Sponsors (6)
The bill strengthens protection of predators and public safety on Federal lands by expanding enforcement against vehicle-based killing, but does so with significant criminal penalties, ambiguous definitions that risk uneven enforcement and impacts on tribal sovereignty, and increased federal/local costs.
People who live near or visit Federal lands will face fewer dangerous or wasteful vehicle-based attacks on predators, improving public safety for rural communities and local jurisdictions.
Wildlife on Federal lands—particularly mammalian predators—will gain stronger protection because the bill deters vehicle-based killing or capture, supporting conservation goals in rural areas.
Federal and state authorities receive clearer enforcement authority and a framework for interagency cooperation to investigate and prosecute violations, which should improve compliance and case handling.
Individuals charged under the law could face felony penalties—including up to 5 years imprisonment and $10,000 fines—exposing local residents to severe criminal consequences.
The law delegates an ambiguous definition of "mammalian predator" to the Secretary, risking enforcement uncertainty and uneven application across regions.
Tribal communities could be affected if the law is applied to conduct on trust lands when facts are unclear, raising sovereignty and civil‑liberties concerns.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Makes it a federal crime to use a motor vehicle to harass, pursue, or kill mammalian predators on federal land, with fines up to $10,000 and up to 5 years imprisonment.
Official title: To prohibit any person from using a motor vehicle to take a mammalian predator species on Federal land, and for other purposes.
Introduced December 18, 2025 by Val Hoyle · Last progress December 18, 2025
Makes it a federal crime to use a motor vehicle on federal lands to harass, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect any “mammalian predator,” with penalties up to a $10,000 fine, up to 5 years imprisonment, or both. The law defines key terms (Federal land, motor vehicle, mammalian predator), creates an exception for actions necessary to avoid injury or death, and assigns investigation authority to the Secretary of the Interior with support allowed from FBI, Treasury, other federal agencies, and state or local law enforcement. The measure applies only on federal land, establishes criminal penalties, and empowers federal investigators and partners to enforce the prohibition. It does not specify new funding or civil remedies.