BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 2364
Author: V. Manuel Pérez (D)
Amended: 3/26/14 in Assembly
Vote: 21
SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE : 7-1, 6/10/14
AYES: Correa, Cannella, De León, Galgiani, Hernandez, Padilla,
Torres
NOES: Vidak
NO VOTE RECORDED: Berryhill, Lieu, Vacancy
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 52-10, 4/24/14 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : State amphibian: California red-legged frog
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill designates the California red-legged frog
(Rana draytonii) as the official state amphibian, and makes
legislative findings and declarations.
ANALYSIS : Existing law designates the following, among
others, as official state emblems:
State Bird - "California Valley Quail"
State Fish - "California Golden Trout"
State Animal - "California Grizzly"
State Reptile - "Desert Tortoise"
State Insect - "California Dogface Butterfly"
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AB 2364
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State Marine Mammal - "California Gray Whale"
State Marine Fish - "Garibaldi"
Official Marine Reptile - "Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle"
This bill:
1. Designates the California red-legged frog as the official
state amphibian.
2. Makes legislative findings and declarations including that
the California red-legged frog became famous for being the
frog featured in Mark Twain's short story The Celebrated
Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. Its unique place in
California history extends back to the 19th century gold
rush. Miners consumed nearly 80,000 red-legged frogs per
year, nearly eating the species to extinction. While the
red-legged frog is no longer consumed by humans, the species
continues to face myriad natural and man-made threats. These
threats include the introduction of invasive species in the
frog's habitat, as well as habitat loss. In May 1996, the
species was listed as a federal threatened species with the
State of California also classifying it as a species of
special concern and subject to protection in June 1996.
Background
The California red-legged frog is a rare species of frog found
almost exclusively in the State of California and ranges in size
from 2-5 inches long. It has a reddish coloring on the
underside of the legs and belly - its back and head can range
from red to brown and/or gray and the back and top of the legs
are covered in small black spots and large dark blotches.
California red-legged frog males communicate to females by a
series of short, soft grunts - "unh-unh-uh-uh-grr."
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local:
No
SUPPORT : (Verified 6/11/14)
Action for Animals
California Historical Society
Center for Biological Diversity
Humane Society of the United States
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AB 2364
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Live Oak Associates, Inc.
Prodigy Cats Club, Sea View Elementary School
Save the Frogs
Sierra Club
Wild Equity Institute
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : The author's office indicates that
general research and other data on amphibians provided by the
Prodigy Cats, an after school enrichment club at Sea View
Elementary School on the west shore of the Salton Sea, was the
basis for this bill. This bill declares the California
red-legged frog the official state amphibian. The author's
office believes that such a designation will highlight the
species' important place in the ecology and history of
California.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 52-10, 4/24/14
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Ammiano, Atkins, Bloom, Bocanegra,
Bonilla, Bonta, Bradford, Brown, Buchanan, Ian Calderon,
Campos, Chau, Cooley, Dababneh, Dickinson, Eggman, Fong, Fox,
Frazier, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gorell, Hall, Roger
Hernández, Holden, Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Lowenthal,
Maienschein, Medina, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Pan, Perea, V. Manuel
Pérez, Quirk, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas,
Skinner, Stone, Ting, Weber, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada,
John A. Pérez
NOES: Allen, Chávez, Dahle, Donnelly, Beth Gaines, Grove,
Hagman, Jones, Patterson, Wagner
NO VOTE RECORDED: Bigelow, Chesbro, Conway, Daly, Gordon, Gray,
Harkey, Linder, Logue, Mansoor, Melendez, Nazarian, Nestande,
Olsen, Quirk-Silva, Waldron, Wilk, Vacancy
MW:d 6/11/14 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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