7 U.S.C. § 2146a: Searchable database…

Summary

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service must, regardless of other laws, put back on its website the searchable database and everything that was in it on January 30, 2017, plus all content added since then. It must do this within 60 calendar days. Going forward, the agency must make certain records public in a searchable database in full (no redactions except for signatures). The records cover four types: final Animal Welfare Act inspection reports (including violation reports and animal inventories), final Animal Welfare Act and Horse Protection Act enforcement records, other reports or materials showing violations or non-compliances observed by USDA officials — each for the current year and the preceding three years — and final Animal Welfare Act research facility annual reports and attachments. Those research reports must be posted within six months of receipt, though confidential business information may be redacted under FOIA Exemption 4.

Title 7, §2146a

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The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service shall, notwithstanding any other provision of law:

(a)within 60 calendar days, restore on its website the searchable database and its contents that were available on January 30, 2017, and all content generated since that date; and

(b)hereafter, make publicly available via searchable database, in their entirety without redactions except signatures, the following records:

(1)all final Animal Welfare Act inspection reports, including all reports documenting all Animal Welfare Act violations and non-compliances observed by USDA officials and all animal inventories for the current year and the preceding three years;

(2)all final Animal Welfare Act and Horse Protection Act enforcement records for the current year and the preceding three years;

(3)all reports or other materials documenting any violations and non-compliances observed by USDA officials for the current year and the preceding three years; and

(4)within six months of receipt by the agency, all final Animal Welfare Act research facility annual reports, including their attachments with appropriate redactions made for confidential business information that USDA could withhold under FOIA Exemption 4.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Animal Welfare Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), (2), (4), is Pub. L. 89–544, Aug. 24, 1966, 80 Stat. 350, which is classified generally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 2131 of this title and Tables. The Horse Protection Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is Pub. L. 91–540, Dec. 9, 1970, 84 Stat. 1404, which is classified generally to chapter 44 (§ 1821 et seq.) of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1821 of Title 15 and Tables. Codification Section was enacted as part of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2020, and also as part of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, and not as part of the Animal Welfare Act which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 117–103 amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: “hereafter, make publicly available via searchable database, in their entirety without redactions except signatures, the following records after enactment of this Act for a subsequent period of three years: “(1) all final Animal Welfare Act inspection reports, including all reports documenting all Animal Welfare Act non-compliances observed by USDA officials and all animal inventories; “(2) all final Animal Welfare Act and Horse Protection Act

Enforcement

records; “(3) all reports or other materials documenting any non-compliances observed by USDA officials; and “(4) within six months of receipt by the agency, all final Animal Welfare Act research facility annual reports, including their attachments with appropriate redactions made for confidential business information that USDA could withhold under FOIA Exemption 4.”

§2146a Searchable Database Requirements

Summary

Title 7, §2146a

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Short Title

Short Title

Amendments

Enforcement

Citations & Metadata