H. R. 5534
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 5, 2008
Mr. Grijalva introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
To amend the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to extend its protections to bears illegally harvested for their viscera in the same manner as with respect to prohibited wildlife species, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the
Bear Protection Act of
The purpose of this Act is to ensure the long-term viability of the world’s 8 bear species by reinforcing State conservation and management of bear populations.
Bear viscera defined
Section 2 of the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 (16 U.S.C. 3371) is amended—
by redesignating paragraphs (a) through (k) as paragraphs (b) through (l), respectively; and
by inserting before paragraph (b) (as so redesignated) the following new paragraph:
subject to subparagraphs (2) and (3), means the body fluids or internal organs of a species of bear;
except as provided in subparagraph (3), includes the gallbladder of such a species and its contents; and
does not include blood or brains of such a species.
Discouraging the illegal harvest of bears for their viscera
Section 3 of the Lacey Act Amendments of
1981 (16 U.S.C. 3372) is amended in subsections (a)(2)(C) and (e)(1) by
or bear viscera after
species each place it appears.
State management authority
None of the amendments made by this Act shall be construed to affect the regulation by any State of its bear populations or to affect the hunting of bears that is lawful under applicable State laws and regulations.