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For reference, here is a list of bills SCIL is sponsoring in 2024:
AB 2012 (Lee): Animal shelter reporting requirements
This bill will require the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to resume collecting specified data from public animal shelters as part of its annual rabies control activities reporting. It gives CDPH the authority to contract out the responsibility of collecting the data to a California veterinary school.
AB 1983 (Maienschein): Reinstates the tax check-off program for spay and neuter grants
The tax check-off program collected roughly $300,000 per year to fund grants administered by CDFA for low-cost spay and neuter programs for eight years in a row, until it expired in 2023. This bill will reinstate the program and allow CDFA to administer tax check-off program funds in conjunction with grants funded by the Pet Lover’s License Plate Fund, which also go to spay and neuter services.
AB 2133 (Kalra): Allows RVTs to perform cat neuters
By allowing registered veterinary technicians (RVTs) to perform neuter surgeries on male cats, this bill will increase the availability of much-needed neuter services, and in so doing will help alleviate the state’s pervasive pet overpopulation crisis. RVTs already administer anesthesia and perform dental extractions, both widely considered more difficult procedures than neutering a male cat.
AB 2640 (Kalra): Strengthens student opt-out provisions for animal dissection, and encourages phase out by 2028
This bill will encourage schools to phase out the use of live animal dissection in K-12 classrooms by 2028 with the exception of AP classes and specialized agricultural courses. It will also strengthen protections for students by ensuring that they are informed of their right to opt out of animal dissection and be given an alternative assignment, and that they are not punished for opting out and can file a complaint to the school if their right to opt out is infringed upon.
AB 3053 (Kalra): Allows families to opt out of junior program slaughter auctions
This bill will ensure that state rules governing junior fair exhibits for programs such as 4-H and Future Farmers of America allow families whose children raise animals through those programs to spare the animals from being sent to slaughter at any time before the animal is transferred offsite. It will also allow any winning auction bidder to pick up the animal alive, even if it was purchased through a “terminal” or “market” sale.
AB 2425 (Essayli): Dog breeder and animal shelter regulations
This bill has several provisions:
1. Expands the definition of dog breeder to include anyone selling ten or more dogs.
2. Ensures all dogs sold by breeders are microchipped and vaccinated.
3. Ensures animal shelters post the adoption availability of animals on their website or a third-party website.
4. Directs the state to study the pet overpopulation problem and propose solutions.
AB 3162 (Bennett): Bans octopus farming
This bill will preemptively ban octopus aquaculture as well as sales of farmed octopus.
We will also be actively supporting:
AB 2216 (Haney): This bill will put modest protections in place restricting landlords from outright banning pets in their rental units.
SB 1233 (Wilk): This bill will request that California's two veterinary schools implement a high-quality certification program for high-volume spay and neuter.
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