Stewart Bill to Stop Wildlife Trafficking in New Mexico Passes Senate, Headed to House

Sen. Mimi Stewart’s Wildlife Trafficking Act is headed to the House of Representatives after it passed the Senate on Saturday by a vote of 22-9, bringing New Mexico one step closer to stopping the trafficking of endangered species and animal parts, which primarily enter the state through the El Paso Port of Entry.

“Right next door to us, El Paso is one of the top-five ports of entry for wildlife trafficking in the nation,” Stewart said. “Much of that contraband is moved through New Mexico as it’s distributed, illicitly, around the country. We’re better than that. With up to 100 elephants a day being killed globally for their tusks, New Mexico needs to do its part to stop wildlife trafficking.” 

SB 75 makes it easier to crack down on the sale of endangered species and their parts—such as certain shark fins or rhinoceros tusks. The bill also creates civil penalties for wildlife trafficking, with fines not to exceed $10,000 or three times the value of the items trafficked—whichever is greater.

“Traffickers are in the business they’re in because they want the money,” Stewart said. “Stiff financial penalties will hit them where it hurts. We need to take the profit out of killing endangered species.”

The Wildlife Trafficking Act only deals with the intentional sale of these animal products. Possession is not affected by the legislation. As a result, New Mexicans who may own antiques or heirlooms that contain ivory or other animal parts covered by the bill will not be impacted.

“This bill is narrowly focused on the cracking down on the multibillion-dollar wildlife-trafficking black market,” Stewart said. “The goal of the Wildlife Trafficking Act is to crack down on an industry that is quickly and illegally killing off endangered species around the world.”