Lacey Act of 1980
Latest action. Referred to Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
(Measure passed House, amended) Lacey Act of 1980 - Prohibits any person from : (1) transporting, selling, or acquiring in any jurisdiction any fish, wildlife, or plant taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of any law governing such jurisdiction or in violation of any Indian tribal law; (2) making any false document concerning any fish, wildlife, or plant transported in interstate or foreign commerce; (3) assaulting or impeding any person enforcing this Act; or (4) attempting or causing any such offense. Declares it unlawful to import, export, or transport in interstate or foreign commerce any container or package containing any fish or wildlife unless such container or package has been labeled in accordance with Federal regulations. Sets forth civil and criminal penalties for violations of this Act and the administrative procedure regarding the assessment of civil penalties. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce to suspend, modify, or cancel any Federal license or permit for hunting, fishing, importing, or exporting fish, wildlife, or plants or operating a quarantine station or rescue center for imported wildlife or plants issued to any person who is convicted of a criminal violation of this Act. Declares that all fish, wildlife, or plants transported, sold, or acquired in violation of this Act and all vehicles and equipment used in such offense shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States. Specifies that such vehicles and equipment shall be subject to forfeiture only if the owner, master, or conductor was a consenting party to the alleged illegal act. Authorizes the Secretaries of the Treasury, the Interior, Commerce, and Transportation to utilize by agreement the personnel and facilities of any Federal or State agency to enforce this Act. Permits any person authorized to enforce this Act to: (1) carry firearms; (2) make an arrest without a warrant on reasonable grounds; (3) execute and serve warrants; (4) detain and inspect any vehicle or package upon entering or prior to leaving the United States or (6) hold a seized item pending the disposition of proceedings. Grants jurisdiction to the district courts of the United States for actions arising under this Act. Directs that, beginning in fiscal year 1982, the Secretaries of the Interior, the Treasury, and Commerce shall pay rewards to persons who furnish information leading to criminal conviction, civil penalty assessment, or forfeiture of property for a violation of this Act. Authorizes the Secretary, after consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, to issue regulations to carry out this Act. Directs the Secretaries of the Interior and Commerce to jointly promulgate regulations governing the marking and labeling of containers or packages containing fish or wildlife in interstate or foreign commerce. Provides for congressional review of all regulations promulgated pursuant to this Act. Sets forth procedures for such review. States that the provisions of the Act shall not apply to: (1) any activity regulated by a fishery management plan in effect under this Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976; (2) any activity regulated by the Tuna Conventions Act of 1950 or the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act of 1975; and (3) any activity involving the taking of migratory species on the high seas in violation of the laws of a foreign nation if the United States does not recognize the jurisdiction of the nation over such species. Permits States to make and enforce laws which are consistent with this Act. Repeals specified provisions of Federal law concerning commerce in fish and wildlife. Transfers from the Secretary of the Treasury to the Secretary of the Interior the authority to prescribe requirements and issue permits for the importation of wild animals and birds.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Passed House amended" stage on July 28, 1980. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on July 30, 1980: Referred to Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
JOHN MURPHY (D-NY) introduced it on October 16, 1979, and 19 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 10 Democrats, 9 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on October 16, 1979, 17178 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 16890 days ago, on July 30, 1980.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers