The record

LegislationLegislation· Jun 2026
S 254 Signed into law

Sponsored by Dan Sullivan (R)

ARTIST Act

Bars states from banning Alaska Native sales of marine mammal ivory, bone, and baleen handicrafts.

Tradeoff

Allows Alaska Natives to sell traditional handicrafts made from walrus ivory and other marine mammal products across state lines. States cannot enforce bans on these items when made and sold by Alaska Natives as authentic traditional crafts.

What's in it

See official bill text

No estimated federal cost or deficit impact over any timeframe.

This is a regulatory bill that preempts state authority over the sale of Alaska Native handicrafts containing marine mammal materials; the federal cost is zero because the bill creates no new federal program or enforcement apparatus, and the real-world impact falls entirely on states that must cease enforcing their own bans.

S. 254, ARTIST Act · Aug 2025

The Senate passed this by on October 8, 2025. The House passed it 404-14 on June 3, 2026, and it was signed into law on June 12, 2026.

  1. Senate

    Introduced

    (Jan 24, 2025)

  2. Senate

    Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation(Jan 24, 2025)

  3. Senate

    The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation voted to send it to the floor

    Reported(Jun 25, 2025)

    Committee report S. Rept. 119-73.

  4. Senate

    Passage of the bill

    Passed by (Oct 8, 2025)

    No individual votes were recorded.

  5. House

    Received from the Senate

    Received(Oct 10, 2025)

  6. House

    On Motion to and Pass

    Passed(Roll #193 · Jun 3, 2026)

    404 yeanay 14

  7. House

    Sent to the President

    (Jun 8, 2026)

  8. White House · Signature

    Signed

    Donald Trump (R)

  9. Enacted

    Became law(Jun 12, 2026)

Final passage· Jun 3, 2026· 119th Congress · 2025–2027