The California Department of Finance opposes a proposed bobcat hunting and trapping ban making its way through the state legislature. Assembly Member Sydney Kamlager-Dove’s (D- Los Angeles) Assembly Bill 1254 has already passed the Assembly by a vote of 54-21. The Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee also approved AB 1254 by a vote of 5 to 2. However, the Senate Appropriations Committee has placed the bill on the suspense file, temporarily halting its progress while it considers the fiscal impact of the bill.
This pause will give committee members time to consider a recent analysis by the state Department of Finance that reported that the implementation of AB 1254 would put such financial stress on the Fish and Game Preservation Fund that it “would hinder the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (DFW) ability to carry out its core programs.”
Take Action Today! California sportsmen should call the Senate Appropriations Committee members and let them know that the Department of Finance believes that AB 1254 will damage California’s ability to manage wildlife. Ask them to vote NO on AB 1254 to protect conservation and the rights of sportsmen. Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee are below:
Senate Appropriations Committee
Senator Anthony J. Portantino (Chair) |
(916) 651-4025 |
Senator Patricia C. Bates (Vice Chair) | (916) 651-4036 |
Senator Steven Bradford | (916)651-4035 |
Senator Maria Elena Durazo | (916) 651-4024 |
Senator Jerry Hill | (916) 651-4013 |
Senator Brian W. Jones | (916) 651-4038 |
Senator Bob Wieckowski | (916) 651-4010 |
There is no scientific reason to ban bobcat hunting. The population is thriving in California, and the Department of Fish and Wildlife found there was no danger of over harvest since the total bobcat take in recent years had been substantially less than 20 percent of the statewide harvest quota, which is itself very conservative. During last year’s hunting season, only 331 bobcats were harvested. Should AB 1254 become law, California taxpayers will be saddled with additional financial burdens to provide revenue for DFW.
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.