Washington State Ivory Ban Bill
In Washington State the anti-Ivory forces are hard at work trying to enact another draconian Ivory ban. House Bill 1131 and Senate Bill 5241 have been introduced that are similar to the draconian Ivory bans enacted in New York and New Jersey last year. They both also would include Mammoth Ivory in the ban.
The preamble to the bill is virtually a copy of that used in NJ, including the same lies, half-truths and misrepresentations. As with both the NY and NJ Ivory Bans, this feel-good ban would primarily hurt individuals and small businesses and there’s not a shred of evidence it would do anything to save a single elephant in Africa.
If you live, work or travel in Washington State, please contact your Senator or Representative and ask them to oppose SB 5241 or HB 1131 (respectively). To locate your Legislator and/or the Legislator who represents where you, or where you work or travel you have to first identify the District, and then you can identify the Representative.
Click here for a model letter opposing SB 5241 and HB 1131.
The first hearing for HB 1131 before the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 20 in Room HHR “B”, John L. O’Brien Building at 10:00 a.m.. The first hearing for SB 5241 before the Senate Natural Resources Committee is scheduled for Wednesday,Jan 21 Room SHR “3”, John A. Cherberg Building at 1:30 p.m.
Iowa Ivory Ban Bill
In Iowa, Senate File 30 has been introduced that is similar to the draconian Ivory bans enacted in New York and New Jersey last year. It also would include Mammoth Ivory in the ban.
As with both the NY and NJ Ivory Bans, this feel-good ban would primarily hurt individuals and small businesses and there’s not a shred of evidence it would do anything to save a single elephant in Africa.
If you live, work or travel in Iowa, please contact your Senator and ask them to oppose SF 30. Click here to locate your Legislator and/or the Legislator who represents where you, or where you work or travel.
Click here for a model letter opposing SF 30.
California Ivory Ban Bill
In California there is already an existing ban on Ivory import and sales, but that ban has an exemption for sale of Ivory that had been imported prior to January 1, 1977, which protected a significant portion of the Ivory owners in California at the time. Experts tell us that exemption covers millions of dollars of ivory objects in the state that don’t fall into the otherwise very narrow exemptions in the existing law.
Assembly Bill 96 has been introduced that would eliminate that exemption, “taking” millions of dollars from citizens of California by making it impossible to sell their possessions that are Ivory or incorporate Ivory.
Federal Ivory Ban Update
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has again postponed publishing the regulation we expect will alter or revoke the Special Rule on African Elephants that allows pre-ban ivory to trade in the United States.
The latest estimate for when that might be issued is later this month or next. The delays are the direct result of opposition to the ban from those who recognize that it will only serve to punch innocent Ivory owners and will do nothing to stop poaching in Africa or the trade in poached Ivory to China, where over 90% of that Ivory is traded. We appreciate your support.
With a new Congress, the legislative and appropriations strategies opposing the Federal Ivory ban will be renewed. We are working with our allies to get an appropriations rider to prevent any money being spent to enforce a ban and also to introduce and pass bills to protect the huge investment in Ivory owned by millions of Americans. With the changes in Congress as a result of the election, we feel more confident that a legislative solution may be within reach. We will keep you updated on all this as it happens.