BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 1480
Page 1
Date of Hearing: August 8, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
SB 1480 (Corbett) - As Amended: July 5, 2012
Policy Committee: Water, Parks and
Wildlife Vote: 8-2
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill licenses commercial trappers and regulates and
restricts certain trapping methods and practices. (Summary
continued below.)
FISCAL EFFECT
1)One-time costs of approximately $125,000 to the Department of
Fish and Game (DFG) to establish a base fee for a class II
commercial trapping license and develop regulations ($100,000)
and modify the automated licensing system ($25,000) (special
fund).
2)Annual costs of approximately $330,000 to DFG for a warden to
monitor trapper activities ($200,000), for regional staff to
consult with property owners on bat issues ($90,000), and for
staff to administer sales, update website and coordinate with
regional staff ($40,000) (special fund).
3)Annual fee revenue of an unknown amount but presumably
sufficient to cover all DFG's one-time and ongoing costs that
result from implementation of this bill (special fund).
While fee revenue will eventually roughly cover all
implementation and administration costs, there will be a delay
in fee collection, during which time DFG will incur unfunded
costs. This is because DFG must develop a proposed class II
fee amount and the Fish and Game Commission (FGC) must approve
the fee amount, before DFG many collect any class II fee. It
is not clear DFG can cover these unfunded costs from other
departmental funds during the interim.
SB 1480
Page 2
In addition, DFG expresses concern that the class II
fee-paying universe may be too small to support the class II
fee, which DFG estimates will be $1,200 to $1,500, if a large
number of current commercial trapping operations cease
operation as a result of the fee.
SUMMARY (continued)
Specifically, this bill:
1)Establishes a class I trapping license, which, consistent with
the general trapping license authorized by existing law,
allows a licensee to take fur-bearing mammals and nongame
mammals and to sell the raw fur.
2)Establishes a class II trapping license, which authorizes a
licensee to provide trapping services to the public for
profit.
3)Authorizes FGC to establish a base fee for a class II license
sufficient to cover all directly related administration,
implementation and enforcement costs incurred by DFG and FGC.
4)Requires a class II licensee to provide each client with a
written contract of prescribed information, including the
trapper's license number and contact information; declaration
that state law only allows commercial trapping for damage to
crops and property and not for risks to health and safety,
identification of the animals or species targeted for
trapping; and other information.
5)Requires a class II licensees to make a reasonable effort to
avoid orphaning young animals, and prohibits such a licensee
from killing or setting traps for lactating females.
6)Requires DFG to publish on its website a list of class II
licensees authorized to provide commercial trapping services
to the public.
7)Prohibits:
a) Killing of any trapped animal by means of intentional
drowning, injection with a chemical not sold for the
purpose of euthanizing animals, or chest crushing, with
specified exceptions.
SB 1480
Page 3
b) Soliciting trapping business from the public under a
class II trapping license for any reason other than damage
to crops or property.
c) Trapping bats, except by use of nets or exclusion, as
specified.
8)Requires DFG to assist property owners who contact the
department to report bats entering the interior of a
structure.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale. The author intends this bill to enact consumer
protections against unscrupulous commercial trapping practices
and to ban the most inhumane wildlife trapping practices.
2)Background. Existing law requires trappers of fur-bearing
mammals or nongame mammals for profit to be licensed by FGC,
with no distinction between fur trappers and those who trap
pests commercially. A person or business may contract for
commercial trapping services to address only damage to crops
or other property. Commercial trapping services may not be
engaged to address threats to human health and safety.
Rather, state law requires such threats be addressed by DFG,
local animal control officers of other authorized public
agents.
3)Support . This bill is supported by numerous animal welfare
groups, who assert that consumers have little protection from
unscrupulous commercial trappers who produce misleading
promotional materials and use cruel, indiscriminate trapping
methods. These supporters contend it appropriate to license
and regulate commercial trappers, consistent with licensing
and regulation of many other commercial services.
4)Opposition . This bill is opposed by The California Farm
Bureau Federation, certain hunting organizations and at least
two commercial trapping services, who are concerned that fee
and regulatory requirements are unnecessary and onerous.
Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081
SB 1480
Page 4