Tag: Kangaroos

California Lawmakers Wants to Amend Kangaroo Leather Ban

California is the only state that has a ban on importing kangaroos or products made from kangaroos, and California Assemblywoman Nicole Parra wants to amend the law so it only includes endangered kangaroos — nonendangered kangaroos would be legal to import and sell.

The ban is felt largely in high end soccer cleats which are frequently made from kangaroo hide. The sale of such cleat sin California is currently a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail.

Shoe company Adidas has been trying to have the ban overturned for several years without any success.

Parra’s bill would amend the kangaroo ban statute to read,

(b) For purposes of this section, “kangaroo”
means those species of kangaroo that are included under any of the
following:

(1) The federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. Sec.
1531 et. seq.).
(2) The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora.

According to the Associated Press,

[Animal rights group] Viva! International Voice for Animals opposes the bill, saying that Australian hunters cannot differentiate between the types of kangaroos they are killing because they hunt at night.

The full text of the California Assembly Bill 734 can be read here.

Source:

Lawmaker wants to end ban on kangaroo imports. Associated Press, April 17, 2005.

California Assembly 734 – Amend California’s Kangaroo Import Ban

BILL NUMBER: AB 734	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT



INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Parra


                        FEBRUARY 17, 2005


   An act to amend Section 635o of the Penal Code, relating to
endangered species.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST



   AB 734, as introduced, Parra.   Endangered species: crimes.
   Existing law makes it unlawful to import into this state for
commercial purposes, to possess with intent to sell, or to sell
within the state, the dead body, or any part or product thereof, of
certain animals, including any kangaroo.
   This bill would revise those provisions relative to kangaroos to
apply only to endangered kangaroos, as specified.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.



THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:



  SECTION 1.  Section 653o of the  Penal Code  is amended to read:
   653o.  (a) It is unlawful to import into this state for commercial
purposes, to possess with intent to sell, or to sell within the
state, the dead body, or any part or product thereof, of any
alligator, crocodile, polar bear, leopard, ocelot, tiger, cheetah,
jaguar, sable antelope, wolf ( Canis lupus), zebra, whale, cobra,
python, sea turtle, colobus monkey, kangaroo, vicuna, sea otter,
free-roaming feral horse, dolphin or porpoise (Delphinidae), Spanish
lynx, or elephant.   (b) For purposes of this section, "kangaroo"
means those species of kangaroo that are included under any of the
following:  
   (1) The federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. Sec.
1531 et. seq.).  
   (2) The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora. 
    (c)    Any person who violates any provision of
this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to a
fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) and not to exceed
five thousand dollars ($5,000) or imprisonment in the county jail
for not to exceed six months, or both such fine and imprisonment, for
each violation.  


   (b) 
    (d)    The prohibitions against importation for
commercial purposes, possession with intent to sell, and sale of the
species listed in this section are severable. A finding of the
invalidity of any one or more prohibitions shall not affect the
validity of any remaining prohibitions.