[Fwd: Hot off the press - Bill to ban computer-assisted hunting]

[Guest guest]

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Re: Hot off the press - Bill to ban computer-assisted hunting

Tue, 05 Apr 2005 19:38:55 -0700

EricM <afa

Karen Benzel <Karen

CC: Alice Berkner <allie, Barbara Callahan

<bcallahan.ibrrc, dana michaels <dmichael,

IBRRCMAD, " J. Dommers " <jjdsr, January Bill

<january, Jay Holcomb <jay, marsha bassett

<marsha.b, Megan Prelinger <megan, Michelle

Bellizzi <michelle, Russ Curtis <russ,

" SKaveggia (AT) aol (DOT) com " <SKaveggia, Mark, Bird Bytes

<birdbytes, Dan Brumlik <djbrumlik, Hillary

Black <HillaryBlack, " Jonna A. K. Mazet " <jkmazet,

Michael Ziccardi <mhziccardi, Susan Tellem

<stellem, Jack Ellwanger <rocinante

References: <00a801c53a25$ce15e6f0$6701a8c0@LAPTOP>

 

 

 

April 5, 2005

 

This bill (SB 1028, by Senator Debra Bowen) passed by a vote of 7:4. It

is noteworthy that all seven AYE votes were Democrats, and that all four

NO votes were Republicans. How some of these people sleep nights is

beyond me. We MUST vote such neanderthals out of office!

 

DEMOCRATS: Sheila Kuehl, chair (Los Angeles); Debra Bowen (Redondo

Beach); Christine Kehoe (San Diego); Alan Lowenthal (Long Beach); Mike

Machado (Stockton); Carole Migden (San Francisco); Gloria Romero (Los

Angeles).

 

REPUBLICANS: Bob Margett, vice-chair (Diamond Bar); Sam Aanestad

(Nevada City); Robert Dutton (Rancho Cucamonga); Dennis Hollingsworth

(Temecula).

 

Notes of thanks (or disgust) may be addressed to all State Legislators,

c/o The State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814.

 

Some Letters to the Editors of the newspapers in these lawmakers' home

districts would be appropriate, too.

 

Disperse this news as you see fit.

 

Cheers,

 

Eric Mills, coordinator

ACTION FOR ANIMALS - Oakland

 

 

Karen Benzel wrote:

 

>Posted on Tue, Apr. 05, 2005

>

>Senate committee votes to ban " pay-per-view " hunting

>

>Associated Press

>

>SACRAMENTO - A state Senate committee voted Tuesday to ban what one

>lawmaker calls " video target practice using live animals. "

>

>The Natural Resources and Wildlife Committee approved a bill by Sen.

>Debra Bowen, D-Redondo Beach, that would bar computer-assisted hunting

>sites in California. It's a response to a Texas ranch that says it is

>setting up a system that would allow people to shoot at live game via

>the Internet.

>

> " This isn't hunting; it's an inhumane, over the top, pay-per-view video

>game using live animals for target practice, and it shouldn't be allowed

>to expand into California, " Bowen said.

>

> " Shooting live animals over the Internet takes absolutely zero hunting

>skills, and it ought to be offensive to every legitimate hunter. "

>

>The bill would ban anyone from operating a computer-assisted hunting

>site in California and bar the importation of animals killed by remote

>hunting.

>

>Violations could result in up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

>

>Pro-hunting groups - such as the California Sportsmen's Association,

>Safari Club International and the Outdoor Sportsman's Coalition of

>California - say the practice is not real hunting and is unethical and

>unsporting.

>

>Sen. Sam Aanestad, R-Grass Valley, said he would support the bill if it

>banned Internet hunting in California, " but it goes a step further " by

>making it illegal for Californians to do business with a legitimate

>company in Texas.

>

>Bowen said that was no different than California laws that prohibit

>residents from placing bets on sports through Internet sites, but allow

>them to drive to Nevada to wager.

>

>Another opponent, Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, R-La Mesa, called the bill

>a " huge to-do about something that has barely even happened. "

>

>It also ends any chance to discuss the merits of remote-control hunting,

>he said. For example, someone who is disabled may only be able to

>participate in the sport because of this technology, he said.

>

>The committee voted 7-4 to send Bowen's bill to the Appropriations

>Committee, the last stop before the full Senate.

>

>At least four other states - North Carolina, Wisconsin, West Virginia

>and Texas - are also considering legislation to ban Internet hunting.

>

>ON THE NET

>

>Read the bill, SB1028, at www.leginfo.ca.gov

>

>

>

>

>