Sponsors (12)
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Makes it illegal to trade, transport, breed, or possess a newly defined set of "prohibited primate species" except in narrowly listed situations. Owners who already have certain primates must register those animals, are prohibited from breeding or selling them, and must prevent public contact; registered research facilities get limited exceptions for research use. Requires the Secretary of the Interior to issue implementing regulations within 180 days of enactment to carry out the registration, prohibitions, and exceptions. The text does not specify penalties, funding, or an exact effective date for the rule changes.
Defines “prohibited primate species” to mean any live species of nonhuman primate, including chimpanzee, galago, gibbon, gorilla, lemur, loris, monkey, orangutan, tarsier, or any hybrid of such species.
Makes it unlawful, except as provided in the listed exceptions, for any person to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce, or in a manner substantially affecting interstate or foreign commerce, any prohibited wildlife species or prohibited primate species.
Makes it unlawful, except as provided in the listed exceptions, to breed or possess any prohibited wildlife species or prohibited primate species.
Creates an exception for an entity or individual that has custody of a prohibited wildlife or primate species solely to expeditiously transport that animal to another authorized entity or individual described in the paragraph.
Allows an exception for an entity or individual in possession of any prohibited wildlife species or prohibited primate species that was born before the date of enactment of the applicable Act only if the entity or individual: (i) registers each individual animal with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the applicable Act; (ii) does not breed, acquire, or sell any prohibited wildlife or primate species after the date of enactment of the applicable Act; and (iii) does not allow direct contact between the public and any such prohibited wildlife or primate species.
Directly affected groups include private owners and breeders of primates, commercial dealers and transporters, animal exhibitors and sanctuaries, and research institutions that use primates. Private owners who currently possess prohibited species will need to register their animals and comply with bans on breeding, selling, and public contact; this will likely impose administrative and compliance costs and may require rehoming or operational changes. Commercial dealers and transporters will be restricted from trading and moving these species, reducing or ending parts of the exotic-primate market. Zoos, sanctuaries, and exhibitors may lose the ability to display or offer public-contact experiences with affected primates unless they qualify for an exception. Research facilities retain limited exceptions but will face new registration and procedural requirements; the scope of permitted research will depend on the Interior Department's implementing regulations. Because the statute delegates many operational details to rulemaking, the specific effects (permitting processes, reporting burdens, enforcement actions, and any grandfathering or disposition rules) will be clarified in the regulations to be issued within 180 days. The law appears aimed at public safety and animal welfare but may create short-term costs and logistical challenges for owners and organizations that currently work with or house the covered primates.
Redesignates existing subsections (h)–(l) and inserts a new subsection (h) defining 'prohibited primate species.'
Revises paragraph (1) to add 'prohibited primate species' to the list of covered species and to make it unlawful to import/export/transport/sell/receive/acquire/purchase in interstate or foreign commerce any prohibited wildlife species or prohibited primate species and to breed or possess any such species; modifies paragraph (2) exceptions and adds a research-facility exception.
Corrects typographical errors in subsection (b) and removes a reference to the 'Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976' in subsection (e) (replacement text for the struck phrase is not specified in the provided section).
Makes minor punctuation and typographical corrections in subsection (b).
Updates a statutory cross-reference to use the 'Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act' name.
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Introduced May 5, 2025 by Richard Blumenthal · Last progress May 5, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Introduced in Senate