Alaska’s Right to Ivory Sales and Tradition Act

Key Points

• This bill protects the rights of Alaska Natives to make and sell traditional items like jewelry and clothing made from walrus ivory or whale bone. It updates a 1972 law to make it clear that these items are legal to sell across state lines as long as they are handmade by Alaska Natives living on the coast.
• The law stops individual states from banning the sale or ownership of these genuine Alaska Native crafts. This is important because some states have passed laws against ivory that made it hard for Alaska Native artists to sell their traditional work to people in other parts of the country.
• To count as genuine, the items must be made using natural materials and traditional methods like carving, weaving, or beading. Artists are not allowed to use mass-production machines or copying tools to make these products.
• The government can still set rules if a specific animal species becomes endangered or its population gets too low. However, officials must provide clear evidence and hold public hearings before they can limit how many animals can be used for crafts. They must also consider traditional knowledge from local people when making these decisions.

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