BILL ANALYSIS ACR 19 Page 1 Date of Hearing: February 26, 2009 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON RULES Ted W. Lieu, Chair ACR 19 (Smyth) - As Introduced: February 4, 2009 SUBJECT : Spay Day USA 2009 SUMMARY : Declares February 24, 2009, to be Spay Day USA 2009, and requests that Californians observe that day by having their dogs or cats spayed or neutered and by contributing to organizations that provide spay and neuter services. Specifically, this resolution makes the following legislative findings: 1)More than 500,000 dogs and cats entered animal shelters in California during 2007, and an additional unknown number of animals die each year due to abandonment, neglect, abuse, starvation, or cruelty. 2)The cost to government and nonprofit agencies of handling and euthanizing discarded animals approaches $250 million per year; and it is the policy of the State of California that animal shelters should aggressively promote spay and neuter programs to reduce pet overpopulation. 3)Veterinarians, humane societies, animal control agencies, and national and local animal welfare organizations will join together to advocate the spaying or neutering of dogs and cats on "Spay Day USA 2009," an annual campaign of the Humane Society of the United States. FISCAL EFFECT : None COMMENTS : The author has submitted amendments that add Assembly Member Lieu as principal co-author and make technical corrections regarding the number of dogs and cats entering animal shelters and associated costs. Committee staff recommends adoption as proposed to be amended. REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION : Support ACR 19 Page 2 None on file. Opposition None on file. Analysis Prepared by : Anna McCabe / RLS. / (916) 319-2800