Title: Refuge from Cruel Trapping Act
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
Refuge From Cruel Trapping Act
This bill amends the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to prohibit the use or possession of body-gripping traps in the National Wildlife Refuge System.
The bill imposes on persons who possess or use such traps in the System: (1) for a first offense, a civil fine of up to $500 for each body-gripping trap possessed or used; and (2) for subsequent offenses, a civil fine of up to $1,000 for each body-gripping trap possessed or used, imprisonment for up to 180 days, or both such a civil fine and imprisonment.
The bill makes any body-gripping traps that are possessed or used in violation of this bill, and any wildlife captured by the use of such traps, including the pelts and raw fur, subject to civil forfeiture.
Persons found to be in violation of such prohibition shall pay all associated court costs.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1919 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1919

 To end the use of body-gripping traps in the National Wildlife Refuge 
                                System.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 4, 2017

Mr. Booker (for himself, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Peters, Mrs. Murray, and Mr. 
Casey) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 
            to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To end the use of body-gripping traps in the National Wildlife Refuge 
                                System.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Refuge from Cruel Trapping Act''.

SEC. 2. POSSESSION OR USE OF BODY-GRIPPING TRAP PROHIBITED.

    The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 
U.S.C. 668dd et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 6. POSSESSION OR USE OF BODY-GRIPPING TRAP PROHIBITED.

    ``(a) Definition of Body-Gripping Trap.--As used in this section, 
the term `body-gripping trap'--
            ``(1) means any device that is intended to kill or capture 
        wildlife by physically restraining any part of the animal;
            ``(2) includes any steel-jaw, padded, or other modified 
        leghold trap, kill-type trap, snare trap, or any modified 
        version of any such trap; and
            ``(3) does not include any cage or box trap or suitcase-
        type live beaver trap.
    ``(b) Prohibition.--No person may possess or use a body-gripping 
trap in the System.
    ``(c) Enforcement Provisions.--Notwithstanding section 4(f), a 
person who possesses or uses a body-gripping trap in the System shall 
be subject to--
            ``(1) in the case of a first offense, a civil fine of not 
        more than $500 imposed by the Secretary for each body-gripping 
        trap possessed or used; and
            ``(2) in the case of a subsequent offense--
                    ``(A) a civil fine of not more than $1,000 imposed 
                by the Secretary for each body-gripping trap possessed 
                or used;
                    ``(B) imprisonment for not more than 180 days; or
                    ``(C) both a civil fine and imprisonment in 
                accordance with subparagraphs (A) and (B).
    ``(d) Forfeiture of Body-Gripping Trap.--Any body-gripping trap 
that is possessed or used in violation of this section, and any 
wildlife captured by the use of the trap, including the pelt or raw 
fur, shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States in accordance 
with the provisions of chapter 46 of title 18, United States Code, 
relating to civil forfeitures.
    ``(e) Payment of Court Costs and Other Associated Expenses.--A 
person found to be in violation of subsection (b) shall pay all court 
costs associated with the violation.
    ``(f) Regulations.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue any regulations 
necessary to carry out this section.''.
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