An Important Message From NRA About Ivory In WA State

[Blaine]

Although House Bill 1131 was weakened by various amendments on Tuesday in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, we aren’t out of the woods yet. This misguided attempt to end the illegal ivory trade, by restricting the trade in legal ivory, passed out of committee on Tuesday on an 8 to 5 vote.

Sponsored by state Representative Eric Pettigrew (D-37), HB 1131 was introduced with the intent of curbing poaching of elephants in Africa and helping to end the illegal ivory trade. Unfortunately, HB 1131 and its companion bill, SB 5241, sponsored by state Senator Steve Litzow (R-41), would accomplish neither of their purported objectives.

Historically, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service maintained the position that most ivory in the U.S. has been legally imported and that its sale in the U.S. did not materially contribute to the illegal ivory trade. Nevertheless, under HB 1131 (and SB 5241), the sale, purchase, barter, trade and distribution of any ivory or ivory product would be prohibited. Virtually any lawful item containing any amount of ivory, with very limited and narrow exceptions, would be rendered valueless as it would be a gross misdemeanor for you to sell it or for another person to buy it.

The bottom line is: any property made from a lawful product that was lawfully acquired should not be made illegal to sell; such an action is effectively a taking of property without compensation.

Please contact your Senator and Representatives and politely urge them to oppose House Bill 1131 and Senate Bill 5241. You can also call the Legislative Hotline at (800) 562-6000 to leave a message for your Senator and Representatives.

[bdhold]

certainly not my Talbot Niangua?


do you have links to the bill?
nothing shows up on US gov searches

[Blaine]

certainly not my Talbot Niangua?


do you have links to the bill?
nothing shows up on US gov searches

Arrrrgh


This is for the state of Washington.....Corrected Thread Title...Sorry....This dang state gets worse every day the legislature is in session...

[bdhold]

ok, that one came up

[7.62 Precision]

May be only the State of WA, but it can affect us all.

Don't forget the Lacey Act.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Another Law that does nothing but NOTHING to stop poaching in Africa.
I wish I had some real ivory to make grips out of.
It sounds to me that even legal,pre ban ivory, would be illegal to sell if this
stupid law goes through.

[Buck Elliott]

All while poverty-stricken African nations systematically torch warehouses filled with hundreds - even Thousands of tons of 'contraband' ivory, seized from alleged poachers, rather than turning it out onto the waiting world market..
And yet, with no 'legitimate' market, the poaching continues, while impoverished governments spend $ Millions to stop it..
Feel-good, international progressives have conspired to eradicate the elephant s of the world, without really 'meaning to..', by protecting them to death..

[guido4198]

Like He Said:
...Feel-good, international progressives have conspired to eradicate the elephant s of the world, without really 'meaning to..', by protecting them to death..

Azz-nine, ignorant, pure idiotic, looney legislators with nothing better to do, or who are intentionally desperate to "change-the-subject" from their utter failure to properly fulfill their oaths...who knows.
Here's what I can tell you based on my personal experience in Africa, which included (GASP..!!!) killing Elephants:
With NO TRADE ALLOWED...Elephants become simply the single most destructive force in the bush. It doesn't take many of them to totally decimate the crops of any smallholding farmer in a single night. If they aren't worth something...they will be eliminated by locals.
The way they have been protected in places where they flourish is to HAVE WORTH...in TRADE...trophy fees, hunting licenses and all the income and JOBS generated by such. Take all that away, and all you have is a BIG..VERY BIG...nuisance.