Senate Bill Report — SB 6294, Unlawful Trade of Fur Products (as of January 24, 2024)

Summary

Senate Bill Report on SB 6294, as of January 24, 2024, an act relating to the unlawful trade of fur products, sponsored by Senators Stanford, Kuderer, Liias and Valdez. Under the proposed substitute, the sale of fur products, with certain limitations, is banned in the state of Washington, and violations are subject to a civil penalty of no more than $1,000, with each fur product treated as a separate violation. The sale is lawful under limited circumstances, including used fur products offered by an individual and fur obtained from lawful trapping or hunting. The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect on January 1, 2025.

Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used

Full text

                             SENATE BILL REPORT
                                   SB 6294

                                      As of January 24, 2024

Title: An act relating to the unlawful trade of fur products.

Brief Description: Prohibiting the unlawful trade of fur products.

Sponsors: Senators Stanford, Kuderer, Liias and Valdez.

Brief History:
     Committee Activity: Business, Financial Services, Gaming & Trade: 1/25/24.


                                      Brief Summary of Bill
           • Makes it unlawful to sell fur products in Washington State, subject to
             certain limitations.
           • Creates a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation.


SENATE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS, FINANCIAL SERVICES, GAMING & TRADE

     Staff: Clint McCarthy (786-7319)

     Background: Fur in Washington State Statute. Fur farming, defined in statute as: the
     breeding; raising; and rearing of mink, marten, fox, and chinchilla in captivity or
     enclosures; is authorized by statute as an agricultural pursuit in Washington. The Director of
     the Washington State Department of Agriculture (Director) has general authority to adopt
     rules that prevent the introduction or spreading of infectious diseases into the state,
     including rules regarding the inspection and testing of all animals in the state or being
     imported into the state. The Director also has specific authority to exercise quarantine
     controls over fur farms.

     Trapping is unlawful if the person does not possess the appropriate licenses, tags, or
     permits. Trapping is allowed only between November 1st and March 31st. People who buy




     This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative
     members in their deliberations. This analysis is not part of the legislation nor does it
     constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Senate Bill Report                              -1-                                             SB 6294
     a Washington State Trapping License for the first time must pass an exam in safe, humane,
     and proper trapping techniques. Annual licenses for range from $41.60 for a resident
     trapping license to $200.00 for a fur dealer's license. A fur dealer's license allows the
     holder to purchase, receive, or resell raw furs for commercial purposes. The fee for this
     license is $180 and the application fee is $70.

     Banning the Sale of Fur Products. Since 2011, a number of cities in California have banned
     the sale of various fur products. In 2019, California became the first state to ban the sale of
     luxury furs such as mink, sable, chinchilla, lynx, fox, rabbit and beaver. This ban has been
     effective since January 1, 2023.

     Summary of Bill: The bill as referred to committee not considered.

     Summary of Bill (Proposed Substitute): The sale of a fur products, with certain
     limitations, is banned in the state of Washington. Fur is defined as any animal skin or part
     thereof with hair, fleece, or fur fibers attached either in its raw or processed state. Fur
     products are defined as any article of clothing or for fashion. Exclusions from the definition
     of fur product include:
         • an animal skin that is converted into leather;
         • cowhide, deerskin, goatskin, or sheepskin; the pelt or skin preserved through
            taxidermy; and
         • products containing animal hair, fleece, or fur fibers that are not attached to skin
            including makeup brushes, paint brushes, and fly-fishing lures.

     The sale of fur products as defined in the bill is lawful under limited circumstances. Those
     circumstances include:
         • used fur products offered for sale by an individual is excluded from the ban;
         • fur obtained from lawful trapping or hunting;
         • items sold in a face-to-face transaction at a residence, craft fair or other temporary
           location by the person who trapped or hunted the animal. Cannot be the primary
           source of income for this person; and
         • any activity expressly authorized under federal law.

     Violations of the provisions banning the sale of fur is subject to a civil penalty of no more
     than $1,000. Each fur product that constitutes a violation of this act must be treated like a
     separate violation.

     Appropriation: None.

     Fiscal Note: Not requested.

     Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.

     Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect on January 1, 2025.


Senate Bill Report                              -2-                                         SB 6294


File and source

File

2024-01-25_a31728_d266590_bill-report-6294-sba-bfgt-24.pdf

Size

8,189 bytes

SHA-256

c076ac29dbf5de92e2d0bfdd7338c66bf1793727918c3661526e45fe19936a83

Our copy

2024-01-25_a31728_d266590_bill-report-6294-sba-bfgt-24.pdf

Original

app.leg.wa.gov