,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #dbje  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #ab1      
#bjbb,mr4 ,peters 7for himself and ,mr4 
,portman7 introduced the following bill2
 which was read twice and referred to   
the ,committee on ,homeland ,security   
and ,governmental ,affairs  ,a ,,bill   
,to require the ,administrator of the   
,federal ,emergency ,management ,agency 
to establish a working group relating to
 best practices and ,federal guidance   
for animals in emergencies and          
disasters1 and for other purposes4  #a4 
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,planning for ,animal ,wellness ,act
 or the ,,paw ,act4  #b4 ,working group 
guidelines  7a7 ,definitions ,in this   
section3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term  
,administrator means the ,administrator 
of the ,federal ,emergency ,management  
,agency4  7#b7 ,working group ,the term 
working group means the advisory working
 group established under subsection 7b74
  7b7 ,working group ,not later than    

#ahj days after the date of enactment of
 this ,act1 the ,administrator shall    
establish an advisory working group4    
7c7 ,membership ,the working group shall
 consist of-- 7#a7 not less than #b     
representatives of ,state governments   
with experience in animal emergency     
management2  7#b7 not less than #b      
representatives of local governments    
with experience in animal emergency     
management2  7#c7 not less than #b      
representatives from academia2  7#d7 not
 less than #b veterinary experts2  7#e7 
not less than #b representatives from   
nonprofit organizations working to      
address the needs of households pets and
 service animals in emergencies or      
disasters2  7#f7 representatives from   
the ,federal ,animal ,emergency         
,management ,working ,group2 and  7#g7  
any other members determined necessary  
by the ,administrator4  7d7 ,duties ,the
 working group shall-- 7#a7 encourage   
and foster collaborative efforts among  
individuals and entities working to     

address the needs of household pets1    
service and assistance animals1 and     
captive animals1 as appropriate1 in     
emergency and disaster preparedness1    
response1 and recovery2 and  7#b7 review
 best practices and ,federal guidance1  
as of the date of enactment of this     
,act1 on congregate and noncongregate   
sheltering and evacuation planning      
relating to the needs of household pets1
 service and assistance animals1 and    
captive animals1 as appropriate1 in     
emergency and disaster preparedness1    
response1 and recovery4  7e7 ,guidance  
determination ,not later than #a year   
after the date of enactment of this     
,act1 the working group shall determine 
whether the best practices and ,federal 
guidance described in subsection 7d77#b7
 are sufficient4  7f7 ,new guidance ,not
 later than #edj days after the date of 
enactment of this ,act1 if the          
,administrator1 in consultation with the
 working group1 determines that the best
 practices and ,federal guidance        

described in paragraph subsection       
7d77#b7 are insufficient1 the           
,administrator1 in consultation with the
 working group1 shall publish updated   
,federal guidance4