BILL ANALYSIS Ó
------------------------------------------------------------
|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 769|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
------------------------------------------------------------
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Bill No: SB 769
Author: Fuller (R), et al
Amended: 8/22/11
Vote: 32 - Urgency
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER COM. : 9-0, 4/26/11
AYES: Pavley, La Malfa, Cannella, Evans, Fuller, Kehoe,
Padilla, Simitian, Wolk
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
SENATE FLOOR : 37-0, 5/16/11 (Consent)
AYES: Alquist, Anderson, Berryhill, Blakeslee, Calderon,
Cannella, Corbett, Correa, De León, DeSaulnier, Dutton,
Emmerson, Evans, Fuller, Gaines, Hancock, Harman,
Hernandez, Huff, Kehoe, La Malfa, Leno, Lieu, Liu,
Lowenthal, Negrete McLeod, Padilla, Pavley, Price, Rubio,
Runner, Simitian, Steinberg, Vargas, Wolk, Wright, Yee
NO VOTE RECORDED: Strickland, Walters, Wyland
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 78-0, 8/25/11 (Consent) - See last page
for vote
SUBJECT : Mountain lions: display or exhibition
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill establishes an exemption for the
possession of a mountain lion carcass or any part or
product of a mountain lion carcass, if the carcass or
CONTINUED
SB 769
Page
2
carcass part or product is prepared or being prepared for
display or exhibition, for a bona fide scientific or
education purpose, at a nonprofit or government-owned
museum generally open to the public or at an educational
institution, if the mountain lion was taken in California
consistent with the requirements of the California Wildlife
Protection Act of 1990 and any other applicable law and the
Department of Fish and Game has authorized the possession
of the carcass or carcass part of product for the purposes
of this paragraph.
Assembly Amendments clarify prohibition conditions if the
Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has authorized product
possession.
ANALYSIS : In 1990, California voters passed Proposition
117 the California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990 (CWPA).
Among its provisions, the CWPA established that
California's mountain lions are a "specially protected
species" and barred their hunting. Under the CWPA,
mountain lions may be killed under the following
circumstances only:
If a depredation permit is issued to take a specific lion
known to attack and injure or kill livestock or pets.
To preserve public safety.
To reduce the threat to endangered Bighorn sheep.
This bill establishes an exemption for the possession of a
mountain lion carcass or any part or product of a mountain
lion carcass, if the carcass or carcass part or product is
prepared or being prepared for display or exhibition, for a
bona fide scientific or education purpose, at a nonprofit
or government-owned museum generally open to the public or
at an educational institution, if the mountain lion was
taken in California consistent with the requirements of the
California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990 and any other
applicable law and DFG has authorized the possession of the
carcass or carcass part of product for the purposes of this
paragraph.
Background
The CWPA only permits the possession and sale of mountain
CONTINUED
SB 769
Page
3
lions and mountain lion parts obtained prior to its
passage. All other mountain lion carcasses must be turned
over to the DFG.
Although the population estimate is uncertain, roughly
4,000 - 6,000 mountain lions are thought to live in
California. Annually, about 110 mountain lions are legally
killed on average with the following breakdown:
97 under depredation permits (45 percent of the 218
permits issued, based on 20 years of data).
Nine to protect public safety (based on 2001 - 2008
data).
Two to protect Bighorn sheep through the Sierra Sheep
program (based on 10 years of data).
Further, an unknown number of mountain lions are killed
annually by motor vehicles.
Comment
Due to the provisions of the California Wildlife Protection
Act of 1990, this bill requires a 4/5s vote for passage.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/22/11)
California Association of Museums
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 78-0, 8/25/11
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, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani,
Beth Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto, Gordon, 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,
CONTINUED
SB 769
Page
4
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: Bonilla, Gorell
CTW:do 8/26/11 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
**** END ****
CONTINUED