HR3199-119

What This Bill Does

The Captive Primate Safety Act makes live nonhuman primates a prohibited wildlife category under the Lacey Act. It covers chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, gibbons, lemurs, lorises, galagos, tarsiers, monkeys, and hybrids. The bill bars import, export, transport, sale, receipt, acquisition, purchase, breeding, and possession in interstate or foreign commerce, but it carves out expeditious transport to lawful entities, pre-enactment private possession if the owner registers with Interior and follows no-breeding, no-transfer, and no-public-contact rules, and USDA-registered research facilities in good standing. Interior must issue implementing regulations within 180 days, but the prohibition applies even if the rules are late.

Who Benefits and How

Captive primate welfare organizations benefit because the bill narrows the legal market that supplies private ownership and public-contact settings. Public safety departments benefit because fewer privately held primates reduce escape, bite, and zoonotic disease risks. USDA research facilities in good standing benefit because the bill preserves a specific research-facility exception. Existing private owners benefit only if they register with Interior and comply with strict limits on breeding, acquisition, transfer, and public contact.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Exotic primate dealers must stop interstate and foreign commerce in covered primates unless a narrow exception applies. Private primate owners must register existing animals, prevent breeding, avoid public contact, and refrain from acquiring or selling additional primates. Interior wildlife staff must build the registration and enforcement process within the 180-day rulemaking window. Animal transporters must verify that primate movements fit the expeditious-transport exception or another lawful status.

Key Provisions

• Prohibits interstate and foreign commerce in live nonhuman primates covered by the Lacey Act.
• Requires pre-enactment private owners to register with Interior and follow no-breeding, no-transfer, and no-public-contact limits.
• Provides exceptions for expeditious transport and USDA-registered research facilities in good standing.
• Directs Interior to issue regulations within 180 days while keeping the statutory prohibition enforceable.