; or (ii) other special circumstances as determined by the Secretary; and (E) that exceptions to such standards may be made only when specified by research protocol and that any such exception shall be detailed and explained in a report outlined under paragraph (7) and filed with the Institutional Animal Committee. (4) The Secretary shall also promulgate standards to govern the transportation in commerce, and the handling, care, and treatment in connection therewith, by intermediate handlers, air carriers, or other carriers, of animals consigned by any dealer, research facility, exhibitor, operator of an auction sale, or other person, or any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States or of any State or local government, for transportation in commerce. The Secretary shall have authority to promulgate such rules and regulations as he determines necessary to assure humane treatment of animals in the course of their transportation in commerce including requirements such as those with respect to containers, feed, water, rest, ventilation, temperature, and handling. (5) In promulgating and enforcing standards established pursuant to this section, the Secretary is authorized and directed to consult experts, including outside consultants where indicated. (6) (A) Nothing in this chapter— (i) except as provided in paragraphs 1 (7) of this subsection, shall be construed as authorizing the Secretary to promulgate rules, regulations, or orders with regard to the design, outlines, or guidelines of actual research or experimentation by a research facility as determined by such research facility; (ii) except as provided 2 subparagraphs (A) and (C)(ii) through (v) of paragraph (3) and paragraph (7) of this subsection, shall be construed as authorizing the Secretary to promulgate rules, regulations, or orders wit...

    23 other bills also change this section · Follow it → Official text at uscode.house.gov ↗

Also cites: 16 U.S.C. § 1538

How this bill changes current law

12 changes Share ↗

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill adds new restrictions on the use of exotic and wild animals in traveling performances under the Animal Welfare Act.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2143

    (i)(1) No person shall cause a performance of, or allow for the participation of, an exotic animal or wild animal in a traveling animal act.

    This prohibits the participation of exotic and wild animals in traveling performances.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2143

    (2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to-- (A) domestic animals or farm animals; ...

    This specifies certain exemptions from the prohibition for domestic animals, farm animals, and various accredited uses.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2143

    (3) For the purposes of this subsection, the following definitions apply: (A) Cause a performance.--The term 'cause a performance' means to be responsible for a performance, to financially benefit as an owner or operator from a performance, or to sponsor a performance.

    This provides a definition for what it means to 'cause a performance' in relation to the prohibition.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2143

    (B) Domestic animal.--The term 'domestic animal' means any animal that is normally maintained as a companion or pet animal ... but does not include any exotic animal or wild animal.

    This clarifies the definition of domestic animals, excluding exotic and wild animals.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2143

    (C) Environmental education program.--The term 'environmental education program' means a program ... which does not include any performance of behavior that does not naturally occur for that animal in the wild state.

    This defines what constitutes an environmental education program for the allowable use of animals.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2143

    (D) Exotic and wild animals.--The terms 'exotic animal', 'wild animal', 'exotic and wild animal', and 'exotic or wild animal' mean any animal that is not a domestic animal or farm animal ... including but not limited to animals such as-- (i) canidae (excepting domestic dogs); ...

    This specifies definitions for exotic and wild animals.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2143

    (E) Farm animal.--The term 'farm animal' means ... the term does not include exotic animals or wild animals.

    This provides a definition for farm animals, clarifying their distinction from exotic and wild animals.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2143

    (F) Mobile or traveling housing facility.--The term 'mobile or traveling housing facility' means a transporting vehicle ... used to transport or house animals while traveling.

    This defines what constitutes a mobile or traveling housing facility.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2143

    (G) Performance.--The term 'performance' means any animal act ... required to perform tricks, give rides, or participate as accompaniments for the entertainment.

    This defines what is meant by a performance in relation to animal acts.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2143

    (H) Traveling animal act.--The term 'traveling animal act' means any performance of animals where such animals are transported ... for the purpose of such performance.

    This defines what constitutes a traveling animal act.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2143

    (I) Wildlife sanctuary.--The term 'wildlife sanctuary' means an organization ... which does not engage in commercial trade in any exotic or wild animal.

    This provides a definition for a wildlife sanctuary, outlining its purposes.

  • 7 U.S.C. 2143

    (4) A person who fails to comply with this subsection shall be subject to the enforcement and penalties provided for under sections 16, 19, and 29.

    This establishes penalties for non-compliance with the new restrictions on the use of exotic and wild animals in traveling performances.

Action History

  1. Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture.

  2. Introduced in House

  3. Introduced in House

  4. Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 546 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (546)

546 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 546 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety environment
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does HR 2863 do?
Traveling Exotic Animal and Public Safety Protection Act This bill prohibits the use of exotic or wild animals in performances of a traveling animal act, such as a circus, carnival, or parade. The prohibition does not apply to zoos, aquariums, research facilities, wildlife sanctuaries, and other entities. The prohibition also does not apply to domestic animals or farm animals.
Who sponsors HR 2863?
HR 2863 is sponsored by Grijalva, Raúl M. (Democratic).
What is the current status of HR 2863?
This bill died with 116th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HR 2863?
Track HR 2863 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on HR 2863

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of HR 2863

Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →