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PAST Act

3/14/2024, 12:48 PM

Congressional Summary of S 1406

Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2014 or the PAST Act - (Sec. 2) Amends the Horse Protection Act (HPA) to replace the Designated Qualified Persons program responsible for inspecting horses for soring with a new inspection system. (The soring of horses is any of various actions taken on a horse's limb to produce a higher gait that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness.) Directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prescribe regulatory requirements to license, train, assign, and oversee persons who are to be hired by the management of horse shows, exhibitions, sales, or auctions and are qualified to detect and diagnose sore horses or otherwise inspect horses at such events.

Prohibits issuing a license to any person unless such person is free from conflicts of interest. Authorizes USDA to revoke a license for unsatisfactory performance. Requires USDA to give a preference to persons who are licensed or accredited veterinarians in issuing the licenses.

Requires USDA to assign USDA-licensed inspectors after receiving notice that management intends to hire the inspectors.

Directs an inspector to issue a citation for violations and notify USDA of the violations within five days of the citation being issued.

Requires USDA to: (1) publish on the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's website information on violations of such Act; and (2) disqualify a horse that is sore for specified time periods that increase after the first, second, and third instance.

Prohibits a person in any horse show, horse exhibition, or horse sale or auction from causing or directing a horse to become sore for the purpose of showing, exhibiting, selling, auctioning, or offering for sale the horse.

Prohibits showing, exhibiting, selling, or auctioning a Tennessee Walking, a Racking, or a Spotted Saddle horse with: (1) an action device that causes friction by rotating around a horse's leg or sliding up and down the leg or strikes the hoof, coronet band, fetlock joint, or pastern of the horse; or (2) a weighted shoe, pad, wedge, hoof band, or other device or material if it is constructed to artificially alter a horse's gait and is not strictly protective or therapeutic.

Increases the maximum criminal penalties and maximum civil liability penalties for certain HPA violations.

Authorizes USDA to disqualify a violator from: (1) transporting or arranging for the transportation of a horse to or from a show, exhibition, sale, or auction; (2) personally giving instructions to an exhibitor; or (3) being knowingly present in a warm-up area, inspection area, or other area that spectators are not permitted.

Permits USDA to permanently disqualify a person with at least three violations after notice and an opportunity for a hearing.

Current Status of Bill S 1406

Bill S 1406 is currently in the status of Bill Introduced since July 31, 2013. Bill S 1406 was introduced during Congress 113 and was introduced to the Senate on July 31, 2013.  Bill S 1406's most recent activity was Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 562. as of September 15, 2014

Bipartisan Support of Bill S 1406

Total Number of Sponsors
1
Democrat Sponsors
0
Republican Sponsors
1
Unaffiliated Sponsors
0
Total Number of Cosponsors
59
Democrat Cosponsors
48
Republican Cosponsors
9
Unaffiliated Cosponsors
2

Policy Area and Potential Impact of Bill S 1406

Primary Policy Focus

Animals

Potential Impact Areas

- Administrative law and regulatory procedures
- Animal protection and human-animal relationships
- Crimes against animals and natural resources
- Department of Agriculture
- Government information and archives
- Licensing and registrations
- Mammals
- Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers
- Veterinary medicine and animal diseases

Alternate Title(s) of Bill S 1406

PAST Act
A bill to amend the Horse Protection Act to designate additional unlawful acts under the Act, strengthen penalties for violations of the Act, improve Department of Agriculture enforcement of the Act, and for other purposes.
PAST Act
Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2013
PAST Act
Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2014

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