Black Vulture Relief Act

This bill lets livestock producers and their employees take action against black vultures to protect their animals. They can capture, kill, or scare off a black vulture if they reasonably believe it will harm or destroy livestock. If the bird is injured while they try to stop it, that is allowed. Using poison is not allowed. Black vultures are normally protected under federal law, so this creates a special allowance for these situations .

Producers who use this allowance must file a yearly report with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The agency must post a simple reporting form online within 180 days, and reports are due by January 31 each year for the prior 12 months. Reporting does not start until the form is available.

• Who is affected: Livestock producers and their employees.
• What changes: They may capture, kill, or disperse black vultures to protect livestock; poison is banned; annual reporting to the Fish and Wildlife Service is required .
• When: Reporting begins after the online form is posted; reports are due each January 31 for the previous year.