Lacey Act Update

[dfung60]

Here's a story about an updated interpretation of the Lacey Act, which protects endangered animals and plants by regulating the international movement of derived products:
 
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-lacey-act-musical-instruments-usda-report-amendment-20130531,0,6818725.story
 
This is great news for internationally travelling musicians, as it generally allows means you don't need extensive documentation for instruments that you transport as personal baggage.  And it affects Alembics more than most brands with the high utilization of exotic imported woods.  
 
You may remember the big pre-election hullabaloo about a shipment of ebony fingerboard material being seized from Gibson for insufficient documentation (they're argument was about whether the wood was raw wood or partially finished assemblies).  The regulations will still be in place for components/materials like this, but you won't have to prove the provenance of your top or fingerboard in a finished instrument, especially an old one.
 
David Fung

[artswork99]

Thanks David!

[Bradley Young]

You might if you have patriot in your name or wear a t-shirt with the bill of rights on it.
 
Yeah, I know, no politics.