LEASH Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 9078
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-29: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-25T16:06:45Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 9078 (LEASH Act of 2026)
Purpose
The legislation amends existing federal grant rules to require states and local governments to report certain felony convictions involving harm to animals. It also directs the creation of a public database for this information. The goal is to improve tracking of these convictions through the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program.
Key Provisions
- Grant eligibility changes: Applicants must certify that they will report data on felony convictions under state law involving cruelty to animals, including the names of convicted individuals.
- Grant prioritization updates: Funding preferences shift to include not only areas with high violent crime rates but also those that submit the required animal cruelty conviction data.
- Database creation: The Attorney General must build and maintain a publicly accessible online database of the reported conviction data, with periodic updates.
- Timeline: The new rules apply to grant applications starting in the first full fiscal year after two years from the law's enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill adds new reporting mandates to the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act, specifically sections 502(a) and 505(f). It expands the conditions for receiving federal justice assistance grants and introduces a requirement for a national public database focused on animal cruelty felonies. No prior federal law required this specific data collection or public release tied to these grants.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: The Department of Justice must develop and manage a new database, while state and local law enforcement will need to collect and submit conviction details to qualify for grants.
- Citizens: Public access to names of individuals convicted of animal cruelty felonies may increase transparency but could affect privacy for those listed.
- International relations: No direct effects are outlined in the legislation.
Main Stakeholders
- State and local governments seeking Byrne Justice Assistance Grants.
- The Department of Justice, responsible for database management and grant oversight.
- Individuals convicted of animal cruelty felonies, whose names would be reported and made public.
- Law enforcement agencies handling data submission.
Notable Implications
The bill ties grant funding to data reporting, which could influence how states prioritize criminal justice record-keeping. Making convicted individuals' names publicly available in a federal database raises questions about privacy protections under existing laws. No constitutional challenges are addressed in the text itself.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]
Cosponsors (8)
Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2], Rep. Fine, Randy [R-FL-6], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1], Rep. Evans, Gabe [R-CO-8], Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3], Rep. Mills, Cory [R-FL-7], Rep. LaLota, Nick [R-NY-1]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-29: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2026-05-29: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-29: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Law Enforcement Animal Safety and Harm Reporting Act of 2026 — issued 2026-05-29 — PDF (3 pages)