WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) reintroduced the Native Species Protection Act Tuesday, a bill that would allow states to manage species that exist entirely within their border.

“There are real benefits to protecting endangered species from extinction, but the federal law intended to establish such protections – the Endangered Species Act – is in serious need of reform,” Sen. Lee said. “The Native Species Protection Act is a commonsense reform that would limit the damage caused by federal mismanagement of protected species and their habitats, while empowering state and local officials to pursue sensible conservation plans with their communities.”

The Native Species Protection Act clarifies that noncommercial species found entirely within the borders of a single state are not subject to regulation under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 or any other provision of law enacted as an exercise of the power of Congress to regulate interstate commerce.

Cosponsors of the bill include Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), and Ted Cruz (R-TX).

Read the full bill text HERE.