BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1614
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Date of Hearing: May 2, 2007
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mark Leno, Chair
AB 1614 (Strickland) - As Introduced: February 23, 2007
Policy Committee: Arts Vote:6-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill changes the definition of a "rodeo" as including only
any three (instead of any four) of the following events:
bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, calf
roping, steer wrestling, or team roping.
FISCAL EFFECT
Minor nonreimbursable costs for enforcement, offset to some
extent by fine revenues.
(A violation of rodeo standards is an infraction subject to a
fine of between $500 and $2,000 for a first violation and
between $1,500 and $5,000 for subsequent violations.)
COMMENTS
1)Background . Rodeos are typically sponsored by the Professional
Rodeo Cowboy Association, International Professional Rodeo
Association, Gay Rodeo Association, Bill Pickett Rodeos,
California Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association, and high
schools and colleges. An estimated 150 to 350 rodeos occur
throughout California each year-in the smallest towns and
largest cities.
Current law requires the management of any professionally
sanctioned or amateur rodeo to:
a) Ensure that a veterinarian is present, or "on-call"
during the event.
b) Allow the veterinarian complete access to the rodeo
site, to declare any animal unfit for an event and for
AB 1614
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other veterinarian duties.
c) Specifies that any animal injured during the course of a
rodeo event receive immediate examination and appropriate
treatment.
d) Prohibits the use of electric prods while an animal is
in a holding chute.
e) Requires rodeo management to have available a conveyance
to transport an animal in the event of injury.
2)Purpose . This measure changes the statutory definition of a
rodeo to one that includes three out of any six specified
events from a current threshold of four. According to the
sponsor, Action for Animals, this lowering of the event
threshold will subject Charreadas (Mexican rodeos) to the same
animal health and welfare standards as other professional and
amateur rodeos.
3)Opposition . According to the American Federation of Charros,
which opposes the bill, three of the six events that are
encompassed by the legal definition of a rodeo-bull riding,
bareback bronc riding, and team roping-are performed at
Charreadas. They argue that the requirements of rodeos in
current law are unnecessary and would be cost-prohibitive.
They indicate that their events generally have no sponsors, no
admission fee, and are funded by entry fees on the Charros.
4)Prior Legislation . In 2003, AB 885 (Leno) included the same
provision of this bill and additionally directed that, at
least 14 days prior to an event, the management of any
professional or amateur rodeo file a notice of "intent to
perform" with the animal control agency having jurisdiction
over the rodeo's location. AB 885 failed passage in the
Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism,
and Internet Media.
Analysis Prepared by : Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081