State initiative targets ivory sales

Cody Olsen Jul 4, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

Republish Article

You can republish articles in print or online. Simply copy the HTML below, which includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline, and credit to Cascade PBS. Republishing of the photos or videos embedded in an article can occur only if the photo or video is a copyright of Cascade Public Media ("CPM") and not of a third party. Photos and videos that are a copyright of CPM are not required to appear in the republished article, but if they are used, they must be embedded where they appear in the original article and must include the attribution to the CPM photographer.

You may reprint in any medium
You may edit only for tense and timeliness
If republishing in print you can edit for length if you follow our print republishing guidelines.
You may write your own headline
Include a byline and shirttail with credit and link to Cascade PBS
Include our tracking pixel
Remove if we ask

          <article>
            <header>
              <hgroup>
                <h1>State initiative targets ivory sales</h1>
                <h2><p>An initiative seeking to limit the sale of ivory in Washington state might be on the ballot this November. Initiative 1401, led by philanthropist and Seahawks owner Paul Allen, would restrict the sale of materials with greater than 5 percent ivory content, according to The Olympian.

I-1401 seeks to pick</p></h2>
              </hgroup>
               <p>By <a href="/author/cody-olsen-crosscut-com/">Cody Olsen</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
            </header>
            <p>An initiative seeking to limit the sale of ivory in Washington state might be on the ballot this November. <a href="http://sos.wa.gov/_assets/elections/initiatives/FinalText_784.pdf?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">Initiative 1401</a>, led by philanthropist and Seahawks owner Paul Allen, would restrict the sale of materials with greater than 5 percent ivory content, according to <a href="http://www.theolympian.com/2015/05/05/3712224_point-defiance-supports-initiative.html?rh=1&ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">The Olympian</a>.</p><p>I-1401 seeks to pick up for <a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5241&year=2015&ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">an elephant-protection bill </a>sponsored by Sen. Steve Litzow that died in the Legislature this year. Supporters of Litzow's proposal included the Woodland Park and Point Defiance zoos and The Nature Conservancy. The opponents included the National Rifle Association, and a number of musical and piano groups, among them the Seattle Symphony. The musicians have expressed concerns about encroachments on their ability to use ivory in musical instruments.</p>
          </article>

An initiative seeking to limit the sale of ivory in Washington state might be on the ballot this November. Initiative 1401, led by philanthropist and Seahawks owner Paul Allen, would restrict the sale of materials with greater than 5 percent ivory content, according to The Olympian.

I-1401 seeks to pick up for an elephant-protection bill sponsored by Sen. Steve Litzow that died in the Legislature this year. Supporters of Litzow's proposal included the Woodland Park and Point Defiance zoos and The Nature Conservancy. The opponents included the National Rifle Association, and a number of musical and piano groups, among them the Seattle Symphony. The musicians have expressed concerns about encroachments on their ability to use ivory in musical instruments.

Our members' donations make local journalism happen.

Support once for $1

Support monthly for $7

Cascade PBS Passport
Mossback members-only newsletter
Monthly Viewer Guide

Support monthly for $25

Invitation to quarterly news and original programming video conference
Annual in-person meet-up with news & programming teams
Special event perks (reduced price or free tickets, cocktails, etc.)

Continue

By Cody Olsen

Cody Olsen was an editorial intern with Crosscut. He has a degree in Political Science from WWU, a passion for Journalism and a love for making movies on the side. This past summer he spent a few mont