State Rep. Amy Walen has introduced legislation that would destroy the fur market in Washington state and task citizens with cataloguing every fur product in their home. House Bill 1375 has a hearing tomorrow, March 10, in the House Rural Development, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. The bill did not make it out of the house prior to the crossover deadline, so legally cannot become law this year, but concern exists because the committee agreed to hear the bill after the deadline.
Take Action! Washington members should oppose the bill following the below instructions:
- Follow this link: https://app.leg.wa.gov/CSIRemote/House
- Select Rural Development Committee from the dropdown, select 3/10/2021 meeting
- Click HB 1375 Fur Production, then select type of testimony (written, live, or position – any is acceptable)
- Choose Position (Con) then fill in your name, address, etc., and ‘submit’
“I’m not even sure where to begin with this bill. First and foremost, it missed the crossover deadline so it shouldn’t even be discussed, but for some reason it’s still being heard in committee, which is total waste of taxpayer money,” said Brian Lynn, Washington resident and vice president of communications for Sportsmen’s Alliance. “Beyond that, Rep. Walen’s fearmongering around COVID-19 in an attempt to use public health as justification for this bill is disingenuous at best, but worse, her solution is to destroy an entire industry during a global pandemic and force Washington state citizens to catalog their fur products.”
House Bill 1375 touts to end commercial fur farming and production of fur products in the state by leveraging rare cases of domestic mink carrying the COVID-19 virus, even though there’s no documentation of transmission from mink to humans. However, the language used would also make it illegal for trappers to sell hides of any furbearer.
Likewise, every citizen in the state would have to catalogue and retain records for any item in their home containing fur, including, as listed in the bill: any article of clothing or covering for any part of the body, or any fashion accessory including, but not limited to, handbags, shoes, slippers, hats, earmuffs, scarves, shawls, gloves, jewelry, keychains, toys or trinkets, and home accessories and décor, that is made in whole or in part of fur. Failure to maintain records of fur items that they sell or trade away would result in a misdemeanor.
Destroying trapping and the entire fur industry in the Evergreen State would leave only the use of faux fur options for clothing, jewelry, fishing lures and other items, which are made of petrochemicals and plastics, as noted by even Huffington Post.
“This legislation is a ridiculous waste of everyone’s time. Rep. Walen should be ashamed of herself for even considering to introduce such a bill, and her constituents should take note,” said Lynn. “For a politician to cite concern for the public and then introduce legislation that destroys an entire economic sector, burdens citizens with meaningless task keeping and increases the carbon footprint of a supposed leading state when it comes to green energy is the height of hypocrisy.”
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
