BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 1776|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 1776
Author: Fong (D)
Amended: 3/22/12 in Assembly
Vote: 21
SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION COMM. : 13-0, 6/12/12
AYES: Wright, Anderson, Berryhill, Calderon, Cannella,
Corbett, De León, Evans, Hernandez, Padilla, Walters,
Wyland, Yee
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 77-0, 4/16/12 (Consent) - See last page
for vote
SUBJECT : State government: Pacific leatherback sea
turtle
SOURCE : Turtle Island Restoration Network
DIGEST : This bill designates the Pacific leatherback sea
turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) as the official state marine
reptile and establishes October 15 as Pacific Leatherback
Sea Turtle Conservation Day.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1. Since 1970, lists the Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle as
endangered, under the federal Endangered Species Act.
CONTINUED
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2. Bans, effective January 1, 1990, all longline fishing in
the Exclusive Economic Zone (200 nautical miles seaward
from the coast) to prevent deaths of sea turtles.
3. AJR 62 (Leno), Resolution Chapter 100, Statutes of 2008,
make legislative findings acknowledging the decline of
west coast sea turtles and supporting efforts to
preserve and recover Pacific leatherback populations.
4. Names the Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) as the
state reptile.
5. There is no designated category for state marine
reptile.
Existing law designates the following as official state
insignia:
State Flower - Golden Poppy (Ch. 69, Statutes of 1903)
State Bird - California Valley Quail (Ch. 777, Statutes
of 1931)
State Tree - California Redwood includes both the coast
redwood (Sequoia empervirens) and the Sierra big tree
(Sequoia gigantea) (Ch. 134, Statutes of 1943; amended by
Ch. 1140, Statutes of 1953)
State Theatre - Pasadena Playhouse (Res. Ch. 45, Statutes
of 1937)
State Fish - California Golden Trout (Res. Ch. 90,
Statutes of 1947)
State Song - I Love You California (Res. Ch. 87, Statutes
of 1951)
State Animal - California Grizzly (Ch. 1140, Statutes of
1953)
State Motto - Eureka (Ch. 1237, Statutes of 1963)
State Rock - Serpentine (Ch. 89, Statutes of 1965)
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State Mineral - Native Gold (Ch. 89, Statutes of 1965)
State Nickname - Golden State (Ch. 66, Statutes of 1968)
State Reptile - Desert Tortoise (Ch. 683, Statutes of
1972)
State Insect - California Dogface Butterfly (Ch. 521,
Statutes of 1972)
State Fossil - Sabre-Tooth Cat (Ch. 792, Statutes of
1973)
State Historical Society - California Historical Society
(Ch. 52, Statutes of 1979)
State Marine Mammal - California Gray Whale (Ch. 328,
Statutes of 1975)
State Gemstone - Benitoite (Ch. 1365, Statutes of 1985)
State Folk Dance - Square Dance (Ch. 1645, Statutes of
1988)
State Dance - West Coast Swing (Ch. 1645, Statutes of
1988)
State Prehistoric Artifact - Chipped Stone Bear (Ch. 73,
Statutes of 1991)
State Marine Fish - Garibaldi (Ch. 948, Statutes of 1995)
State Soil - San Joaquin Soil (Ch. 331, Statutes of 1997)
State Fife and Drum Band - California Consolidated Drum
Band (Ch. 58, Statutes of 1997)
State Tartan - Based on the family tartan of the revered
John Muir (blue and green with red, gold, and blue seams)
(Ch. 100, Statutes of 2001)
State Gold Rush Ghost Town - Town of Bodie (Ch. 365,
Statutes of 2002)
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State Tall Ship - Californian (Ch. 113, Statutes of 2003)
State Grass - Nassella Pulchra - commonly referred to as
"purple needlegrass" (Ch. 243, Statutes of 2004)
State Silver Rush Ghost Town - Calico (Ch. 90, Statutes
of 2005)
Existing law requires the Governor to proclaim various days
as holidays and days of remembrance, including:
The third Monday in January, as "Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. Day."
February 12th, as "Lincoln Day."
February 19th, as "Japanese American Evacuation Day."
March 7th, as "Arbor Day."
March 31st, as "Caesar Chavez Day."
April 21st, as "John Muir Day."
September 28th, as "Cabrillo Day."
The fourth Friday in September, as "Native American Day."
December 7th, as "Pearl Harbor Day."
The third Saturday in June, as "Juneteenth National
Freedom Day."
April 24th, as "California Day of Remembrance of the
Armenian Genocide."
The month of February, as "Black History Month."
This bill:
1. Makes legislative findings regarding the uniqueness of
the Pacific leatherback turtles, their endangered status
and population decline to the verge of extinction, and
the designation of over 16,000 square miles of
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California coastal waters as critical habitat to protect
high-use foraging areas.
2. Declares the Pacific leatherback sea turtle as the
official state marine reptile, and makes the following
changes:
A. Designates October 15, in perpetuity, as the
Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle Conservation Day.
B. Encourages California public schools to add
information about Pacific leatherback sea turtles
into curriculum to raise awareness.
C. Encourages state and federal agencies,
nongovernmental agencies, fishers, coastal tour
operators and other interested stakeholders to
participate in statewide, voluntary recordings of
sightings of Pacific leatherback sea turtles.
D. Encourages state and federal agencies to build
cooperative relationships with island nations
where Pacific leatherback sea turtles nest in
order to promote awareness and conservation.
E. Urges state and federal agencies to take
proactive conservation measures to prevent future
threats to Pacific leatherback sea turtles and
their habitat.
Comments
According to the author's office, the International Union
for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources currently
has the leatherback listed as "critically endangered" on
its list of threatened species. By some estimates, these
ancient and majestic animals will be extinct in as little
as 10 years if nothing is done to bring awareness to the
leatherbacks' situation. The author's office believes that
the people of California can play an integral role in
solving this problem by designating the Pacific leatherback
sea turtle as the State Marine Reptile. Such designation
will help acknowledge the importance of the species to the
people of California and bring immediate recognition to the
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danger the turtles are facing. The author's office
emphasizes that this bill will go a long way in helping
preserve these majestic creatures for the benefit of
California's residents for years to come.
There are four types of marine reptiles including sea
turtles, water snakes, alligators, and crocodiles. Of
those, California waters are only inhabited by one species
of water snake and seven species of sea turtles. The
yellow-bellied sea snake is one of the most common sea
snakes and is found from southern California to Northern
South America. The seven species of sea turtles include
Green, Kemps ridley, Olive ridley, Hawksbill, Leatherback,
Flatback, and Loggerhead. Of the sea turtles, the
leatherback is unique in that it has existed virtually
unchanged for the past 150 million years; is the largest
known reptile, averaging six to seven feet and 550-1,500
pounds; and migrates 6,000 miles from the nesting beaches
in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands to
forage on jellyfish off the coast of California. This is
the longest known migration of any reptile species. The
California coast is one of the most important feeding areas
in the world for the Pacific leatherback sea turtles and
these sea turtles are beneficial to the marine ecosystem.
They can eat their weight in jellyfish thus helping keep
the jellyfish population under control. Jellyfish prey on
fish eggs and if their populations went unchecked, valuable
fish populations along the California coast might be
endangered. The Pacific leatherback sea turtle population
has declined 90% in the past 25 years. The major threats to
survival include egg harvesting for human consumption,
certain fishing practices (including longline and coastal
gill netting), habitat loss, pollution, and climate change.
The Pacific leatherback sea turtle has been on the
endangered species list since 1970. On February 26, 2012,
the National Marine Fisheries Service designated 16,910
square miles of the California coastal waters from Point
Arena in Mendocino County to Point Arguello in Santa
Barbara County, as critical habitat for the Pacific
leatherback sea turtle. This is part of a worldwide effort
to raise awareness, educate, and preserve this species.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No
Local: No
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SUPPORT : (Verified 6/12/12)
Turtle Island Restoration Network (source)
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees, AFL-CIO
Azul
California Coastal Commission
California Coastkeeper Alliance
Center for Biological Diversity
Center for Oceanic Awareness, Research, and Education
Clean Oceans Project
Environment California
Fish and Game Commission
Food and Water Watch
Friends of the Sea Otter
Greenpeace USA
Humane Society of the United States
Maritime Museum of San Diego
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Ocean Institute
Oceana
O'Neill Sea Odyssey
Sanctuary Cruises
San Francisco Commission on the Environment
Save Our Shores
Save the Turtles, Inc.
Sea Turtle Restoration Project
Sierra Club California
The following support list comes from the Senate
Governmental Organization Committee analysis:
Asian Pacific American Ocean Harmony Alliance
Aquarium of the Bay
Audubon California
Ocean Conservation Society
PawPac
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : The author states that "The people
of California have to do their part in solving this problem
Ýof declining populations]. A way to acknowledge the
species' importance to California and the danger the
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turtles are facing would be to designate the Pacific
leatherback sea turtle as the State Marine Reptile. By
spreading awareness about the leatherbacks and how to help
them, this bill will preserve these majestic creatures for
the benefit of California's residents for years to come."
Additional supporters state that because of their
trans-Pacific migration, the Pacific leatherback sea turtle
can serve as an international ambassador, ecologically
connecting Asia and California. Many educational materials
have already been created and are available for public use.
Proponents contend that this bill provides an educational
platform for Californian school children and adults to
learn and appreciate the leatherback, while engraining the
importance of this ancient species into state law.
Proponents point out that both Florida and South Carolina
have designated the loggerhead sea turtle as symbols,
though no U.S. state has chosen the leatherback sea turtle.
Proponents argue that leatherbacks are unique in that they
are the only surviving member of their scientific family -
Dermochelyidae. Proponents also note that "the ocean is a
huge part of our identity as Californians and our choice of
iconic, symbolic species should reflect our ocean
connection and uniqueness."
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 77-0, 4/16/12
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall,
Bill Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford,
Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos,
Carter, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eng,
Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Beth Gaines, Galgiani,
Garrick, Gatto, Gordon, Gorell, Grove, Hagman, Halderman,
Hall, Harkey, Hayashi, Roger Hernández, Hill, Huber,
Hueso, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Lara, Logue,
Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mansoor, Mendoza, Miller, Mitchell,
Monning, Morrell, Nestande, Nielsen, Norby, Olsen, Pan,
Perea, V. Manuel Pérez, Portantino, Silva, Skinner,
Smyth, Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Valadao, Wagner,
Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada, John A. Pérez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Cedillo, Davis, Furutani
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DLW:d 7/3/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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