Lacey Act Amendments of 1980

(Reported to Senate from the Committee on Environment and Public Works with amendment, S. Rept. 96-739) Lacey Act Amendments of 1980 - Prohibits any person from: (1) transporting, selling, or acquiring in any jurisdiction any fish or wildlife taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of any law governing such jurisdiction; (2) making any false document concerning any fish or wildlife transported in interstate or foreign commerce; (3) assaulting or impeding any person enforcing this Act; or (4) attempting or causing any such offense. 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 or wildlife, or operating a quarantine station for imported wildlife issued to any person who is convicted of a criminal violation of this Act. Declares that all fish or wildlife 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. 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 U.S. waters; (5) inspect and demand documents relating to such a package; and (6) hold a seized item pending the disposition of proceedings. Grants jurisdiction to the district courts of the United States for actions arising pursuant to enforcement of this Act. Directs the Secretaries of the Interior, the Treasury, and Commerce to pay rewards to persons who furnish information leading to a criminal conviction, civil penalty assessment, or forfeiture of property for a violation of this Act. Subjects all fish or wildlife transported into a State for use in such State to the State laws governing fish or wildlife produced in such State. 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. States that it shall not be an offense under this Act to transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase fish in violation of the laws of a foreign nation if such fish are taken on the high seas and the United States does not recognize the jurisdiction of such nation over such fish. Amends the Federal Criminal Code to transfer from the Secretary of the Treasury to the Secretary of the Interior the authority to prescribe regulations and issue permits for the transportation of wild animals and birds under humane and healthful conditions. Authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to pay from agency appropriations the travel expenses of newly appointed special agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and certain moving expenses of all such special agents appointed after January 1, 1977. Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to direct (rather than authorize) the payment of rewards for information on violations of such Act from the proceeds of the penalties collected. Authorizes appropriations through fiscal year 1985 to carry out this Act.

Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Reported to Senate with amendment(s)" stage on May 15, 1980. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.

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.