PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.
H.R.496 / 106th Congress

Endangered Species Criminal and Civil Penalties Liability Reform Act

Referred to the House Committee on Resources.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 2, 1999

Endangered Species Criminal and Civil Penalties Liability Reform Act - Amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to define "take" to mean to knowingly and intentionally perform any act with the knowledge that the act would constitute harassing, harming, pursuing, hunting, shooting, wounding, killing, trapping, capturing, or collecting an individual member of a species that was present at the time and location of the act, or to attempt to engage in such conduct. Prohibits a person from being liable for any criminal or civil penalty for a violation committed while conducting an otherwise lawful activity and not for the purpose of a prohibited taking, unless: (1) the Secretary of the Interior provides the person with notice of the violation; and (2) the person fails to terminate and correct the activity constituting the violation by not later than 30 days after the date of the notice. Requires each conservation plan developed to include provisions under which persons who have entered into, and are in compliance with, the conservation plan may not, without their consent, be required to undertake any additional mitigation measures for species covered by the plan if the measures would require payment or compliance with use, development, or management restrictions on any land, waters, or water related rights, in addition to payments or compliance, respectively, otherwise required under the terms of the plan. Requires such provisions, among other matters, to identify modifications to the plan or additional conservation measures, if any, that the Secretary may require under extraordinary circumstances. Makes it an affirmative defense, in any enforcement action or citizen suit in which it is alleged that a defendant acted or failed to act with respect to a member of an endangered or threatened species, that the defendant could not reasonably have known that the fish or wildlife or plant concerned is a member of an endangered or threatened species. Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) enter into "safe harbor" agreements with non-Federal persons to benefit the conservation of endangered or threatened species by creating, restoring, or improving habitat or by maintaining currently unoccupied habitat; and (2) provide a grant of up to $10,000 to any individual private landowner to assist the landowner in carrying out such an agreement.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Rep. Thomas, William M. [R-CA-21] · R–CA

Committees

  • Natural Resources Committee
1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

  1. Referred to the House Committee on Resources.

  2. Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E118)

  3. Introduced in House

  4. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 20, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.496 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.496 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.496 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.496 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources