Paw PAC Legislative Alert

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Paw PACPO Box 475012, San Francisco, California 94147 415/646-0622www.pawpac.org 2009 CALIFORNIA ANIMAL LEGISLATION as of September 24 Next Legislative Meeting: November 1410:30 AM to 12:30 PM, State Capitol Building, Room 115Agenda: Expected/possible legislation for 2010All animal advocates welcome The following bills have passed to the Governor. He has until Oct 11 to sign or veto.Write/Call: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814.916/445-2841 ASSEMBLY AB 241 by Assemblyman Pedro Nava re: Dog and Cat Breeders. Support. Limits the number of unsterilized dogs and cats used for sale or breeding to a total of 50 and allows law enforcement officers to take possession of animals in violation if necessary to protect the health/safety of animals or humans. Write: Tell the Governor that cat and puppy mills are a source of pet overpopulation and cause suffering to animals who are commonly overcrowded and overbred. AB 242 by Assemblyman Pedro Nava re: Dog Fighting. Support. Increases the penalties for spectators at dog fights to up to a year in the county jail and a fine of up to $5,000. Write: Tell the Governor that spectators, who are often participants who claim to be spectators, contribute to the illegality and cruelty of dog fighting. AB 243 by Assemblyman Pedro Nava re: Animal Abuse. Support. Mandates the court to prohibit people convicted of animal abuse as part of their probation from residing with or owning/caring for any animals. Write: Tell the Governor that animal abusers, like child abusers, repeat their crimes. AB 708 by Assemblyman Jared Huffman re: Poaching. Establishes minimum fine of $5,000 and maximum fine of $40,000 for killing, possessing, or selling illegally killed wildlife. Increases jail time and authorizes Fish & Game to revoke licenses. Write: Tell the Governor that poachers consider minor fines part of the cost of doing business. AB 1122 by Assemblyman Ted Lieu re: Animal Sales. Support. Prohibits the sale of animals on any street, highway, parking lot, or carnival. Exempts county/state fairs, dog/cat shows, 4-H events and shelters/rescue groups. Write: Tell the Governor that puppies, smuggled in from Mexico and sold on roadsides, are of particular concern because they are often neglected and sick. AB 1423 by Assemblyman Tom Berryhill re: Hunting Clubs. Oppose. Provides incentives for private land owners to open their land for hunting through SHARE (Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement), lowering/exempting hunting club fees. Raises the penalty from infraction to misdemeanor for trespassing/interfering with hunting, and removes the existing requirement that there be “sufficient interest” before the SHARE program is implemented. Write: Tell the Governor that because there are less hunters, hunting organizations want more power and more access to private property to encourage more hunting. AB 1442 by Assembly Water, Parks & Wildlife Committee re: Wildlife. Oppose. Requires the Wildlife Conservation Board and the Fish & Game Department to prioritize areas they most want access to for hunting. If the Board leases property, they must allow hunting. AB 1442 was successfully amended to remove prizes for killing any “game species”, a fund raising ploy for big game hunting organizations. Prohibits anyone from removing a hunting dog’s collar. Write: Tell the Governor that AB 1442 controls our wildlife, their habitats and the agencies that regulate them for the benefit of hunters. SENATE SB 135 by Senator Dean Florez re: Tail Docking of Cattle. Support. Amends existing law prohibiting tail docking of horses to include dairy cows. Write: Tell the Governor that tail docking is a painful/unnecessary mutilation.SB 318 by Senator Ron Calderon re: Dogfighting Forfeitures. Support. Authorizes the forfeiture of assets acquired by dogfighting participants, organizers, trainers, and property owners who knowingly allow their premises to be used for dogfighting and those who steal animals for use as bait for dog fight training. Write: Tell the Governor that forfeitures for dog fighting are needed to enhance enforcement. SB 448 by Senator Fran Pavley re: Safe Harbor Program. Support. Establishes a program to encourage landowners to conserve their land to benefit endangered and threatened wildlife. Write: Tell the Governor that endangered/threatened wildlife depend on private land for habitat. PASSED Budget Bills AB 1 and AB 12 of the 4th Extraordinary Session re: Animal Shelters. “Suspends” (does not repeal) for one year those sections of the “Hayden” law on animal shelters considered to be reimbursable state mandates. (State law requires the state to reimburse cities/counties for costs of programs mandated by state law) thus saving the state the approximately $13 million per year owed to cities/counties to reimburse the costs of the Hayden law. Suspended mandates could include some holding periods (AB 12 requires strays to be held a minimum of 72 hours), veterinary care, record keeping and Lost & Found lists. It does not suspend mandated cooperation between shelters and rescue groups. ACR 91 by Assemblyman Ted Lieu re: Animal Shelters. Support. Declares September to be Animal Adoption Month to encourage shelter adoptions. AJR 8 by Assemblyman William Monning re: Marine Mammals. Support. Asks Congress to restrict swordfish imports unless the swordfish as caught by methods that don’t kill or injure marine mammals. SB 428 by Senator Christine Kehoe re: Seals. Support. Adds “marine mammal park” to list of uses of a San Diego beach so resident seals can stay there.SB 481 by Senator Dave Cox re: Airports. Allows airports with wildlife depredation permits to kill or harass birds from airports to prevent collision with airplanes.SB 609 by Senator Dennis Hollingsworth re: Alligators/Crocodiles. Oppose. Amends existing law to postpone a 2010 ban on the importation of alligator/crocodile products until 2015. SB 762 by Senator Sam Aanestad re: De-Clawing. Oppose. Prohibits local ordinances affecting “healing arts” such as veterinarians. The Cal Vet Assn wants no more local cat de-clawing bans such as the one passed in West Hollywood. DEFEATED/DROPPEDInactive bills were defeated/dropped (usually due to opposition), but may be pursued in 2010. AB 233 by Assemblyman Cameron Smyth re: Pet Adoption. Support. Would have allowed deduction of pet adoption costs up to $100 on state income taxes. AB 979 by Assemblyman Tom Berryhill re: Hunting. Oppose. Would have prohibited any local ordinances against hunting. AB 1224 by Assemblyman Mike Eng re: Hit & Run. Support. Would have required motorists who hit pets or livestock to attempt to help them and report it to authorities, such as police or animal control. AB 1437 by Assemblyman Jared Huffman. Support. Would have prohibited the importation of eggs that come from out of state factory farms that don’t comply with Proposition 2 which requires space for hens to spread their wings. ACA 11 by Assemblyman Bill Berryhill re: Hunting. Oppose. Would have amended the Constitution to declare the “right to hunt.” ACA 13 by Assemblyman Ed Hernandez re: Initiatives. Would have required proposed initiatives to go through the Legislature for possible amendments. ACA 14 by Assemblyman Ed Hernandez re: Initiatives. Oppose. Would have limited initiatives to five on the ballot. ACR 74 by Assemblyman Tony Portantino re: Animal Shelters. Would have encouraged shelters to join the “No Kill” movement and offer low cost spay/neuter programs, off site adoptions, rehabilitation, and trap/neuter/release of feral cats. SB 220 by Senator Leland Yee re: Whistleblowers. Support. Would have protected employees who report violations of law, such as those on lab animals. SB 250 by Senator Dean Florez re: Spay/Neuter. Support. Would have required spay/neuter of dogs/cats. SB 416 by Senator Dean Florez re: Antibiotics. Support. Would have encouraged schools to not serve meat products treated with antibiotics starting 2012. SB 536 by Senator Dennis Hollingsworth re: Hunting Clubs. Oppose. Would have removed restrictions and fees on hunting clubs. SB 753 by Senator Gil Cedillo re: Kangaroos. Oppose. Would have allowed importation of kangaroo products repealing any restrictions put into the law last year. CALIFORNIA FISH & GAME COMMISSION1416 – 9th St, Sacramento, CA 95814. Email: fgc. Turtles/Frogs. The Commission is considering a “possible course of action” on the importation of turtles and frogs for the live animal markets and possibly the pet trade. Write: Thank the Commission for instructing the Department to pursue the issue. Turtles/frogs are invasive species who compete with/kill our native wildlife. Their importation should be banned. Exotic Animals. As a result of a court case the Fish & Game Department was instructed to set up an inspection program of exotic animal facilities that does not include letting veterinarians paid by permittees to sign off on inspections declaring humane standards have been met. In spite of recommendations given to the Department by their Exotic Animal Advisory Committee, the Department/Commission has yet to set up the program. Write: Tell the Commissioners to take action to amend the regulations to comply with the law that requires the department to do the inspections themselves or contract it out. For copies of bills: www.leginfo.ca.gov. You can for e-mail updates. All legislators’ and Governor’s address: State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814. Directory: 916/322-9900. To find the names of your Assembly Member and Senator: www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg. E-mail addresses follow a formula. Examples: assemblymember.huffman. or,senator.pavley. Letters, including hand written, are always preferable to e-mail. To be added/deleted on this e-mail legislative alert list, contact: info. or call415/646-0622 (voice mail). Your donation makes this alert possible. Send to Paw PAC, PO Box 475012, San Francisco, CA 94147 Paw PAC 2008 California Voting Chart: www.pawpac.org. 2009 Chart will come later this year. Compiled by: Virginia Handley 415/646-0622 (Paw PAC voice mail), info. Animal Switchboard, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, must close office by end of year. Dozens of animal books, art, posters, pictures, jewelry, videos, etc. for sale/donation. Call Virginia 415/474-4021 anytime for appointment to come to office. Animal People Holiday Party will be Dec. 6, 1 to 4.