HR1684-119

What This Bill Does

The PAST Act is a broad Horse Protection Act enforcement bill. It defines action devices and participation at horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions, and updates congressional findings to identify Tennessee Walking Horses, Racking Horses, and Spotted Saddle Horses as breeds historically subjected to soring. It requires the Secretary of Agriculture to license, train, assign, and oversee conflict-free inspectors, with preference for licensed or accredited veterinarians, and those inspectors must issue citations and notify USDA within five days. USDA must publish violation information on the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service website so event managers can screen participants. The bill also bans action devices and artificial gait-altering weighted shoes, pads, wedges, hoof bands, or similar devices for covered breeds, increases criminal and civil penalties, and strengthens disqualification rules including possible permanent disqualification after repeat violations.

Who Benefits and How

Horse welfare organizations benefit because the bill attacks soring through device bans, inspector licensing, public violation data, and stronger penalties. Compliant horse exhibitors benefit when competitors using soring practices face disqualification and enforcement. Horse buyers benefit because APHIS violation information and licensed inspections reduce deception at sales and auctions. USDA inspectors benefit from a federal licensing, assignment, citation, and oversight structure.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Horse show managers must hire USDA-assigned licensed inspectors and check violation information before events. Trainers using action devices or weighted gait-altering equipment face bans, citations, higher penalties, and disqualification. Owners financing repeat violators can be barred from participation after disqualification orders. USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service staff must license inspectors, publish violations, oversee performance, and enforce penalties.

Key Provisions

• Creates definitions for action devices and participation in covered horse events.
• Requires USDA to license, train, assign, and oversee conflict-free horse inspectors.
• Requires inspectors to issue citations and notify USDA within five days.
• Bars action devices and artificial gait-altering equipment for covered horse breeds.
• Increases criminal, civil, and disqualification penalties for Horse Protection Act violations.