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Issue #19: Winter 2024  February 10, 2024 
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Fossil Ivory Ban

International Fossil Laws

The Paleontograph

AAPS

States and Countries Banning the Sale of Fossil Ivory
and Proposed Legislation

Because of the poaching of African Elephants, many countries have banned the import of modern Ivory. Smugglers have been marking shipments of modern ivory as fossil ivory to get it past customs. Here in the United States, beginning with New Jersey and New York, state legislators have been submitting bills to ban the sale of all ivory, modern and fossil.

While the differences between extant elephant ivory and fossil Mammoth ivory have been recognized for some time, and a good example and description can be found on the Fish and Wildlife Service page; www.fws.gov/lab/ivory_natural.php, State legislatures have simply decided to go the less expensive route and ban all ivory. This should be addressed in each state that bans fossil ivory.

For clarification, we are posting links to the complete legislation of all states involved. The list will be updated on a regular basis and we will do our best to keep it current.

AAPS cannot provide legal advice, and recomend you consult an attorney for advice on the sale of fossil ivory. Further, AAPS does not claim or warrant that this is a complete listing of ivory bans in the U.S.

StateLinkEffective Date
Californiahttps://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billCompareClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160AB967-1-2016
District of ColumbiaB23-0034.pdf4-7-2020
Hawaiihttp://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2016/bills/SB2647_HD2_.pdf6-30-2017
Illinoishttps://legiscan.com/IL/text/HB4843/id/1816090/Illinois-2017-HB4843-Chaptered.html8-14-2018
Navadahttps://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/79th2017/Bill/5060/Text1-1-2018
New Hampshirehttps://legiscan.com/NH/text/SB451/id/16645521-1-2019
New Jerseyhttp://codes.findlaw.com/nj/title-23-fish-and-game-wild-birds-and-animals/nj-st-sect-23-2a-13-3.html8-1-2014
New Yorkhttps://www.aaps-journal.org/Fossil-Ivory-Laws/New%20York/S7955-2014.pdf6-30-2015
Oregon, Living Elephant Onlyhttps://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/lawsstatutes/2017orlaw0107.pdf5-18-2017
VermontVermont H.991-1-2022
Washington, Living Elephant Onlyhttps://sos.wa.gov/_assets/elections/initiatives/finaltext_784.pdf1-1-2017
 
CountryLinkEffective Date
UKhttps://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/30/pdfs/ukpga_20180030_en.pdf5-23-2018

The following states have proposed legislation in process. If and when bills are signed into law, we will update the links. NOTE: While we make every attempt to locate the current legislation regarding fossil Ivory, new bills and current legislation is not always easily found. You must check with your own state legislators to see if there are additional proposed bans or bills that have passed.


UPDATES
1. Arkansas; Senate Bill 928 (Killed in Committee)

2. Connecticut; Proposed Bill No. 5700 (Vague definition of Ivory), Tabled for the Calendar, House May 5, 2015. Legislative Link

3. Florida; Senate Bill 1120 (Includes Mammoth Ivory), Died in Environmental Preservation and Conservation Location: In committee/council (EP), May 1, 2015. Legislative Link

4. Illinois; Senate Bill 1858 (Includes Mammoth Ivory), Currently in Committee, May 15, 2015 Legislative Link

5. Iowa; SF 30 (Includes Mammoth Ivory) In Sub-committee February 11, 2015 Legislative Link

6. Maryland; House Bill 713 (Vague definition of Ivory), Unfavorable Report by Judiciary, remains in Committee, March 16, 2015 Legislative Link

7. Massachusetts; Senate Bill S.2575 (Includes Mammoth Ivory) Remains in Committee June 25, 2018. Legislative Link

8. Oklahoma; HB1787 (Vague definition of Ivory), Second Reading referred to Wildlife Committee February 3, 2015 Legislative Link

9. Rhode Island; House 5660 (Includes Mammoth Ivory) Committee recommended measure be held for further study, April 15, 2015 Legislative Link

10. Vermont; House 297 (Includes Mammoth Ivory), In Committee February 24, 2015 Legislative Link

11. Delaware; Senate Bill 156 (Includes Mammoth Ivory) Senate Banking and Business Committee June 24, 2015. Legislative Link

12. Michigan; Senate Bill 371 (Includes Mammoth Ivory) REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES June 4, 2015 See also House Bill 4509 Legilative Link




URL: https://www.aaps-journal.org/Fossil-Ivory-Legislation.html
Last Updated: Monday March 25, 2024
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