§ 2157. — Release of trade secrets.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 7USC2157]
TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
CHAPTER 54--TRANSPORTATION, SALE, AND HANDLING OF CERTAIN ANIMALS
Sec. 2157. Release of trade secrets
(a) Release of confidential information prohibited
It shall be unlawful for any member of an Institutional Animal
Committee to release any confidential information of the research
facility including any information that concerns or relates to--
(1) the trade secrets, processes, operations, style of work, or
apparatus; or
(2) the identity, confidential statistical data, amount or
source of any income, profits, losses, or expenditures,
of the research facility.
(b) Wrongful use of confidential information prohibited
It shall be unlawful for any member of such Committee--
(1) to use or attempt to use to his advantages; or
(2) to reveal to any other person,
any information which is entitled to protection as confidential
information under subsection (a) of this section.
(c) Penalties
A violation of subsection (a) or (b) of this section is punishable
by--
(1) removal from such Committee; and
(2)(A) a fine of not more than $1,000 and imprisonment of not
more than one year; or
(B) if such violation is willful, a fine of not more than
$10,000 and imprisonment of not more than three years.
(d) Recovery of damages by injured person; costs; attorney's fee
Any person, including any research facility, injured in its business
or property by reason of a violation of this section may recover all
actual and consequential damages sustained by such person and the cost
of the suit including a reasonable attorney's fee.
(e) Other rights and remedies
Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect any other
rights of a person injured in its business or property by reason of a
violation of this section. Subsection (d) of this section shall not be
construed to limit the exercise of any such rights arising out of or
relating to a violation of subsections (a) and (b) of this section.
(Pub. L. 89-544, Sec. 27, as added Pub. L. 99-198, title XVII,
Sec. 1754, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1649.)
Effective Date
Section effective one year after Dec. 23, 1985, see section 1759 of
Pub. L. 99-198, set out as an Effective Date of 1985 Amendment note
under section 2131 of this title.
