LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP
A Summary of the 2007 State Legislative Session

The dust has finally settled on the 2007 State Legislative Session, which ended on October 14th, 2007. This year’s Session proved to be very active with nearly 1,800 bills introduced. Although many measures failed, several hundred bills made it to the Governor’s desk for his signature or veto. Over the last ten months, CWA and California Outdoor Heritage Alliance (COHA) staff monitored over 100 bills of which 40 were actively engaged. Below is a brief wrap-up of some of the most important measures.

$100 Million for Central Valley Wetlands Included in Bond Measure 
In response to requests by CWA, COHA, DU, Grasslands Water District,and other wildlife conservation partners, Senator Don Perata (D-Oakland) recently amended his water bond measure to include at least $100 million in funding for the purchase of water rights and water conveyance infrastructure to benefit state and federally managed wetlands under the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA). If ultimately approved by the State Legislature and the California electorate, the funding would help increase and enhance migratory waterfowl use of National Wildlife Refuges, State Wildlife Areas, and private wetlands within the Grasslands Water District and throughout the Central Valley. As such, the quality and quantity of public and private waterfowl hunting opportunities in the Central Valley would be significantly increased over time.

While bond negotiations have recently stalled between the Governor and Legislative leadership, efforts are also underway to gather signatures to place an alternative bond measure(s) on the statewide ballot. CWA and COHA are working to ensure that any such initiative similarly includes significant funding to secure water for the benefit of waterfowl and other wetland-dependent species.

Funding for Mosquito Control
CWA and COHA along with the Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California, and the California Rice Commission helped Assembly Member Lois Wolk (D/8th–Davis) secure an additional $500,000 in the Department of Fish and Game's FY 2007/2008 budget to support the continued application of Best Management Practices (BMPs) (i.e. ecologically-based mosquito controls) to reduce mosquito populations on Gray Lodge, Mendota, Upper Butte Basin, Los Banos and North Grasslands Wildlife Areas.

In recent years, the same partners worked together to help the Department obtain one-time supplemental funding for the development of BMPs. Since then, the BMP program has reduced the West Nile virus risk, pesticide load in the environment, and annual mosquito control expense of the Department, while encouraging the conservation of wetlands critical to waterfowl and other wildlife. This year’s augmentation is particularly critical, because all prior funding obtained has been fully expended.

Mandatory Spay and Neuter for Dogs – OPPOSED (AB 1634, Levine)
COHA and CWA teamed up with the California Cattlemen’s Association and California Farm Bureau to oppose AB 1634, which would require all dogs and cats less than six months old to be neutered or spayed unless the owner has been issued an “intact permit,” which authorizes a person to own or possess an unaltered cat or dog, from a local jurisdiction. Although there are exemptions provided in the bill that would cover certain classes of dogs, owners or buyers of dogs used for sporting or other legitimate working purposes would still be significantly impacted. In particular, breeders who improve the lines of working dogs could be forced to pay intact fees which could run into the hundreds of dollars; and the hunting public could expect a significant decline in both the quantity and quality of puppies available.

In response to our efforts and those of literally hundreds of other concerned groups, as well as opposition from thousands of individuals, AB 1634 was not voted upon in the Senate Local Government Committee, and the bill cannot be acted upon until 2008.

Firearms Protections – SUPPORTED (AB 1645 -LaMalfa)
 On October 14th, legislation sponsored by the National Rifle Association and supported by COHA and CWA was signed into law to ensure firearms and ammunition cannot be arbitrarily confiscated by the state during times of emergency. AB 1645, by Assembly Member Doug LaMalfa (R-Biggs), will prevent firearms seizures similar to those that occurred in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina when law-abiding citizens were forced to give up their arms to police. As such, the measure will ensure that private citizens can protect their life and property, and continue to hunt, during natural disasters and other times of emergency, such as earthquakes, floods and fires.

CWA and California Condors
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed AB 821 to prohibit the use of lead ammunition for hunting within the range of the California condor.  CWA (and COHA) was disappointed with the Governor’s action, because it undermined the fundamental process by which regulatory code changes are made, an authority designated by the legislature to the California Fish and Game Commission. The commission held public hearings on the issue for more than two years, listened to many hours of testimony by stakeholders and scientific experts, and was scheduled to determine appropriate changes in regulations before the end of the year. By using AB 821 to execute a ban on lead, the legislation trivialized a critical process and the importance of scientific fact finding, educated debate, and public participation in the management of natural resources.

CWA opposed the bill in the legislature because the Fish and Game Commission, not Legislators or the Governor, should determine natural resource policy, including hunting regulations in the state.  CWA has always opposed  the use of legislation for making wildlife management decisions, but CWA did not take an official position on banning lead within the range of the condor because it did not directly affect waterfowl or wetlands. COHA had been working with the National Rifle Association and other hunting groups affected by regulations in the condor’s range to ensure all available credible science was considered and to encourage their voluntary participation by using non-toxic ammunition.