2007 California Legislation

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2007 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATION as of January 1 Next Legislative Meeting: Monday, January 8, 2007 10 am to Noon, Room 113,

State Capitol Building , Sacramento Agenda: New Legislation, Expected Legislation, Possible Legislation. Regulations. All animal advocates welcome. The 2007-2008 Legislative Session begins January 3, 2007. Deadline for submission of possible bills is January 26. Deadline for introduction of new bills is February 23. AB 64 by Assemblywoman Patty Berg re: Emergencies. Support. Enacts the Uniform Emergency Volunteer Health Practitioners Act, including licensed veterinarians from out of state, to allow them to practice in California during emergencies. Next Hearing:

No committee or date set. Write: Assemblywoman Berg. Thank her for introducing AB 64. Tell her it will help in the implementation of AB 450 passed in 2006 to require disaster plans to include animals. CALIFORNIA FISH & GAME COMMISSION 1416 & #8211; 9TH St , Sacramento , CA 95814 Trapping Regulations The Fish & Game Department will propose trapping regulations and will write an Environmental Document. The Commission is required to “consider the welfare of individual animals” and in the past each document had a chapter on it. The Department has changed it from “welfare” to “effects” in an effort to get away from the concept of welfare. AB 87 passed in 2006

to make it clear that “pest” control operators do not have to get a Fish & Game license to trap mice, rats, gophers and moles. SB 1645, passed in 2002, requires “nuisance” and predator control wildlife trappers to get a Fish & Game license to trap coyotes, raccoons, opossums, skunks, etc. Many trappers do not tell their customers that the animals will be killed if not released on site. Nor do many of them have licenses due to lack of enforcement. Next Hearing: February 1 or 2, Monterey . Write: California Fish & Game Commission. Tell them to reinstate the

chapter entitled “Welfare of the Individual Animal” as required by law for the Commission to consider. Ask them to enforce the existing law requiring “nuisance” and predator control trappers to have licenses and ask that the list of licensed trappers be available to the public. Also ask that they include specific requirements for the humane handling of wildlife, including bats. Turtles and Frogs in Live Animal Markets. The Commission voted to “go to notice” to pass a regulation to prohibit the importation of turtles and frogs for the live animal markets. But the Department has taken no action to submit the regulation. They are telling the

Commission that the issue is the responsibility of the Health Dept, Food & Ag Dept and local animal control. Next Hearing: February 1 or 2 in Monterey . Write: California Fish & Game Commission. Tell them to follow through on their legal action to protect our native wildlife from the non-native turtles and frogs who are imported by the hundreds of thousands (frogs by the ton) and commonly released. They deplete populations of California wildlife such as the endangered Western Pond Turtle

and the Red Legged Frog. The importation also contributes to the illegal pet trade of baby turtles born to captured wild turtles for the market. Advisory Committee on Humane Treatment of Wild Animals. The Fish & Game Department has advised the Committee that they should conduct meetings under the Open Meeting Act to avoid any possible lawsuit. That means the public can attend and participate in the meetings. The Committee is advising the Department on inspection procedures to enforce permit requirements and minimum standards for keeping wild animals in

captivity. Next Meeting: January 25, 9 am to 5 pm, 1416 & #8211; 9th St , Room 1206, Sacramento . CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION 45 Fremont St. #2000 , San Francisco , CA 94105 . 415/904-5200 Navy Sonar. Oppose. The Navy plans military exercises starting in February off the southern California Coast that includes mid-frequency sonar training to find enemy submarines. Sonar puts out ear-splitting noise that impacts all sea life, including migrating whales. Next Hearing: January 10, 200 S. Pine, Long Beach Write: California Coastal Commission. Tell them that the sonar should not be allowed. It is extremely destructive and painful. Its negative impacts are well documented but ignored by the Navy. CALIFORNIA VETERINARY MEDICAL BOARD 1420 Howe Ave , Sacramento , CA 95825 . 916/263-2615 Rodeo Injury Reports Current law requires veterinarians who cover rodeos to report injuries to the Vet Med Board. 2006 had only one report. Veterinarians are not complying or, when on-call, are not being called. The Vet Board should make it clear to the vets that not reporting is a violation of law and clarify what specific information is required in the report. List compiled by Virginia Handley. 415/474-4021. Virginia