BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 1784|
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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
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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
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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.
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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
P�rez, Portantino, Silva, Skinner, Solorio, Swanson,
Torres, Valadao, Wagner, Wieckowski, Yamada, John A.
P�rez
NO VOTE RECORDED: Bonilla, Fletcher, Furutani, Hall, Roger
Hern�ndez, Jones, Smyth, Williams
CTW:k 6/26/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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