ARTIST Act
Signed into law Jun 12, 2026 · Native Americans
What this law does
- Bans states from prohibiting the sale, trade, import, possession, or interstate commerce of marine mammal ivory, bone, or baleen crafts legally made by Alaska Natives.
Plain-language list by Voting On, based only on the official summary by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service and the bill's titles. Read the official summary.
How it became law
- IntroducedJan 24, 2025 · Senate
- 257 daysPassed SenateOct 8, 2025
- 238 daysPassed HouseJun 3, 2026
- 5 daysPresented to the PresidentJun 8, 2026
- 4 daysSigned into lawJun 12, 2026
Official 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.
Summary by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service (Public Law, Jun 12, 2026).
Who wrote it
Sponsor: Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK]
1 cosponsor: 1 Republicans. 1 signed on the day it was introduced.
Show all cosponsors
| Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|
| Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] | Jan 24, 2025 | Original cosponsor |
Recorded votes
| Date | Chamber | Vote | Yeas | Nays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 3, 2026 | 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). | 404 | 14 |
What was added
Amendments adopted (0)
No floor amendments were adopted. Any changes were made in committee or in a later version of the bill.
Sections in the final law that were not in the first version (Introduced in Senate) (0)
None. Every section heading in the final law was already in the first version (Introduced in Senate).
What was removed
Sections in the first version (Introduced in Senate) that did not make it into the law (0)
None. Every section heading from the first version (Introduced in Senate) remains in the law.
Compared by section heading between the Introduced in Senate text (Jan 24, 2025) and the Enrolled Bill text, both from GovInfo. Wording changes inside a section that kept its heading are not shown here; see the amendments and the text versions.
Proposed but not adopted
No amendments were voted down or withdrawn.
Full action history
Show all 25 official actions
| Jun 12, 2026 | Signed by President. |
| Jun 12, 2026 | Signed by President. |
| Jun 12, 2026 | Became Public Law No: 119-99. |
| Jun 12, 2026 | Became Public Law No: 119-99. |
| Jun 8, 2026 | Presented to President. |
| Jun 8, 2026 | Presented to President. |
| Jun 3, 2026 | Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. |
| Jun 3, 2026 | 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). |
| Jun 3, 2026 | 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). |
| Jun 3, 2026 | Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H3794) |
| Jun 2, 2026 | At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed. |
| Jun 2, 2026 | DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 254. |
| Jun 2, 2026 | Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3765-3766; text: CR H3765) |
| Jun 2, 2026 | Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. |
| Oct 10, 2025 | Held at the desk. |
| Oct 10, 2025 | Received in the House. |
| Oct 8, 2025 | Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. |
| Oct 8, 2025 | Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7007-7009; text: CR S7008) |
| Oct 8, 2025 | Message on Senate action sent to the House. |
| Oct 6, 2025 | 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. |
| Oct 6, 2025 | 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. |
| Oct 6, 2025 | Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 178. |
| Jun 25, 2025 | Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably. |
| Jan 24, 2025 | Introduced in Senate |
| Jan 24, 2025 | Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. |
Sources: Congress.gov (bill record, sponsors, actions, amendments, CRS summary) and GovInfo (official text). Days are calendar days.