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Pennsylvania House of Representatives
07/17/2024 10:05 AM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?SPick=20230&chamber=H&cosponId=40395
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House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: April 3, 2023 02:29 PM
From: Representative Leanne Krueger
To: All House members
Subject: Co-Sponsorship: Prohibiting Wildlife Trafficking in Pennsylvania
 
Iconic species of animals continue to face the threat of extinction due to the demand for their parts. While many of these species reside in countries or oceans thousands of miles away, we have a duty to ensure that the residents of our great Commonwealth are not supporting the poaching and trafficking that threaten these at-risk species of animals. The at-risk species of animals include the elephant, rhinoceros, tiger, lion, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, sea turtle, pangolin, hippo, giraffe, and the great ape. Additionally, the extinct mammoth is covered because it takes little effort by poachers and illegal traffickers to pass elephant ivory off as mammoth, and as a result, elephant ivory has been found for sale under the guise of legal mammoth ivory. 

In recent years, other states have passed laws that aim to combat wildlife trafficking since the markets for these wildlife parts are often trafficked into States with weaker laws and regulations. The other States that have passed laws include California, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Vermont, Washington, and the United States Federal District -- the District of Columbia. Therefore, in the coming weeks, I plan to introduce legislation that will prohibit the sale of animal products and animal parts of at-risk species to ensure that our residents are not unwittingly contributing to illegal wildlife trafficking. 

Specifically, my legislation will prohibit the purchase, sale, offer for sale, or possession with the intent to sell covered at-risk animal parts or products with certain exceptions. My legislation will levy monetary penalties, as well as a period of imprisonment, for the following:
  • A first offense with a value under $250 for a covered animal part or product will be classified as a misdemeanor of the third degree, with a fine not to exceed $2,500, and a period of imprisonment not to exceed 1 year, or both.
  • A first offense with a value over $250 for a covered animal part or product will be classified as a misdemeanor of the second degree, with a fine not to exceed $5,000, and a period of imprisonment not to exceed 2 years, or both.
  • A second or subsequent offenses with a value under $250 for a covered animal part or product will be classified as a misdemeanor of the second degree, with a fine not to exceed $5,000, and a period of imprisonment not to exceed 2 years, or both.
  • A second or subsequent offenses with a value over $250 for a covered animal part or product will be classified as a misdemeanor of the first degree, with a fine not exceeding $10,000, and a period of imprisonment not to exceed 5 years, or both.
With that said, I encourage each of my colleagues to strongly consider joining me by co-sponsoring this important legislation so we can join the twelve other States and the District of Columbia in strengthening our laws to prohibit this illegal industry from gaining a significant foothold in our Commonwealth.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Takesha Latham in my Harrisburg office via email at tlatham@pahouse.net.


Introduced as HB1324