I-1401, ban on ivory sales, passes in Washington.

[silicosys4]

"Initiative 1401 (I-1401) makes it a crime to sell, offer to sell, purchase, trade, barter for, or distribute any covered animal species part or product. Covered animal species are any species of elephant, rhinoceros, tiger, lion, leopard, cheetah, pangolin, marine turtle, shark or ray. I-1401 would have an unknown impact on state revenues. Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife would experience increased expenditures if additional law enforcement officers were hired. Other state and local judicial expenditures are estimated to be less than $50,000 per year. Local governments would experience an unknown increase in incarceration expenditures."

http://ballotpedia.org/Washington_Animal_Trafficking,_Initiative_1401_(2015)

http://sos.wa.gov/_assets/elections/initiatives/FinalText_784.pdf

Looks to me like you cannot now sell or buy even pre-embargo ivory or firearms with vintage ivory grips, without seriously devaluing the gun by removing the original ivory.
This will of course not stop or slow the illegal trade of ivory by Asia, which is far and away the biggest consumer of illegally obtained ivory.
All this does from what I can see is significantly devalue legally held heirlooms.

Thoughts?

 

[mnrivrat]

That's the state law in Washington State - not Federal as in Washington DC

(just thought I would clarify) If I'm wrong let me know.

 

[MErl]

That is not just ivory, that list will cover many newly made holsters.

It is just a feel good measure as WA residents are not known to be big consumers of endangered species.

 

[hso]

shark or ray

What? Shark skin or ray skin is prohibited in commerce, but you can still fish for them and eat them (and buy fake scallops made from skate or ray) and now you can't use them for holsters, grips, knives, sheaths...?

How is that expected to stand up very well to a court challenge with those provisions.

The initiative outlawed selling, offering to sell, purchasing, trading, bartering for or distributing any covered animal species or product, to include elephant, rhinoceros, tiger, lion, leopard, cheetah, pangolin, marine turtle, shark and ray.

Exceptions include when the animal species or product is:

distributed for scientific or educational purposes or to a museum
a bona fide antique or a musical instrument composed of less than 15 percent of a covered species product
distributed to a legal beneficiary of an estate, trust or inheritance
authorized by federal law or for law enforcement activities
If the animal species or product is valued at $250 or more, violators face class-C felony charges and are fined $4,000. Violators face gross misdemeanor charges and pay $2,000 if the animal species or product was less than $250. A maximum penalty of $10,000 and five years in prison can be imposed on someone convicted.[2]

Fish and wildlife officers were empowered to seize covered animal species and products without warrants. Officers are permitted to donate the seized items to educational or scientific institutions to be used to raise awareness about animal trafficking.

 

[Old Dog]

As if I needed further proof that the voters in my state are not only uneducated, they are stupid, totally devoid of critical thinking skills and independent thought. And just when I thought the passage of I-594 had rendered me incapable of being further sickened by useless and unenforceable ballot initiatives ...

Clearly, no one actually read their voter's pamphlet (mailed to all eligible voters free of charge), simply jumped on the bandwagon of what they collectively perceive as the requisite political correctness.

I happen to like sharkskin and elephant hide holsters, not to mention real ivory stocks on 1911s.

Furthering my desire for a permanent move from my once-beloved adopted state.

 

[CoalTrain49]

Now I know what the AR owners in MS feel like now.

I woke up one morning, read the newspaper and said honey, you are now married to a felon.

I'm not inclined to pay much attention to it. It's just the latte swilling, pavement dwelling, bicycle riding, tree huggers acting out again. Their brains have been digitized. The collective has voted.

 

[Frank Ettin]

Not really a gun law issue overall. If someone has a firearm focused issue, he can start a new thread.