California Remains Barred from Banning Sale of Gator, Croc Parts

The Endangered Species Act preempts a California law that bans imports and sales of products made from alligator or crocodile parts, a federal judge said.

The US District Court for the Eastern District of California previously determined that California’s law banning the sale of alligator and crocodile parts was likely preempted by the ESA, which permits the import and export of American alligator, Nile crocodile, and saltwater crocodile parts under specific conditions. The court preliminarily enjoined the state from enforcing the rule while the case played out, a win for retail businesses and alligator farms who argued the law would ...