SAVING AND PROTECTING ANIMALS. ONE LAW AT A TIME.
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Compassion Pac
Political Action Committee
501(c)(3) non-profit

Archives: Campaigns

P.E.T.S. Act

AB 1893 (Maienschein) the P.E.T.S. Act, a bill to reinstate a program to fund spay and neuter surgeries. The fund will be named The Pet Euthanasia Prevention Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund.

OCTO Act

AB 3162 (Bennett), the OCTO Act, a bill to ban octopus farming.

Expands Breeder Regulations and Shelter Adoption Availability Online

Will expand the definition of breeder by lowering the number of dogs that must be bred for breeding regulations to apply, and ensure that all dogs sold by breeders are microchipped and vaccinated. The bill also includes provisions requiring that shelters post the adoption availability of animals on their website or a third-party website. Lastly, it will order the California Department of Food and Agriculture to conduct a study on overcrowding in California shelters and potential remedies, including a statewide database listing all dogs and cats available for adoption.

Compassionate Learning Advancements for Science Students (CLASS) Act

The Class Act will modernize science education in the state of California by requiring teachers to present sourcing and environmental concerns about dissection to students as well as inform them of their right to choose a non-animal replacement. This bill will support more inclusive, trauma-informed classrooms and prevent the needless and agonizing deaths of millions of animals each year.

Animal Shelter Data Collection Act

AB 2012 (Lee) the Animal Shelter Data Collection Act, a bill to require the Department of Public Health to resume collecting specified data from public animal shelters as part of their annual rabies control activities reporting.

The Animal Shelter Data Collection Act

The bill requires that the Department of Public Health (CDPH) collect and publish animal shelter in-take and outcome data, including adoption, redemption, euthanasia, and other categories as a part of the Department’s rabies control program.

Mountain Lion Depredation Permits

This bill will make it harder for a rancher or hobby farmers to get a permit to simply kill a mountain lion for attacking one of its farm animals.

Big Cat Public Safety Act

Revises restrictions on the possession and exhibition of big cats, including to restrict direct contact between the public and big cats.

New York Live Animal Markets Ban Bill

Lawmakers in California and New York to introduce legislation to ban wet markets and exotic wildlife trafficking to reduce future pandemic risk and prevent mass extinction.

The Animal Shelter Data Collection Act

The bill requires that the Department of Public Health (CDPH) collect and publish animal shelter in-take and outcome data, including adoption, redemption, euthanasia, and other categories as a part of the Department’s rabies control program.

The California Deforestation-free Procurement Act

This bill would establish the California Deforestation-Free Procurement Act. The bill would require a contractor, as defined, and specified subcontractors, for any contract entered into, extended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, contracting with a state agency for the procurement of any product comprised wholly or in part of forest-risk commodities to certify that the commodities were not grown, derived, harvested, reared, or produced on land where tropical deforestation occurred on or after January 1, 2023.

The F.I.R.E. Act of 2022

This bill would allow an incarcerated individual, who successfully participated and completed trained in a program, as specified, as an incarcerated individual hand crewmember, be eligible for a firefighter certificate provided by the department.

The Safe Transportation of Dogs and Cats Act

Assembly Bill AB 1781 requires mobile or traveling housing facilities, such as animal control vehicles, to transportation of dogs and cats in such a manner that conditions do not endanger the health or well-being of the animal due to extreme temperatures or lack or food or water. Temperatures in California range from below freezing to well over 100 degrees. These extreme temperatures put animals being transported inside vehicles at risk of severe injury or death.

The Dog & Cat Bill of Rights

AB 1881 promotes the mental, physical, and emotional well-being of dogs and cats by informing potential adopters of the animal’s
needs before they adopt. This bill would require a public animal control agency or shelter to post a copy of the Dog and Cat Bill of Rights accessible to public view.

The Save Our Coastline Act

This bill would require the commission to terminate all remaining oil and gas leases under its jurisdiction in tidelands and submerged lands within state waters by December 31, 2023.

The Animal Evacuation Act

The bill requires an animal owner as a condition for obtaining a kennel permit to create and submit an animal wildfire evacuation plan.

Wildlife Trafficking and Trade Act

The Wildlife Trafficking and Trade Act (SB 376) seeks to address the conditions which led, in part, to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, namely wildlife trafficking and trade. This bill requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), in consultation with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), to suspend import authorization for species linked to the transmission of a novel (new) zoonotic disease, such as COVID-19.

The Pet Breeder Humane Care Act

The Pet Breeder Humane Care Act aims to enhance humane minimum standards of care for bred dogs and cats and consumer protection.

Protection for California’s Biodiversity

The Biodiversity Protection and Restoration Act, which is cosponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation, would require state agencies to prioritize the protection of biodiversity in carrying out mandates.

Protect Endangered Sea Life

The Whale Entanglement Prevention Act would require ropeless crabbing gear by 2025, ensuring California’s leadership role in whale protection around the world.

California Deforestation-Free Procurement Act

This bill would establish the California Deforestation-Free Procurement Act. The bill would require a contractor, as defined, and specified subcontractors, for any contract entered into, extended, or renewed on or…

California Deforestation-Free Procurement Act

This bill would establish the California Deforestation-Free Procurement Act. The bill would require a contractor, as defined, and specified subcontractors, for any contract entered into, extended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024, contracting with a state agency for the procurement of products comprised wholly or in part of forest-risk commodities to certify that the commodities were not grown, derived, harvested, reared, or produced on land where tropical deforestation or boreal intact forest degradation or deforestation occurred on or after January 1, 2022. The bill would exempt a credit card purchase of goods of $2,500 or less, not to exceed a total of $7,500 of goods per contractor per year, from these certification requirements. The bill would require specified contractors to have a No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation policy, as specified, and would require the contractors to make the policy and corresponding data publicly available. The bill would require, on or before July 1, 2023, the Department of General Services to issue an informational notice or memorandum on a Deforestation-Free Code of Conduct to be used by contractors that includes, among other things, a list of forest-risk commodities subject to these provisions.

Iconic African Species Act

Will make it illegal to possess body parts of iconic species from Africa, such as lions, elephants, and giraffes, stopping hunters from bringing their tragically killed animals back to California.

Stingrays

Would add specific species of stingrays to a list that already includes big cats, polar bears, dolphins, and other threatened
or endangered species.

Pet Evacuation

Introduced to establish protections for animals during emergency evacuations.

Deforestation-Free Procurement Act

This bill will make it mandatory that the state of California only enter into contracts for goods with companies that have a no deforestation policy in place.

Pet Microchipping Bill

Mandates that all pets leaving a shelter – whether adopted or reclaimed by owner be microchipped, thus saving animals lives by reuniting them with their human families rather than being euthanized in our shelters.

Doggy Donor Act

Our bill will open the market to community-sourced animal donors, i.e. animals that donate blood but live at a home with their human companions.

Equine Welfare & Safety Horseracing Act

The bill will address all the horse deaths at Santa Anita Park and beyond by raising the standards for pre-existing conditions, administration of drugs, and punishment for those that violate the new rules.

Smart Climate Agriculture

This bill will help them out of the dying animal agricultural industry by providing them with transitional support grants to move them to emerging plant-based farming.

Blood Banks

SB 202 will allow for animals that live with their owners to give blood at commercial blood banks.

Replacing Animals in Science Education Act

Under the proposed legislation, all California schools would replace animal dissection activities with contemporary and humane teaching methods in line with industry standards and best practices.

Sales Ban on Exotic Skins

Added hippopotamus’ and several reptile species to an existing sales ban which includes big cats, polar bears, dolphins, and other threatened or endangered species. This bill added to the world-wide momentum to end fur and exotic skin sales.

Aquatic Toxiticity

Hazardous waste must be disposed of properly to protect public health and the environment. Today, Assemblymember Bill Quirk (D-Hayward) introduced AB 733, which will enable California to identify this waste more humanely and accurately.

Prohibition of Wild Animals in Circuses

This bill made California the third state to ban the use of wild animals in circuses, saving so many elephants, bears, lions, and others from being tortured by whips and other horrific training tools simply for human entertainment. By eliminating the use of these animals in circuses, the bill also reduces the demand to take these animals from the wild.

Pet Evacuation Bill

This bill will require pet owners holding a kennel permit with their local jurisdiction to have an evacuation plan.

Pet Microchipping Bill

The bill mandates microchipping for all dogs and cats being adopted from shelter or rescue or reclaimed by owner.

California Transparency in Research Act

A new bill introduced last week in the California State Assembly would modernize and expand a statewide system in which some laboratories currently report animal use.

Ensuring a Plant-based Meal Option

This first-of-its-kind bill requires all California state healthcare facilities and prisons to make available plant-based meal options. The bill ensures these state-run facilities offer healthy vegan food options which were often lacking prior to passage.

Youtube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_E-ktsYhGY&feature=youtu.be

Iconic African Species Protection Act

SB 1487 (Stern) the Iconic African Species Protection Act, was ultimately vetoed by the Governor on September 30th. He based his veto message on concerns of unenforceability, an issue that was raised by the Department of Fish and Wildlife as the bill made its way through the legislative process.
Veto Message: https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/SB-1487-veto.pdf

Replacement Animal Test for Hazardous Waste

Existing law requires the Department of Toxic Substances Control to regulate the handling and management of hazardous waste. Existing law requires the department to develop and adopt by regulation criteria and guidelines for the identification of hazardous wastes and extremely hazardous wastes. Existing regulations adopted pursuant to that provision provide that a waste exhibits the characteristic of toxicity if representative samples of the waste have any of specified properties, including, among others, that a concentration of the waste of less than 500 milligrams per liter in soft water results in a 50% mortality rate of specified fish species after 96 hours of exposure, pursuant to specified procedures.

This bill would authorize the department, to the extent that funds are available for this purpose, to evaluate any of specified tests to determine whether the tests can be adapted to be appropriate for use in identifying substances as hazardous waste or extremely hazardous waste, consistent with the requirements of the hazardous waste control laws. The bill would require the department, if it finds that any of the specified tests can be adapted, to authorize the use of each test found appropriate, as adapted, as an alternative to the fish mortality testing method described above.

Safe Transportation of Dogs and Cats

Existing law governs the retail sale of dogs and cats by pet dealers, as defined, and establishes minimum standards for the care of those animals, as specified.
This bill would establish health and safety standards for mobile or traveling housing facilities for dogs and cats, including standards governing sufficient heating and cooling, ventilation, and lighting. The bill would establish minimum and maximum temperatures and would require, among other things, that dry bedding and auxiliary ventilation be provided under certain circumstances. The bill would apply to public and private organizations, including animal shelters, rescue groups, and humane society shelters.

Retail Pet Sales Ban Records Bill

Requires pet store operators to maintain records documenting health, status, and disposition of each animal for at least 2 years and ensure the new pet owner has access to all of the information. This bill was necessary after passage of AB 485 was implemented in order to provide transparency of the source of the rescue pet.

Poultry Slaughter

Existing law specifies the method by which designated animals are required to be slaughtered by any person engaged in the business of slaughtering those animals or by any person when all, or any part, of that animal is subsequently sold or used for commercial purposes. Existing law permits a method of slaughter that requires the animal to be rendered insensible to pain by specified means before being cut, shackled, hoisted, or cast, with the exception of poultry, which may be shackled. Under existing law, a violation of these provisions is a misdemeanor.

This bill would prohibit, when this method of slaughter is used, poultry from being shackled before being rendered insensible to pain by those specified means. Because a violation of this prohibition would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Prop 65 Resolution on adding Carcinogenic Meats

The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, an initiative measure approved by the voters as Proposition 65 at the November 4, 1986, statewide general election (Proposition 65), prohibits a person, in the course of doing business, from knowingly and intentionally exposing any individual to a chemical known to the state to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity without giving a specified warning, or from knowingly discharging or releasing such a chemical into water, or into or onto land and passing into any source of drinking water, except as specified. Proposition 65 requires the Governor to cause to be published a list of chemicals known to the state to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity within the meaning of the act, and to cause the list to be revised and republished in light of additional knowledge at least once per year. Proposition 65 requires that the list include, at a minimum, the substances identified in specified law, including substances listed as human or animal carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

This measure would provide that the Legislature resolves that the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment expeditiously review the International Agency for Research on Cancer monograph relating to processed meat and add “processed meat for consumption” to the list of chemicals known to the state to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.

Pet Lover’s Plate Administrative Bill

SB 673 transferred administration and oversight of the Pet Lovers License Plate Program from the VMB to CDFA in order to expedite the funds generated from the program to be distributed to providers of no-cost or low-cost spay and neuter services quicker and more efficiently to help reduce California pet overpopulation problem.

The Pet Rescue and Adoption Act

A landmark bill banning the sale of “puppy mill” bred dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet stores. The bill has since been replicated in 4 states and over 400 localities.

Police-Canine Encounters Protection Act

We are disappointed to report that AB 1199, the Police-Canine Encounters Protection Act, has stalled in the Appropriations Committee due to staff’s concerns regarding costs of implementing the training program. Yet, despite the bill not moving forward, there are several positive outcomes from this process.

Criminal Animal Abuse Statistics Bill

This bill requires the Department of Justice to include information concerning arrests for animal cruelty in its annual report to the Governor. The goal of the bill is to give lawmakers data to better understand how pervasive animal cruelty is in our society.

Humane Education Resolution

In a world desperately in need of more kindness, this bill put the state of California on record that compliance with the state’s Education Code provisions should include educating students on the principles of kindness and respect for animals.

NY Dining with Dogs Bill

This bill permitted New York restaurants to allow dogs to dine with their human companions in outdoor areas, finally legalizing the practice of dining with your dog! The bill was modeled after SCIL’s California Dining with Dogs bill.

Official State Pet Declaration

This bill made the shelter pet the “Official State Pet.” The bill helped the continuing cultural shift to value our shelter pets like the wonderful animals that they are.

California Dining with Dogs Bill

This bill permited California restaurants to allow dogs to dine with their human companions in outdoor areas, finally legalizing the practice of dining with your dog! For more information: https://www.economist.com/united-states/2014/08/30/bone-appetit
https://news.yahoo.com/dining-unleashed-california-legalized-outdoor-182957482.html?nf=1&nf=1
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Dogs-Welcome-at-Restaurants-If-Theres-Outdoor-Seating-Gov-Says-272299451.html
https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article2607388.html
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-dining-with-dogs-outdoor-restaurants-20140509-story.html

Microchipping Impounded Animals

SB 702, Introduced by Senator Lieu and sponsored by SCIL. The bill required all dogs and cats to be microchipped upon adoption or being reclaimed by their owner from California’s local animal shelters.

Online Rabies Reporting Bill

SCIL advocated along side the City of Los Angeles to clarify how local jurisdictions required proof of pets’ rabies vaccination. The bill moved rabies vaccination reporting into the 21st Century by allowing electronic records.

Animal Abuse Registry

Existing law requires persons convicted of arson and sex crimes to register with local law enforcement, as provided. The Department of Justice is required to make specified information about certain sex offenders available to the public via an Internet Web site and to update that information on an ongoing basis.

This bill would require any person over 18 years of age who is convicted of felony animal abuse, as defined, to register with the appropriate law enforcement agency, as provided, for a period of 10 years from the date of conviction. The bill would require that the registration consist of a signed written statement of specified information, including, but not limited to, legal name and aliases, date of birth, address or current location, name and address of employer, and the specific felony animal abuse conviction for which the person is required to register. The registration would also consist of a photograph of the person, a complete set of fingerprints, and a description of any tattoos, scars, or other distinguishing features on the person’s body that would assist in identifying the person. The bill would require that, within 3 days after the registration, the registering law enforcement agency electronically forward the statement, fingerprints, and photograph of the registrant to the Department of Justice. Because the bill would require local law enforcement agencies to provide this new service, it would impose a state-mandated local program.

The Responsible Breeder Act

AB 241 The Responsible Breeder Act, introduced by Assembly Member Nava and sponsored by SCIL. AB 241 addressed the problems puppy mills create by limiting the number of intact cats or dogs a seller could maintain.

Pet Responsibility Act

Existing law generally prohibits public pounds and private shelters from selling or giving away any dog or cat that has not been spayed or neutered; provides, under certain circumstances, for the sale or giving away of a dog or cat that has not been spayed or neutered upon the payment of a refundable deposit, as specified; provides for the imposition of fines or civil penalties against the owner of a nonspayed or unneutered dog or cat that is impounded by a public pound or private shelter; and immunizes cities and counties, societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals, and humane societies from an action by the owner of a dog or cat for spaying or neutering the dog or cat in accordance with the law. A violation of any of these provisions is an infraction, punishable as specified.

This bill would provide, in addition, that every dog owner shall secure a license for the dog, as required by state or local law, and that no person shall own, keep, or harbor, except as specified, an unsterilized dog, as defined. It would make it unlawful for any person who owns, keeps, or harbors any unsterilized cat, as defined, 6 months of age or older to allow or permit that cat to roam at large. It would require any owner or custodian, as defined, of an unsterilized dog to have the animal sterilized at 6 months of age, obtain a certificate of sterility, or, if provided by local ordinance, obtain an unaltered dog license, which license shall be defined and issued as specified. The requirement to sterilize the dog may be appealed, as specified. It would require an owner or custodian of an unsterilized cat who permits that cat to roam at large to have the cat sterilized or obtain a certificate of sterility. It would allow an unaltered dog license to be denied, revoked, and reapplied for, as specified, and the licensing agency to utilize its existing procedures or to establish new procedures for any appeal of a denial or revocation of an unaltered dog license, as specified. The bill would authorize the licensing agency to assess a fee for the procedures related to the issuance, denial, or revocation of an unaltered dog license.

California Healthy Pets Act

California Healthy Pets Act introduced by Assembly Member Levine and sponsored by SCIL addressed pet-overpopulation by mandating spaying and neutering pets.

(Figueroa) Animals in Unattended Motor Vehicles Bill

This landmark bill made it illegal to leave animals unattended in a vehicle under conditions, such as extreme heat or cold, that would inflict suffering on the animal. This bill laid the groundwork for many “dogs in hot cars” laws around the country.

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