# 119-s-254: ARTIST Act

119-s-254, ARTIST Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK] (R-AK); status became_law (as of 2026-09-10).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-254
- As of: 2026-09-10
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-254
- Congress: 119
- Title: ARTIST Act
- Status: became_law
- Introduced: 2025-01-24
- Sponsor: Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK] (R-AK)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Native Americans
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-10

## Summary

**Protects Alaska Native cultural practices and handicraft economies.** It amends the Marine Mammal Protection Act to create explicit exemptions allowing Alaska Natives who live in Alaska to take marine mammals for subsistence and to make and sell authentic Alaska Native handicrafts and clothing that include marine mammal ivory, bone, or baleen, subject to defined limits and guardrails. - Alaska Native families and artisans can continue subsistence harvesting and sell authentic handicrafts and clothing if they reside in Alaska and follow rules that prevent wasteful use. - Sellers of compliant items can engage in interstate commerce because the law bars states from prohibiting interstate sales of authentic Alaska Native handicrafts that contain marine mammal ivory, bone, or baleen. - Federal regulations and legal review must meet substantial evidence standards and incorporate Indigenous knowledge. The law also protects tribal rights, preserves government to government consultation, and limits certain legal actions to those brought by Alaska Native organizations.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] (R-AK), 2025-01-24T00:00:00.000Z

## Votes

| Date | Chamber | Question | Result | Yea | Nay |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-06-03T00:00:00.000Z | house | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass | Passed | 404 | 14 |

## Provisions PRIA read

- Subsistence and handicraft sales for Alaska Natives: mixed, high. The law lets Alaska Natives who live on Alaska’s Pacific or Arctic coast take marine mammals for food or to make and sell items. An “authentic Alaska Native” item is mostly natural materials and made by a covered Alaska Native. It must use traditional methods like weaving or carving, and no pantogr…
- Stronger rules on federal limits for Alaska Native taking: mixed, medium. The Secretary may set limits by species, stock, area, or season on Alaska Native taking, but only after a required public notice and hearing. If a stock is depleted, limits can be set and must be removed once they are no longer needed. When Alaska Native organizations challenge an action, the Secre…

## Related bills

- 119-s-524: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025
- 119-s-3923: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026
- 119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-s-306: Fire Ready Nation Act of 2025
- 119-s-688: Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2025
- 119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act

## Sources
- [119-s-254 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/254)

## Related
- [119-s-524: Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-524)
- [119-s-3923: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3923)
- [119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1541)
- [119-s-306: Fire Ready Nation Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-306)
- [119-s-688: Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-688)
- [119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1748)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-254 (as of 2026-09-10).