Endangered wildlife: kangaroos.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Brian Jones

The bill exempts kangaroos harvested under Australian law and compliant with US ESA and international conventions from California’s wildlife import/sale ban.

April 21 set for first hearing. Failed passage in committee. (Ayes 1. Noes 2.)

#endangeredwildlife #kangaroos

Purpose and intent

SB 1212 seeks to modify California law to clarify and expand the set of wildlife that is regulated concerning import, possession with intent to sell, and sale within the state.

Specifically, it adds a targeted exemption for kangaroos harvested in accordance with Australian law and applicable U.S. federal law and international conventions, allowing their import or sale for commercial purposes under those conditions.

Key provisions and changes

Amends Penal Code Section 653o (illegal import/possession/sale of certain wildlife):

Current law: It is unlawful to import into California for commercial purposes, possess with intent to sell, or sell within the state the dead body or any part or product thereof of a wide list of animals, including kangaroo.
New provision (paragraph 2): Kangaroos are exempted from the general prohibition when they are wild harvested in compliance with:
Australian federal, state, and territory law
The federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) of the United States
Applicable international conventions

Other existing prohibitions remain intact for other listed species (e.g., polar bears, leopards, tigers, whales, elephants, etc.).

Clarification for crimes and public offenses: Technical, nonsubstantive changes to the statutory definition of crimes and public offenses (felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions) are included.

Who/what would be affected

Kangaroos: Under the exemptions, kangaroos harvested under Australia’s legal framework and compliant with U.S. ESA and international conventions may be imported, possessed with intent to sell, and sold within California for commercial purposes.

Other listed wildlife remains prohibited in its current form unless expressly exempted by future amendments.

Importers, distributors, and retailers dealing in wildlife products (specifically kangaroo products) would be the primary affected parties, subject to compliance with both Australian and U.S. law and international agreements.

Procedural and timeline aspects

The bill was introduced February 19, 2026, with amendments and committee referrals noted.

Legislative history shows:

Referred to Rural Law and Sustainability (RLS) and related committees
Amended and read a second time in Committee, then re-referred to the RLS committee
Schedule indicates a hearing consideration in April 2026, with procedural updates (e.g., “From committee with author's amendments” and subsequent referrals)

Fiscal impact: Not required to be reported in the bill’s digest; no specific appropriation proposed.

Enforcement and penalties for violations of the amended sections remain: existing penalties for violations of the prohibited wildlife provisions apply to non-exempt species; kangaroo exemptions are conditioned on compliance with Australian, U.S., and international laws.

Practical implications

If enacted, California’s market for kangaroo products could expand to include commercially imported kangaroos harvested under Australian law, aligning with U.S. federal protections and international conventions.

The exemption hinges on strict compliance with the specified legal frameworks; non-compliant imports would remain unlawful and subject to penalties.

The bill does not change penalties for other wildlife listed in the prohibition, maintaining the current legal regime for those species.

Note: This summary focuses on the substantive provisions as presented in SB 1212 and the accompanying legislative history.

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