ASSOCIATION • Circus Members Animal Legislation Update by Vanessa Gagne, Government Relations & Communications Consultant
What to Know About Booking Animal Acts Plus Two Critical Workforce Bills to Get Involved With
we serve. Go to for details on how to participate. As the legislative session unfolds, we’ll
continue to monitor any developments on animal-related policies. Quietly bubbling be- neath the surface, there has been a growing interest from animal rights groups to push therodeo bans even furtherorlegislate certain rodeo events out of existence. As al- ways, if you see or hear something, please say something. We will make sure to get the word out to the industry. I hope everyone has a wonderful year and I hope to see you out at some of our spots.
See you down the road, Vanessa
A
s we welcome the new year, we are stepping into the second half of the current federal legislative session. Reflecting on 2025, it’s worth noting that,
despite a flurry of proposals, no significant animal-related leg- islation was enacted that would impact fairs, carnivals, or the wider amusement community. So book those animal acts and let’s keep the human-animal bond alive and thriving this year! As a reminder, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, and Texas do not have regular sessions in even numbered years. While that does mean it will be quiet in those states, that is prime time to do grassroots outreach to prepare for 2027. The following states have carryover sessions into 2026: Alaska, California, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Mas- sachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, West Vir- ginia, and Wisconsin. Federal advocacy efforts are turning toward the pressing
issue that affects every event, big or small: access to sea- sonal workers. Two critical visa bills are on the table, each offering the chance to better secure the workforce our fairs and carnivals rely on.
CARE Act (HR 2729) & RIDE Act (S1281) Help us engage lawmakers and industry partners to make
the case that our seasonal workforce is essential, not only for our livelihoods but also to the communities and economies
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