119-HR-7159 Journalist Public Summary

Public Summary — 119-HR-7159 (Protecting Local Zoos Act of 2026)

Headline Summary: The bill would scale back parts of the Big Cat Public Safety Act by broadening who can legally keep certain big cats and by removing snow and clouded leopards from the federal “prohibited wildlife species” list. (congress.gov)

What It Does: H.R. 7159 amends the Lacey Act’s captive‑wildlife provisions added by the 2022 Big Cat Public Safety Act. It would: add USDA “Class B” licensees to the list of entities exempt from the general ban; clarify that owners, executives, trained volunteers, and additional veterinary staff at qualifying facilities may handle animals; create a pathway for certain facilities to keep animals if they register them and agree to no breeding, acquiring, selling, public contact, or public exhibition; allow import/export with foreign facilities that are lawfully authorized in their countries; and expressly exclude snow and clouded leopards from the “prohibited wildlife species” definition. (congress.gov)

• Supporters: Sponsor Rep. Paul Gosar (R‑AZ) and cosponsor Rep. Darren Soto (D‑FL). Supporters frame the bill as targeted relief for smaller or non‑AZA facilities affected by the 2022 law. (congress.gov)
• Supporters: The Zoological Association of America (a trade group representing many non‑AZA zoos) highlights the bill’s added flexibility for licensed facilities and trained volunteers, and the species exclusions. (zooassociation.org)

• Opponents: As of January 30, 2026, no formal opposition statements specific to H.R. 7159 were posted on Congress.gov. But groups that championed the 2022 Big Cat Public Safety Act—such as the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Humane Society’s advocacy arm—emphasize keeping bans on public contact and limiting private ownership; they may argue that expanding exceptions or removing species could weaken those protections. (aza.org)

Why It Matters: For small zoos and licensed facilities, the bill could reduce compliance burdens and clarify who may care for animals day‑to‑day. For animal‑welfare and public‑safety advocates, the changes could reopen channels for private possession and remove two species from the stricter federal list that the 2022 law aimed to standardize. (congress.gov)

What’s Next: The bill was introduced on January 20, 2026, and referred to the House Natural Resources Committee; a Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries hearing is scheduled for February 4, 2026. It has one listed cosponsor as of January 30, 2026. (congress.gov)