BILL ANALYSIS Ó ------------------------------------------------------------ |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 1784| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |1020 N Street, Suite 524 | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ------------------------------------------------------------ CONSENT Bill No: AB 1784 Author: Monning (D) Amended: 6/26/12 in Senate Vote: 32 - Urgency SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER COMM. : 9-0, 6/12/12 AYES: Pavley, La Malfa, Cannella, Evans, Fuller, Kehoe, Padilla, Simitian, Wolk SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8 ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 72-0, 5/3/12 (Consent) - See last page for vote SUBJECT : Mountain lions SOURCE : Mountain Lion Foundation DIGEST : This bill makes it unlawful to take, injure, possess, transport, import or sell any mountain lion or any part or product thereof, with limited exceptions (Proposition 117, 1990 Statewide Initiative), and authorizes the possession of a legally obtained mountain lion carcass for display for a scientific or educational purpose at a nonprofit or government owned museum or educational institution. ANALYSIS : Existing law: CONTINUED AB 1784 Page 2 1. Makes it unlawful to take, injure, possess, transport, import or sell any mountain lion or any part or product thereof, with limited exceptions. (Proposition 117). 2. Requires a 4/5 vote of the Legislature to amend Proposition 117, and requires that any amendment be in furtherance of the purpose of the initiative. 3. Authorizes the possession of a legally obtained mountain lion carcass for display for a scientific or educational purpose at a nonprofit or government owned museum or educational institution. This bill amends Proposition 117 as follows: 1. It authorizes Department of Fish and Game (DFG) to grant qualified individuals, educational institutions, and governmental or nongovernmental organizations permission to conduct scientific research on mountain lions if the research does all of the following: A. Contributes to knowledge of natural wildlife ecosystems; B. Minimizes disruption and movement of mountain lions and other wildlife and impacts to habitat; C. Supports the sustainability and survivability of mountain lion populations and healthy ecosystems; D. Prohibits the intentional injury or killing of mountain lions. 2. In addition, research projects will be required to meet specified recordkeeping and other requirements which address all of the following: A. The capture, anesthetization, veterinary medical care, humane treatment, and other conditions as specified in this bill or otherwise required in the permit; B. Tracking all negative impacts on mountain lions AB 1784 Page 3 and other wildlife; C. The qualifications of onsite personnel, at least one of which has one year of experience with the research conditions contained in this bill; D. Annual and final reporting requirements. 3. Requires DFG to notify the public of authorized mountain lion research projects at least 30 days prior to initiation and to make copies of the memorandum of understanding available to the public upon request. 4. Requires that any injury or death of a mountain lion from a research project be reported consistent with Proposition 117. FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No SUPPORT : (Verified 6/26/12) Mountain Lion Foundation (source) Animal Rescue Team Defenders of Wildlife Felidae Foundation, Bay Area Puma Project Feline Conservation Center Humane Society of the United States Ojai Wildlife League Public Interest Coalition Sierra Club California The Nature Conservancy ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : The author and supporters, many of whom are the leading mountain lion researchers in California, contend that this bill emphasizes the importance of mountain lion research which benefits both mountain lions and human safety by improving understanding of lion behaviors and movement patterns. Scientific research is also important in better understanding the roles of apex predators like lions in the ecosystem, and the dynamics of predator-prey relationships such as that between mountain lions and other species such as bighorn sheep. AB 1784 Page 4 ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 72-0, 5/3/12 AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall, Bill Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bradford, Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos, Carter, Cedillo, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Davis, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eng, Feuer, Fong, Fuentes, Beth Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto, Gordon, Gorell, Grove, Hagman, Halderman, Harkey, Hayashi, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman, Jeffries, Knight, Lara, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mansoor, Mendoza, Miller, Mitchell, Monning, Morrell, Nestande, Nielsen, Norby, Olsen, Pan, Perea, V. Manuel Pérez, Portantino, Silva, Skinner, Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Valadao, Wagner, Wieckowski, Yamada, John A. Pérez NO VOTE RECORDED: Bonilla, Fletcher, Furutani, Hall, Roger Hernández, Jones, Smyth, Williams CTW:k 6/26/12 Senate Floor Analyses SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE **** END ****