BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1956
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 1956 (Monning)
As Amended August 9, 2010
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |72-0 |(April 22, |SENATE: |22-11|(August 12, |
| | |2010) | | |2010) |
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Original Committee Reference: W., P. & W.
SUMMARY : Allows a non-profit organization promoting recovery of
California condors by providing food for free-ranging condors to
be exempted from prohibitions against the transport of dead
animals if the organization is participating in a memorandum of
understanding (MOU) with the Department of Fish and Game (DFG)
and the organization is operating under a special permit
authorized by the State Veterinarian to haul dead animals.
The Senate amendments :
1)Delete a provision in the Assembly-approved version requiring
that MOUs entered into by DFG with partners in a California
condor preservation program to allow for feeding of free
ranging condors be consistent with prescribed guidelines, and
requiring DFG to revise the terms of any MOU in effect on
January 1, 2011 that is inconsistent with the guidelines to
conform with the guidelines.
2)Delete a provision in the Assembly-approved version exempting
DFG from an existing prohibition on the transport of dead
animals, and instead provide that a non-profit organization
promoting recovery of California condors by providing food for
free-ranging condors shall be exempt from the prohibition if
the organization is participating in an MOU with DFG to
provide food for condors and possesses a permit issued by the
secretary of Food and Agriculture.
3)Authorize the secretary of Food and Agriculture to issue an
annual permit to a nonprofit organization promoting recovery
of California condors for the purpose of authorizing transport
of dead animals to provide food for condors if specified
information is provided on the transport permit regarding the
number and type of animals, the probable cause of death, all
AB 1956
Page 2
possible pickup and drop off locations, and the name of the
person providing the transportation.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Prohibits the transport of a dead animal to any place, other
than to a licensed rendering plant, licensed collection
center, animal disease diagnostic laboratory, crematory, or
approved destination in another state, unless a waiver is
granted by the State Veterinarian for certain specified
purposes such as an emergency.
2)Authorizes DFG to provide for the feeding of game birds,
mammals or fish when natural foods are not available and to
provide suitable areas for such feeding.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill required MOUs entered into
by DFG with participants in a condor preservation program to
allow for feeding of free-ranging condors to be consistent with
prescribed guidelines. The guidelines specified the types of
animals that could be used to feed California condors and
criteria for feeding sites. DFG would also be required to
revise any MOUs in effect on January 1, 2011 to be consistent
with the guidelines. DFG would be exempted from prohibitions on
transport of dead animals for these purposes.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS : This bill addresses the need for California condor
recovery programs that involve supplemental feeding of
free-ranging condors to receive exemption from prohibitions on
the transport of dead animals that would otherwise apply to
these activities. Under current law, the transport of dead
animals is prohibited except under narrow circumstances, unless
a waiver is granted by the State Veterinarian. Waivers are only
authorized for certain purposes, and the current law does not
specifically address the particular needs of California condor
recovery feeding programs.
The California condor is North America's largest terrestrial
bird, with a wingspan of nine and a half feet. The condor dates
back to before the Pleistocene era and has inhabited this
continent for at least 50,000 years. Condors are scavengers and
feed primarily on dead carrion, which has been a source of
AB 1956
Page 3
ingested lead ammunition fragments. Although condors once
ranged over much of North America, by the 1940s their range had
been reduced to the coastal mountains of southern California.
Condors were listed as endangered in California in 1967. The
condor reached near extinction in the early 1980s, with less
than 30 individual birds left alive in the wild. Key factors
determined by biologists as contributing to the decline of the
condor include lead poisoning and illegal shooting, in addition
to habitat loss and other factors. Scientists determined that
the only hope for the condor's survival was to institute a
captive breeding program. The last wild birds were captured in
1987, and an intensive captive breeding program was instituted.
Biologists began reintroducing condors back into the wild in
1992. Today they are being reintroduced into the mountains of
southern California north of the Los Angeles basin, in the Big
Sur vicinity of the central California coast, at Pinnacles
National Monument, and near the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Just
this year, the first condor nest in California's Pinnacles
National Monument in 100 years was found with a single egg.
Condors typically do not begin breeding until they are 7 years
old and normally mate for life.
The Ventana Wildlife Society, one of the principal managers of
the California condor recovery program, notes that feeding of
free-flying condors is essential at this time as part of the
reintroduction effort because young birds are often na?ve and do
not know where to find food on their own. On-going feeding for
all wild condors also remains critically important to reduce the
threat of lead poisoning from spent ammunition. Although
California law now requires that nonlead ammunition be used in
the condor range it may be years before compliance levels are
such that supplemental feeding will become unnecessary. Many
agencies, including state, federal and non-governmental agencies
are working together to recover the condor to the wild. Today
there are only 87 free-flying condors in the wild in California,
and only 350 total condors alive including those in captivity.
While the captive breeding program has met with tenuous success,
the condor's recovery still hangs in the balance.
Analysis Prepared by : Diane Colborn / W., P. & W. / (916)
319-2096 FN:
0005806