We appreciate the over three hundred of you signing up to send support letters and calling legislators to make your voices heard for the animals! Please continue to encourage your friends and family to sign up on our website to stay informed and lend their support. We are still at the beginning of a two year legislative session and have lots of work to do, and will need your continued support.

UPDATES

AB 1282 (Bloom/Wilk) Pet Blood Bank Modernization Act
Yesterday, AB 1282 passed the Assembly Business & Professions Committee with a unanimous vote of 12-0! As you know, we’ve been working on this issue for the last three years and are optimistic that this bill will get signed into law. But, there is still a long trail ahead, and the bill will be voted on in the next Assembly Agriculture Committee on April 29th.

AB 564 (Gonzalez) Biodiversity Protection and Restoration Act
and

AB 1289 (Kalra) Smart Climate Agriculture Program
Both AB 564 and 1289 were “held” and did not go to committee due to the lack of support needed. Big Ag, Big Oil and developers have a stranglehold over many members of the respective committees, among other powerful industries. We were not able to breakthrough this time.

AB 564 aimed to protect and save biodiversity, and AB 1289 would have helped farmers transition away from animal ag, two objectives that are great for people, animals, and for our state, but not great for powerful special interests. We will keep working on these bills this year and into next.

You Can Still Make a Difference!

AB 416 (Kalra) the California Deforestation-free Procurement Act
Will be voted on in the Assembly Accountability and Administrative Review Committee on April 28th.
Please let the following Assemblymembers know that you want a livable planet and you want the state of California to buy products that come from sustainable sources, sold by “good actors.” (And oh by the way, this is the same committee that our AB 564 did not have enough support for – so please make these three calls no later than Tuesday, 5pm):

Assemblymember Autumn Burke (916) 319-2062 Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez (916) 319-2052 Assemblymember Jose Medina (916) 319-2061

SB 376 (Stern) the Wildlife Trafficking and Trade Act
Will be voted on in the Senate Public Safety Committee on April 27th. Please let the Chair, Senator Bradford, know that you support common sense measures to protect both public health from zoonotic diseases and our native wildlife from invasive species by supporting SB 376.

Chair Senator Steven Bradford: (916) 651-4035
(please make your call no later than Monday, 5pm)

ONE LAST CALL TO ACTION:

The California Coastal Commission is holding a Special Hearing tomorrow, Thursday, April 22nd at 9am that will determine the fate of hundreds of Tule Elk who are currently suffering behind a fence that is keeping them from water and food.

You may remember, this is happening at Point Reyes National Seashore, in Marin County, where our state and federal government is protecting dairy farmers at the expense of wildlife!

We are urging everyone to REGISTER NOW to attend Thursday’s hearing!

SIGN UP HERE and PLEASE OPPOSE the staff recommendation which ultimately will be death to the Elk! For more info on the issue click here.

Recently, we were covered in Authority Magazine. We are thankful for the coverage, and you can read the article below:

Please, spread the word on our lifesaving bills and get others to visit our website and send their support too. And please, consider making a donation to support our vital work.

Thank you for your help,
Judie Mancuso