S 254 United States Senate · 119th Congress

ARTIST Act

Summary

Alaska’s Right to Ivory Sales and Tradition Act or the ARTIST Act This act prohibits states from imposing bans on marine mammal products produced by Alaska Natives. Specifically, states may not prohibit the interstate commerce, importation, sale, transfer, trade, barter, or possession of marine mammal ivory, marine mammal bone, or baleen legally produced by an Alaska Native as an authentic Alaska Native article of handicrafts and clothing.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Oct 2025

Senate Passage

Oct 2025

House Passage

Jun 2026

Signed into Law

Jun 2026

Introduced Jan 24, 2025 Signed Jun 12, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossed in Senate → Enrolled Bill · 3 edits

MINOR

This diff represents the transition of S 254 (the ARTIST Act) from its Senate-engrossed form to its enrolled form after House approval. No substantive policy changes were made; the differences are limited to formatting and standard legislative boilerplate added upon enrollment.

TECHNICAL

The short title section was reformatted with quotation marks around the act names ('Alaska's Right to Ivory Sales and Tradition Act' and 'ARTIST Act') and a period added after 'SHORT TITLE.'

Section 2 (the amendment to the Marine Mammal Protection Act) was restructured from a multi-line numbered list format into a single consolidated block of text with quotation marks, which is the standard format for showing statutory amendments in an enrolled bill. The substantive content of all definitions, exemption provisions, special rules, limitations, prohibitions, and rule of construction is unchanged.

Standard enrolled-bill boilerplate was added: 119th Congress header, 'Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives' clause, and signature lines for the Speaker of the House and Vice President.

Introduced in Senate → Engrossed in Senate · 8 edits · Oct 8, 2025

MODERATE

The engrossed version makes several substantive changes: it replaces the term 'Indian, Aleut, or Eskimo' with 'Alaska Native' throughout, narrows and redefines marine mammal ivory to cover walrus (by scientific name) and cetaceans (dropping narwhal as a separate category), removes the word 'primary' from the edible portion exemption, adds explicit protection for interstate commerce against state prohibition, and adds a new rule of construction safeguarding tribal rights and government-to-government consultation.

DEFINITION

The definition of marine mammal ivory was changed from 'a tooth or tusk from a species of walrus, narwhal, or whale' to 'a tooth or tusk from a walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) or a species of cetacean.' This drops narwhal as a separately listed species and replaces 'whale' with the broader taxonomic term 'cetacean,' which includes dolphins and porpoises in addition to whales.

The term 'Indian, Aleut, or Eskimo' was replaced with 'Alaska Native' throughout the bill in all definitions, exemptions, limitations, and prohibitions. This is a terminology modernization that uses a single self-identifying label rather than three separate racial/ethnic descriptors.

ELIGIBILITY

The edible portion exemption was broadened by removing the word 'primary' before 'purpose.' Previously, edible portions could only be sold if the marine mammal was taken for the 'primary purpose' of creating handicrafts. Now it applies whenever the taking is 'for the purpose of' creating and selling handicrafts, which is a lower threshold.

SCOPE

The prohibition on state restrictions now explicitly includes 'interstate commerce' in addition to importation, sale, transfer, trade, barter, and possession. This closes a potential gap by making clear that states cannot block the movement of qualifying ivory items across state lines.

REQUIREMENT

A new rule of construction paragraph (5) was added stating that nothing in the subsection shall be construed to impact the rights of any Indian Tribe as defined under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, or to undermine any government-to-government consultation or engagement. This protects tribal sovereignty claims from being affected by the bill.

TECHNICAL

The substantial evidence requirement in paragraph (D) was restructured: the limiting sentence about applicability only in actions brought by Alaska Native organizations was moved out of subparagraph (D) into a new standalone subparagraph (E) titled 'Applicability.' The substance is unchanged but the structure is clearer.

In the regulations content provision, 'geographical description of the area included' was simplified to 'geographical area.'

The short title was corrected from 'Right To' to 'Right to' (lowercase 'to').

Floor votes · House Jun 3, 2026

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 12, 2026

Signed into law

Signed by President.

executive

Jun 3, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 404 - 14 (Roll no. 193).

lower

Oct 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7007-7009; text: CR S7008)

upper

Oct 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

upper

Oct 6, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 119-73.

upper

Jun 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

upper

Jan 24, 2025

Committee

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

upper

Jan 24, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in Senate

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor