Breaking News!

3 SCIL Sponsored Bills Advance in California State Legislature!

AB 2133 passed the Assembly Business and Professions Committee with a final vote of 13-3!

We want to thank the Assembly Business and Professions Committee for understanding the pet overpopulation crisis in our state, and in passing AB 2133.

We also want to thank Assemblymember Kalra for carrying this important bill, and our incredible witnesses: Dr. Richard Johnson, Founder and CEO of All God’s Creatures Teaching Hospital and Surgery Center in El Cajon, CA, and former member of the California Veterinary Medical Board, and Nancy Ehrlich, Legislative Advocate, California Veterinary Technician Association.

Veterinary care is increasingly difficult to access for the public and animal shelters, including when it comes to spay and neuter services, which are the key to solving California’s pet overpopulation crisis.

Watch the hearing below.

Here is the final vote count for today:

Voted "Yes": Berman, Flora, J. Carillo, Chen, Grayson, Jackson, Low, Lowenthal, McKinnor, S. Nguyen, Pellerin, Soria, Zbur.

Voted "No": Alanis, Dixon, Sanchez

Heard Testimony and Abstained from Voting:

Irwin, Bains

Next, the bill will be heard by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

AB 3162 passed the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife with a vote of 13-1 (Assemblymember Laurie Davies R-Laguna Niguel was the one "No" vote)!

Did you know that companies operating in Spain and Hawaii are trying to figure out how to farm octopus? 

AB 3162, authored by Assemblymember Steve Bennett (D-Santa Barbara) and cosponsored by SCIL and ALDF, will preemptively ban this barbaric practice in California and prohibit the sale of imported farmed octopus.

Due to their complex mental abilities, octopuses have significant enrichment needs that cannot be met in farming environments. Intensively confining these highly intelligent, solitary animals in unnatural farming conditions increases the likelihood of stress, aggressive activity, and mortality. Such cruelty should have no place in California.  

The bill will be heard by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

AB 1983 passed the full Assembly with a vote of 70-0!

The bill, authored by Assemblymember Brian Maienschein (D-San Diego) reinstates a voluntary tax contribution program allowing Californians to donate their tax refund to the "Prevention of Animal Homelessness and Cruelty Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund," which will fund programs to eliminate pet homelessness including through spay and neuter grants.

Currently, the only ongoing funding for free or low-cost spay and neuter services is the approximately $400,000 granted out annually through the Pet Lover’s License Plate Fund, also a SCIL driven program. Much more is needed, which is why it's so important to get this program back up and running!

The bill now moves to the Senate where it will likely be heard the Revenue and Taxation Committee.

If you appreciate and support what we do, please donate today. Our group exists on your donations alone. Getting these lifesaving bills passed is not easy, and takes lots of time and resources. Please give today!

Thank you so much,

Judie Mancuso, Founder/CEO/President

Social Compassion in Legislation