Bill > S254

This bill, known as the Alaska's Right To Ivory Sales and Tradition Act (ARTIST Act), amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act to provide specific protections and exemptions for Alaska Native handicrafts and marine mammal ivory products. The bill defines "authentic Alaska Native article of handicrafts and clothing" as items made by Alaska Native individuals (Indian, Aleut, or Eskimo) living on the North Pacific or Arctic Ocean coast, created using traditional methods without mass-production techniques. It clarifies that marine mammal ivory includes teeth or tusks from walruses, narwhals, and whales, and expands the definition of traditional handicrafts to include activities like weaving, carving, stitching, and painting. The legislation allows Alaska Natives to take marine mammals for subsistence purposes or to create and sell handicrafts, provided such taking is not wasteful. It permits interstate commerce of these authentic handicraft items and allows sale of edible marine mammal portions within native villages. The bill also gives the Secretary of Commerce authority to establish regulations if marine mammal populations become depleted, but requires that such regulations be supported by substantial evidence and consider Indigenous knowledge. Importantly, the bill prohibits states from preventing the trade, sale, or possession of marine mammal ivory or bone incorporated into authentic Native handicrafts.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/254/all-info