Title: PAW Act
Policy area: Emergency Management

Summary:
Planning for Animal Wellness Act or the PAW Act
This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish a working group relating to best practices and federal guidance for animals in emergencies and disasters.
Specifically, the working group shall (1) encourage and foster collaborative efforts among individuals and entities working to address the needs of household pets, service and assistance animals, and captive animals in emergency and disaster preparedness, response, and recovery; and (2) review best practices and federal guidance on sheltering and evacuation planning relating to the needs of such pets and animals.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7789 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7789

To require the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
  to establish a working group relating to best practices and Federal 
   guidance for animals in emergencies and disasters, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 16, 2022

Ms. Titus (for herself and Mr. DeFazio) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                             Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
  to establish a working group relating to best practices and Federal 
   guidance for animals in emergencies and disasters, and for other 
                               purposes.

    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 ``Planning for Animal Wellness Act'' 
or the ``PAW Act''.

SEC. 2. WORKING GROUP GUIDELINES.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
            (2) Working group.--The term ``working group'' means the 
        advisory working group established under subsection (b).
    (b) Working Group.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall establish an advisory 
working group.
    (c) Membership.--The working group shall consist of--
            (1) not less than 2 representatives of State governments 
        with experience in animal emergency management;
            (2) not less than 2 representatives of local governments 
        with experience in animal emergency management;
            (3) not less than 2 representatives from academia;
            (4) not less than 2 veterinary experts;
            (5) not less than 2 representatives from nonprofit 
        organizations working to address the needs of households pets 
        and service animals in emergencies or disasters;
            (6) representatives from the Federal Animal Emergency 
        Management Working Group; and
            (7) any other members determined necessary by the 
        Administrator.
    (d) Duties.--The working group shall--
            (1) encourage and foster collaborative efforts among 
        individuals and entities working to address the needs of 
        household pets, service and assistance animals, and captive 
        animals, as appropriate, in emergency and disaster 
        preparedness, response, and recovery; and
            (2) review best practices and Federal guidance, as of the 
        date of enactment of this Act, on congregate and noncongregate 
        sheltering and evacuation planning relating to the needs of 
        household pets, service and assistance animals, and captive 
        animals, as appropriate, in emergency and disaster 
        preparedness, response, and recovery.
    (e) Guidance Determination.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the working group shall determine whether the 
best practices and Federal guidance described in subsection (d)(2) are 
sufficient.
    (f) New Guidance.--Not later than 540 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, if the Administrator, in consultation with the 
working group, determines that the best practices and Federal guidance 
described in paragraph subsection (d)(2) are insufficient, the 
Administrator, in consultation with the working group, shall publish 
updated Federal guidance.
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