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June 24, 2026

SCIL COSPONSORED AB 2344 PASSES SENATE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

SCIL OPPOSED AB 1722 PASSES SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE

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ATTEND PREMIERE OF "WE ARE ANIMALS" IN BEVERLY HILLS!

SCIL Cosponsored bill: AB 2344 (Haney), the Justice for Seized Animals Act, Passes

Senate Public Safety Committee

Click above to watch the AB 2344 Senate Public Safety Committee hearing.

Sacramento, CA - Yesterday, AB 2344 authored by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) and cosponsored by Social Compassion in Legislation and the Los Angeles County District Attorney, passed the Senate Public Safety Committee with a unanimous vote of 6 to 0.

The bill will allow prosecutors to petition a court to require the forfeiture of animals seized in abuse cases when their accused owner fails to appear at their court hearing date. This will allow animals to be adopted into loving homes sooner, instead of being forced to remain in shelters for months or even years as evidence while criminal cases move through the court system.

AB 2344 has also been receiving media attention. Watch the recorded feed of our Los Angeles AB 2344 press conference HERE and read the SF Gate article about the bill here.

Find the fact sheet HERE.

The bill now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Stay tuned for updates!

AB 1722 (Hadwick), a bill we are opposing passes out of Senate Natural Resources Committee 7 - 0.

Click above to watch the very brief AB 1722 hearing.

With tensions at an all-time high in Northern California between ranchers and wolf conservationists, AB 1722 would create a statutory defense to criminal and civil penalties for killing a wolf or other animals if the killing was in "self-defense."

Our issue with the bill is not that we believe someone shouldn't be able to protect themselves in a legitimate attack from a wolf - its that there has not been any case where a person was prosecuted or fined for protecting themselves from an animal attack.

AB 1722 is a bill trying to solve a hypothetical problem.

Additionally, if it were to happen, we trust the Department of Fish and Wildlife to use there prosecutorial discretion in cases that truly required self-defense.

By codifying a self-defense framework, we believe that AB 1722 is laying a path for poachers to claim self-defense and thus be a "get out of jail free card."

Next, the bill will go to the Senate Appropriations Committee where we will remain opposed along with more than 1,000 of you who signed up to oppose the bill as well.

Attend the Premier of We Are Animals, Produced by Lady Freethinker's Founder, Nina Jackel

Lady Freethinker's Founder, Nina Jackel, joined Judie Mancuso and Nick Sackett to discuss her new documentary, We Are Animals. We were so impressed with the movie and applaud Nina on her hard work and dedication to produce it.

Below watch our short promo clip and the entire interview with Nina on our Because They Need Us Podcast.

The movie, which includes interviews with Judie Mancuso, Moby, Elaine Hendrix, Jim Greenbaum, and many others will premiere at the Lumiere Cinema for Marina Del Rey Film Festival tomorrow, Thursday, June 25th, at 6PM. The red carpet starts at 5:30. If you are interested in attending, tickets are easiest bought at the door, but can also be purchased on the Marina Del Rey Film Festival website linked above.

Location: 9036 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211

(Fyi, the Film Festival website is a bit difficult to navigate, so if you don't find the right ticket, do not worry! You will definitely be able to buy your ticket at the door.)

PROMO CLIP:

Entire Because They Need Us episode:

Social Compassion in Legislation has a sponsored political action committee!


Help us elect compassionate and qualified candidates for the state of California.

Please consider donating to Compassion PAC so that we can support as many candidates as possible who share our values.

Click below to access all of the

BECAUSE THEY NEED US episodes!

Thank you to everyone who has donated this year, 2026 has been very challenging for nonprofit organizations. We need your donations to exist! If you appreciate our work, please donate, we cannot continue without your financial support.

With tons of gratitude, Judie

Judie Mancuso, founder/CEO/president

Social Compassion, 501(c)(3)

Social Compassion in Legislation, 501(c)(4)

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