-----Original Message----- ] UPDATES FROM THE ANIMAL COUNCIL UPDATES FROM THE ANIMAL COUNCIL July 17, 2006 (Last publication date 6/25/06 Appropriate forwarding encouraged.) Preserving Our Right To Own And Breed Animals Is Your Responsibility IN THIS ISSUE: * CA LOCAL – SACRAMENTO, LODI, SAN JOSE, RIVERSIDE CTY, IMPERIAL BEACH * CA LEGISLATURE RECESS – BILLS DIE, STALL, MOVE THE ANIMAL COUNCIL'S web site at http://www.theanimalcouncil.com is updated frequently supplementing advocacy information through these Updates. The California bill tracking page includes links for committee hearing audio. Current Legislative Material page has additional details and materials on local and other significant matters. Publications and Reference pages have resource material useful to analyze, address and rebut detrimental proposals. Additional materials are available for items below marked by an asterisk. ***** BRIEFLY NOTED COUNTY OF SACRAMENTO will continue the high-fee differential dog/cat license ordinance at the July 18 Board of Supervisors meeting but is expected to act on a proposal for a towable trailer for sterilization procedures.* CITY OF LODI, SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA this month approved increases of animal (dogs and cats) license and shelter fees. License fee increases of $39 unaltered, up from $20, and $10 altered, up from $6.00 are effective February 1, 2007.* Lodi is one of 7 cities in the county and has its own animal shelter. CITY OF SAN JOSE, SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA*, also now with its own shelter, has announced its 3rd Town Hall Meeting, July 27, 2006, Thursday, 6:30-8:30 pm, at the Animal Care Center, 2750 Monterey Road for the purpose of "discussing" (more) "recommended" changes to the animal ordinance. COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE* at the end of June finally released its Los Angeles County copycat ordinances (mandatory microchip/mandatory spay/neuter with restricted exemptions) and has now rescheduled 4 community meetings, 7/31, 7 pm, Murietta; 8/12, 10 am, Palm Desert; 8/16, 7 pm, Beaumont; 8/26, 10 am, Riverside City Hall. HAIL, YE ANIMAL GUARDIANS IN IMPERIAL BEACH, CALIFORNIA* where the City Council on July 5 passed a "guardian/owner" substitution ordinance based on the definition, "Owner/guardian means any person, other than a veterinarian or operator of a kennel, who owns, keeps, or harbors an animal for at least fifteen (15)days. If an animal has more than one owner/ guardian then all such persons jointly and severally responsible for the duties imposed on an owner/guardian in this Chapter." A second perfunctory passing vote is expected on July 19. ***** THE CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATURE IS ON SUMMER RECESS UNTIL August 7 after recessing at the end of June when bills had to have passed the house of origin unless they can obtain a rule waiver from the house for a later vote. CALIFORNIA AB 2146* by Assembly Member Joe Canciamilla (D-11) of Pittsburgh with Republican co-authors, Tom Harmon and Bill Maze, and sponsored by the California Waterfowl Association to codify law covering the extent and workings of state preemption of hunting law over local regulation had sailed through the Assembly with ease but was withdrawn after running into significant opposition in the Senate Committee On Natural Resources And Water chaired by Senator Sheila Kuehl, an activist supporter. CALIFORNIA SB 1806* by Senator Liz Figueroa, D-10 of Fremont, co- author Assembly Member Lloyd Levine (D-40) of Van Nuys to create a new Penal Code Section 597.7 covering animals in vehicles passed Assembly Appropriations on June 28 by 14-1 (Democrat, Hector De La Torre) and will be on the Assembly Floor in August. Confirming one of our arguments against this bill – the misrepresentation that animals cannot be left in vehicles under any circumstances -- Riverside County already has a home page item "Proposed California State Bill To Prevent Animals From Being Left In Cars" and separate dedicated page http://www.rcdas.org/petcare.htm While no would deny the danger of hot vehicles, California has significant climatic variations and circumstances of transport vary widely. Egregious cases warrant prosecution under basic state cruelty laws rather than the more limited penalty levels of this bill and trivial offenses without harm do not warrant the higher costs and post-conviction consequences of Penal Code 597. The latter properly fall under local ordinances. CALIFORNIA SENATE BILL 1578*, as last amended May 26, by Senator Alan Lowenthal (D-27) of Long Beach and Assembly Member Paul Koretz (D-42) of West Hollywood to create a new "wobbler" crime, chargeable as either an infraction or misdemeanor, for dog tethering to anything stationary beyond a "reasonable time" not to exceed 3 hours in a 24- hour period while a person is doing a temporary task (other minor exceptions) passed in the Assembly Committee on Business & Professions on Tuesday, June 27 on a straight partisan vote, 6-3. Testifying in support were David Diliberto, a familiar name from the City of Los Angeles Department of Animal Services, and Dr. Barbara Hodges from the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights (AVAR) with the usual supporting lineup. Committee Member and co-author Paul Koretz (D-42) of West Hollywood launched into a monologue about the evils of tethering. Testifying in opposition were the California Farm Bureau, still negotiating its interests, and the Governor's Office of Planning and Research. We oppose SB 1578 as unjustifiably overbroad and misrepresented as only about "chaining" rather than making criminals of ordinary people doing ordinary things with ordinary dogs. The Sacramento Bee will featured an article, including our interview, on this bill on Monday, June 26. http://www.sacbee.com/content/lifestyle/story/14271726p-15082268c.html CALIFORNIA AB 2862* by Assembly Member Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-48) of Los Angeles entitled, "Sale of animals at retail animal outlets" and sponsored by the Animal Protection Institute would create extensive new law in the Health and Safety Code to regulate animals in pet stores not as civil law regulating an industry but as criminal law. It was heard by the Senate Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development on Monday, June 26. After a contentious hearing attended by a large number of opposing bird fanciers and representatives of the pet industry, Senator Dean Florez, D-16 of Fresno, stated that he would not be able to vote on the bill as presented, forcing the author to offer to continue working with opponents to further amend the bill and to seek a rule waiver allowing a vote in August. We oppose AB 2862. Presenting her own final bill of her legislative career to Assembly Committee on Business and Professions the following day, the termed- out and third place finalist in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor Senator Liz Figueroa tearfully recounted chairing her last regular Senate committee meeting and being impressed with the numbers of bird fanciers attending the hearing on AB 2862. She asked that legislators listen to citizens who make the effort to travel to the capital to testify on matters of personal concern. As usual, the sentiment appeared to fall on unhearing ears. ***** *a service of THE ANIMAL COUNCIL P.O. BOX 168, MILLBRAE CA 94030 Contact us at <TheAnimalCouncil@xxxxxxx> URL <http://www.theanimalcouncil.com> Incorporated 1991, tax exempt under IRC Section 501(c)(4) Online news updates published sporadically since 1997. Legislative tracking subject to change. 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