H768 Summary

• Prohibits importing, selling, offering for sale, purchasing, bartering, or possessing with intent to sell ivory, ivory products, rhinoceros horn, or rhinoceros horn products in North Carolina effective January 1, 2018.

• Allows exceptions for federal law enforcement activities, legally imported items under federal authorization, items less than 200 grams of ivory with federal permit, educational/scientific purposes, antiques over 100 years old containing less than 20% covered animal product, and musical instruments/guns/knives manufactured before 1975 with less than 20% covered animal product.

• Establishes penalties of $1,000 or two times the value of products (whichever is greater) for first offense and $5,000 or two times the value for subsequent offenses, in addition to federal penalties.

• Requires court-ordered seizure and transfer of confiscated ivory and rhinoceros horn to the Wildlife Resources Commission Executive Director for destruction or donation to educational/scientific institutions.

• Directs Wildlife Resources Commission to report by January 15, 2022 on enforcement activities, financial impact on businesses, actions by other states, and recommendations for law changes.