Senator Min (D-Irvine) introduced new legislation to ban offshore drilling in the State of California, including oil production under current lease agreements. Min’s Senate Bill 953 fulfills his pledge for action in the wake of last year’s Orange County Oil Spill, which leaked nearly 25,000 gallons of crude oil just off the coast of Huntington Beach, shutting down beaches from Orange County to San Diego. This was the largest spill in California waters since the 2015 Refugio Beach oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara.

Today, Assemblymember Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) introduced AB 1881, the Dog and Cat Bill of Rights. The bill, sponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation, describes the rights of dogs and cats in seven broad clauses ranging from the right to be free from cruelty and neglect to the right to daily mental stimulation and appropriate exercise. The entire bill can be found here.

Today, Assemblymember Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) introduced AB 1781, the Safe Transportation of Dogs and Cats Act. The bill, sponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation, requires mobile or traveling housing facilities, such as animal control vehicles, to transport 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 of food or water.

After working on this legislation for 3 years, we are thrilled to announce that AB 558, the Child Nutrition Act of 2022, authored by Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian and cosponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Factory Farming Awareness Coalition, and Friends of the Earth, which incentivizes K-12 public schools across the state to offer healthier, climate-friendly plant-based meals and beverages passed the full Assembly with an initial vote of 47-7.

Today, AB 558, the Child Nutrition Act of 2022, authored by Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian and cosponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and Friends of the Earth, which incentivizes K-12 public schools across the state to offer healthier, climate-friendly plant-based meals and beverages passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee by a 9-0 vote.

Today, AB 558, the Child Nutrition Act of 2022, authored by Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian and cosponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and Friends of the Earth, which incentivizes K-12 public schools across the state to offer healthier, climate-friendly plant-based meals and beverages passed the Assembly Education Committee by a vote of 5-0. Under the grant program set up by the bill, schools could apply to receive additional state funding for serving a plant-based entrée and plant-based milk.

PLEASE MAKE YOUR CALLS BY TUESDAY, JANUARY 11th! AB 558 (Nazarian) the Child Nutrition Act of 2022, which will incentivize California schools to serve plant-based meals and beverages, will be voted on in the Assembly Education Committee next week!

Dear Friends, Many of you on our email list have been with us since our founding 15 years ago in 2007. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to you for supporting us all these years. And for those of you newer to us, welcome and thank you for caring about animals. We need you all!

Please consider Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL), our 501(c)(4), or Social Compassion, our 501(c)(3), when deciding where to invest your end of year donations. Our two groups exist by charitable dollars given by you, our supporters.