Refuge From Cruel Trapping Act
Sponsored By: Representative Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create a nationwide ban on body‑gripping traps within the National Wildlife Refuge System. It would include narrow exceptions for federal invasive‑species and endangered‑species work, Alaska refuges, and tribal subsistence, and it would establish penalties, forfeiture, and implementation rules.
Show full summary
- Wildlife and visitors: Would remove kill and leghold style traps from refuges, lowering the risk of injury to non‑target animals and people.
- Federal agencies: Would still be allowed to use body‑gripping traps to control invasive species or protect threatened or endangered species only after trying and documenting nonlethal alternatives at agency headquarters.
- Federally recognized tribes: Would be allowed to possess or use body‑gripping traps for subsistence purposes.
- Alaska refuges: Would be exempt from the prohibition for the National Wildlife Refuge System in Alaska.
- Enforcement and penalties: Would authorize civil fines up to $500 for each trap possessed and for each use, up to 180 days imprisonment, annual adjustment of fines by the CPI‑U, forfeiture of traps and any captured wildlife including pelts, and payment of court costs by violators.
- Implementation timing: Would direct the Secretary of the Interior to issue necessary regulations within 120 days after enactment and make the ban effective 120 days after enactment.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
120-day rulemaking, enforcement not delayed
If enacted, the Interior Department would have 120 days to issue rules to carry out the ban. The ban would still be enforceable even if the Department missed that deadline.
Ban on body-gripping traps in refuges
If enacted, you could not possess or use a body‑gripping trap on National Wildlife Refuge System land, starting 120 days after enactment. Body‑gripping traps include steel‑jaw, padded leghold, kill‑type, and snare traps; cage/box and suitcase‑type live beaver traps are not banned. Federal agencies could use these traps to control invasive species or protect endangered or Secretary‑designated sensitive species, but only after trying nonlethal methods and following federal and state law. Members of federally recognized Tribes could use them for subsistence; the Alaska Refuge System would be exempt; dismantling traps would be allowed. Violations could bring a civil fine up to $500 per trap and per use, up to 180 days in jail, forfeiture of traps and pelts, and court costs.
Fines would rise with inflation
If enacted, the maximum civil fine would be adjusted each year for inflation using the CPI‑U. The cap would equal the prior maximum times 1 plus the CPI percent change. The base cap is up to $500 per trap possessed and per use, before the annual update. Adjustments would begin after enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
NY • D
Cosponsors
Barragan
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2025
Cohen
TN • D
Sponsored 6/24/2025
DelBene
WA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2025
Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2025
Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/24/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 6/24/2025
Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
VA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2025
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/24/2025
Casten
IL • D
Sponsored 6/24/2025
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 7/10/2025
Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]
MD • D
Sponsored 8/1/2025
Carson
IN • D
Sponsored 8/29/2025
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]
CA • D
Sponsored 8/29/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov