Enforcement Transparency Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-3136
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Blum, Rod [R-IA-1]
Introduced: 2015-07-21
Policy area: Animals
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Animal protection and human-animal relationships

Civil actions and liability

Department of Agriculture
Latest action: action_date: 2015-08-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-07-21
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Enforcement Transparency Act of 2015</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to issue and publish on its website guidelines relating to the calculation of civil fines for violating provisions of the Animal Welfare Act regarding the transportation, sale, and handling of certain animals. USDA must update the guidelines on a quarterly basis, provide notice on its website prior to making the updates, and publish the updates in the Federal Register. </p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3136 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 21, 2015 Mr. Blum (for himself, Mr. Cramer , and Mr. Benishek ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture A BILL To require the Secretary of Agriculture to issue guidelines relating to civil fines imposed for violations of the Animal Welfare Act, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Enforcement Transparency Act of 2015 . 2. Requirement to issue guidelines relating to fines (a) In general Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall publish on the public Internet Web site of the Department of Agriculture guidelines relating to the calculation of civil fines under section 19 of the Animal Welfare Act ( 7 U.S.C. 2149 ) for violations of such Act ( 7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq. ). (b) Updates The Secretary of Agriculture shall— (1) update the guidelines published under paragraph (1) on a quarterly basis; (2) not later than 10 days before making such updates, publish a notice on the public Internet Web site of the Department of Agriculture of such updates; and (3) publish such updates in the Federal Register.