California Lawmakers Pass Sweeping Ivory Ban To Curb Elephant Poaching

"SACRAMENTO -- Hoping to discourage the alarming killing of African elephants, the state Senate on Wednesday voted to ban the sale of old elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn.

California made it illegal to sell ivory in 1977, but state law still permits the sale of older ivory imported more than four decades ago. If signed into law, Assembly Bill 96 would close that loophole and deter more poaching, says Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, D-San Diego.

The nation's most populous state drew international attention in 2013 with its effort to reduce the killing of millions of sharks in the Pacific Ocean by banning the sale of their fins, a popular delicacy in Chinese restaurants."

Jessica Calefati reports for the San Jose Mercury News September 2, 2015.