Public Water Supply Invasive Species Compliance Act of 2019

Public Water Supply Invasive Species Compliance Act of 2019

This bill exempts certain water transfers between public water supplies in Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana from prohibitions on illegal trade of plants and wildlife. Specifically, the prohibitions do not apply to covered water transfers containing a prohibited species if (1) the species are present in both public water supplies before the transfer and the water is transferred directly between them; or (2) the water is transferred in a closed conveyance system, such as a pipe system, and sent directly to treatment facilities where the species will be destroyed.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 29 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 H. R. 29

   To exempt from the Lacey Act and the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 
 certain water transfers between any of the States of Texas, Arkansas, 
                             and Louisiana.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 3, 2019

 Mr. Gohmert introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on the 
 Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To exempt from the Lacey Act and the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 
 certain water transfers between any of the States of Texas, Arkansas, 
                             and Louisiana.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Public Water Supply Invasive Species 
Compliance Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. EXEMPTION OF CERTAIN WATER TRANSFERS FROM THE LACEY ACT AND THE 
              LACEY ACT AMENDMENTS OF 1981.

    (a) Exemption.--Section 42 of title 18, United States Code 
(popularly known as the Lacey Act), and the Lacey Act Amendments of 
1981 (16 U.S.C. 3371 et seq.) shall not apply with respect to any 
covered water transfer, if--
            (1)(A) all prohibited species in the water transferred are 
        located in both of the public water supplies between which the 
        water is transferred; and
            (B) the water is transferred directly between such public 
        water supplies; or
            (2) the water is transferred in a closed conveyance system 
        directly to treatment facilities where all prohibited species 
        contained in the water transferred will be extirpated.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered water transfer.--The term ``covered water 
        transfer'' means a transfer between public water supplies 
        located on, along, or across the State boundaries between any 
        of Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana, of water containing a 
        prohibited species.
            (2) Prohibited species.--The term ``prohibited species'' 
        means any species--
                    (A) the shipment of which is otherwise prohibited 
                by section 42 of title 18, United States Code; or
                    (B) the transfer of which is otherwise prohibited 
                by the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 (16 U.S.C. 3371 et 
                seq.).
            (3) Public water supply.--The term ``public water supply'' 
        means any body of water, including any river, lake, or stream, 
        the water of which is available or made available to the 
        public.
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