Ask Governor Brown to Veto SB-1221

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Ask Governor Brown to Veto SB-1221

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Governor Jerry Brown
State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814

SB 1221 (Lieu) - Bear and bobcat hunting with dogs – VETO SB-1221
Dear Governor Brown;
I am writing to respectfully ask that you veto SB 1221.
Bear and bobcat hunting with dogs has been debated by the CA State legislature numerous times. See: SB 67-Petris 1993-94, SB 380-Hayden 1993-94, SB 1143-Sher 1997-98 and AB 342-Koretz 2003. All of these bills attempted to ban the use of dogs for the hunting of bears and bobcats. All of these failed or were amended to address other issues. This bill is simply more of the same. Natural resource management decisions - including method of take should not be made by the State Legislature, but appropriately by the California Fish and Game Commission, in public forum and based on the best available science.
The sponsors of SB 1221, HSUS (Humane Society of The United States) have mislead legislators as to the necessity of banning the use of hounds for hunting of bears and bobcats, alleging that this measure has been successful in other states when, in fact, the opposite is true. In Both Washington and Oregon, statistics show that when hound hunting of these predators ceases, the number of maulings and attacks has, in fact, increased
The Department of Finance testified that SB 1221 would have a direct financial impact to state - including an expected loss of approximately $400,000 in annual revenue to the Department of Fish and Game resulting from the drop in hunting license and bear tag sales. This figure does not take in to account what it will cost the state to manage its growing bear population. Bear population has increased four-fold in the last 30 years to over 35,000 bears. The state will have to pay federal USDA hunters to keep the bear population from exploding if hunting with hounds is no longer allowed. This cost needs to be considered.
I ask you to focus your attention on the more pressing needs facing our state. This bill annually takes hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Department of Fish and Game. SB 1221 causes lost revenue to local communities, loss of sales tax and increased costs to the state, and creates a public safety threat. For all these reasons, please veto SB 1221.
Sincerely,
Name:
Address:

Governor Jerry Brown
c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 445-2841
Fax: (916) 558-3160
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