Bill > S440

This bill establishes new regulations in Massachusetts concerning the trafficking of ivory and rhinoceros horn, defining terms like "ivory" (which includes teeth or tusks from animals like elephants and whales, whether raw or worked), "ivory product," "raw ivory," "rhinoceros horn," and "rhinoceros horn product." It generally prohibits the import, sale, purchase, barter, or possession with intent to sell of these items, with exceptions for items passed down through estates, law enforcement activities, imports authorized by federal licenses or permits, or those permitted by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife can also grant permits for such items for educational or noncommercial scientific purposes, or for museums, provided federal law doesn't prohibit it. Violators face significant penalties, including fines that are at least double the value of the trafficked items and potential imprisonment, with penalties increasing for repeat offenses or when the value of trafficked items exceeds $25,000. Convicted individuals will have their ivory and rhino horn products seized, and these items will be transferred to the department of environmental protection for destruction or donation to educational or scientific institutions.