Horse Protection Act Amendments of 1976
Public Law 94-360 · S. 811 · 94th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Jul 13, 1976 · Animals
Sponsor: Sen. John Tunney (D-CA)
Cosponsors (17): Sen. Warren Magnuson, Sen. Charles Mathias,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Horse Protection Act Amendments - Amends the Horse Protection Act of 1970 to redefine "sore" when used to describe a horse. Disqualifies a sore horse from any horse show or exhibition. Prohibits the sale of a sore horse at a public sale or auction.
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to prescribe regulations requiring: (1) appointment of persons to inspect horses for any horse show, exhibition, sale, or auction; and (2) recordkeeping by the management of any horse show, exhibition, sale, or auction. Authorizes the Secretary to make certain inspections for enforcement of this Act.
Prohibits: (1) the transportation of a sore horse for show or sale; (2) the showing or selling of such a horse by its owner; (3) the failure to disqualify such a horse from a show or sale; (4) the failure to retain inspection personnel; (5) the failure to keep required records; and (6) interference with specified enforcement measures taken by the Secretary.
Imposes a fine of not more than $3,000 or imprisonment for not more than one year or both for knowing violation of this Act. Increases the penalty to a fine of not more than $5,000 or imprisonment for not more than two years or both for subsequent convictions. Imposes a fine of not more than $5,000 or imprisonment for not more than three years or both for: (1) falsifying records; or (2) interference with official duties, under this Act. Imposes a fine of $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than ten years or both for use of a deadly weapon in such interference. Declares any person who violates such prohibitions liable for a civil penalty of not more than $2,000 for each violation.
Sets forth procedures with respect to enforcement and adjudication under this Act. Requires annual, rather than biennial, reports from the Secretary to the Congress with respect to this Act. Authorizes the appropriation of up to $500,000 for fiscal years beginning after September 30, 1976, to carry out this Act.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 13 actions.
- Jul 13, 1976Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 94-360.
- Jul 1, 1976PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Jun 24, 1976Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments.
- Jun 21, 1976FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 13711.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Oct 20, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Oct 9, 1975FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Oct 8, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Feb 24, 1975CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.