Lacey Act Amendments of 2023

To amend title 18, United States Code, to enhance protections against the importation, and transport between States, of injurious species, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Lacey Act Amendments of 2023 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 transport between the States (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, or 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, or 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. (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 2023 (A) during the 1-year period preceding the date of enactment of the Lacey Act Amendments of 2023 (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) this subsection (2) in paragraph (3)— (A) by striking the foregoing paragraph (1) or subsection (d) (B) by striking this Act this section (3) in paragraph (4), by inserting or subsection (d) this subsection (4) in paragraph (5)— (A) by inserting and subsection (d) this subsection (B) by striking hereunder 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 (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.

Summary: Lacey Act Amendments of 2023 This bill modifies the injurious wildlife provision of the Lacey Act, which generally prohibits the import and shipment of listed living creatures and their eggs. First, the bill specifies that the prohibition on shipment applies to interstate shipments within the continental United States. Second, the bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to issue an emergency designation prohibiting the importation of a species if necessary to address an imminent threat to human beings, to the interests of agriculture, horticulture, forestry, or to wildlife, or to the wildlife resources of the United States. Third, the bill establishes a presumptive prohibition on the importation of any nonnative species of wild mammal, wild bird, fish (including mollusks and crustacea), amphibian, or reptile, or the eggs of any such species. The presumption may be overcome if Interior determines that the species does not pose a significant risk of invasiveness to the United States.