Wash. Rev. Code § 77.15.135

Current through the 2024 Regular Session

Section 77.15.135 - Unlawful sale, purchase, trade, barter, or distribution of covered animal species part or product-Penalty-Report to the legislature-Adoption of rules

(1) Except as authorized in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, it is unlawful for a person to sell, offer to sell, purchase, trade, barter for, or distribute any covered animal species part or product.

(2) The prohibitions set forth in subsection (1) of this section do not apply if any of the following conditions is [are] satisfied:

(a) The covered animal species part or product is part of a bona fide antique, provided the antique status of such an antique is established by the owner or seller thereof with historical documentation evidencing provenance and showing the antique to be not less than one hundred years old, and the covered animal species part or product is less than fifteen percent by volume of such an antique;

(b) The distribution of the covered animal species part or product is for a bona fide educational or scientific purpose, or to or from a museum;

(c) The distribution of the covered animal species part or product is to a legal beneficiary of an estate, trust, or other inheritance, upon the death of the owner of the covered animal species part or product;

(d) The covered animal species part or product is less than fifteen percent by volume of a musical instrument, including, without limitation, string instruments and bows, wind and percussion instruments, and pianos; or

(e) The intrastate sale, offer for sale, purchase, trade, barter for, or distribution of the covered animal species part or product is expressly authorized by federal law or permit.

(3) The prohibitions set forth in subsection (1) of this section do not apply to an employee or agent of a federal, state, or local government undertaking any law enforcement activity pursuant to federal, state, or local law or any mandatory duty required by federal, state, or local law.

(4)

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person is guilty of unlawful trafficking in species threatened with extinction in the second degree if the person commits the act described in subsection (1) of this section and the violation involves covered animal species parts or products with a total market value of less than two hundred fifty dollars.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person is guilty of unlawful trafficking in species threatened with extinction in the first degree if the person commits the act described by subsection (1) of this section and the violation:

(i) Involves covered animal species parts or products with a total market value of two hundred fifty dollars or more;

(ii) Occurs after entry of a prior conviction under this section;

or

(iii) Occurs within five years of entry of a prior conviction for any other gross misdemeanor or felony under this chapter.

(c) Unlawful trafficking in species threatened with extinction in the second degree is a gross misdemeanor.

(d) Unlawful trafficking in species threatened with extinction in the first degree is a class C felony.

(e) If a person commits the act described by subsection (1) of this section and such an act also would be a violation of any other criminal provision of this title, the prosecuting authority has discretion as to which crime or crimes the person is charged as long as the charges are consistent with any limitations in the state and federal Constitutions.

(5) In addition to the penalties set forth in subsection (4) of this section, if a person is convicted of violating this section, the court shall require payment of a criminal wildlife penalty assessment in the amount of two thousand dollars that must be paid to the clerk of the court and distributed each month to the state treasurer for deposit in the fish and wildlife enforcement reward account created in RCW 77.15.425.

(6) If two or more people are convicted under subsection (1) of this section, the criminal wildlife penalty assessment under this section must be imposed against each person jointly and severally.

(7) The criminal wildlife penalty assessment provided in this section must be doubled if the person is convicted of unlawful trafficking in species threatened with extinction in the first degree.

(8) By January 1, 2017, and thereafter annually, the director shall provide a comprehensive report outlining current and future enforcement activities and strategies related to chapter 2, Laws of 2016, including recommendations regarding any necessary changes, to the relevant policy and fiscal committees of the senate and house of representatives.

(9) The commission may adopt rules necessary for the implementation and enforcement of chapter 2, Laws of 2016.

RCW 77.15.135

Added by 2016 c 2,§ 3, (Initiative Measure No. 1401, approved 11/3/2015).

Finding- 2016 c 2 (Initiative Measure No. 1401): "There is broad consensus that the trafficking of animals threatened with extinction continues to grow at an alarming pace, threatening an increasing variety of animal species including elephants, rhinoceroses, tigers, lions, leopards, cheetahs, pangolins, marine turtles, sharks, and rays, among others. These species are threatened with extinction in large part due to the trafficking of their parts and products. The national strategy for combating wildlife trafficking, released in February 2014, recognized the important role that states have in protecting species that are subject to illegal wildlife trade. Federal law regulates the transfer or importation of parts or products made from endangered animal species, but due to the increasing demand for these products around the world, state authority needs to be expanded to appropriately regulate these markets on a local level.

The most effective way to discourage illegal trafficking in animal species threatened with extinction is to eliminate markets and profits. The people find that it is in the public interest to protect animal species threatened with extinction by prohibiting within the state of Washington, with certain limited exceptions, the sale, offer for sale, purchase, trade, barter for, and distribution of any part or product of any species of elephant, rhinoceros, tiger, lion, leopard, cheetah, pangolin, marine turtle, shark, or ray identified as threatened with extinction by specified international conservation organizations. These animals represent some of the most trafficked species threatened with extinction according to illegal wildlife product seizure data gathered by the world wildlife fund-TRAFFIC, international union for conservation of nature, and other international conservation organizations." [2016 c 2 s 1(Initiative Measure No. 1401, approved November 3, 2015).]