April 25th Update
April 30th Technical Amendments
The Business and Professions Committee suggested several technical amendments in their bill analysis and Assemblyman Levine verbally agreed to those amendments at the April 24th hearing. The amendments do NOT make any substantive changes to the bill. They only standardize the terminology in the bill and make grammatical corrections.
AB 1634 - The More Than $100 Million Mistake
After passing the Assembly Business and Professions committee, California Assembly Bill 1634 has been referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. This is a new step in the legislative process requiring that all breeders and concerned dog owners write this new committee to express your opposition to AB 1634, as your previous letters to the Assembly Business and Professions committee are no longer valid. It is imperative that when writing your letters of opposition, please state that you “oppose AB 1634, as amended by the Business and Professions Committee on April 24th.”
No substantive changes have been made to AB 1634. It continues to require the mandatory spaying or neutering of all dogs or cats over four months of age, unless the owner acquires an intact animal permit.
The American Kennel Club strongly supports reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the welfare and health of purebred dogs and do not restrict the rights of breeders and owners who take their responsibilities seriously. In its current form, AB 1634 proposes to seriously restrict the property rights of responsible breeders and owners while imposing untold and unjust punitive costs upon their activities.
If adopted, the provisions of AB 1634 would have a profound negative economic impact on both the state and local economies in California. For example:
- In 2006, AKC exhibitors at all-breed dog shows, agility trials, obedience trials, and field
trials held in California contributed approximately $92 million to local economies. This figure
will be drastically reduced if AB 1634 becomes law.
- The 2006 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship, held at the Long Beach Convention Center,
brought a significant economic impact of $21.7 million to the local economy. Under the provisions
of AB 1634, an out-of-state dog entering California temporarily to compete would not be exempted
from its provisions. This would make it virtually impossible for the vast majority of our
exhibitors to attend this event. This would mean a major loss of revenue for California as well as
the probable loss of this prestigious event to another state.
- Because localities would set intact permit fees, breeders would face an undefined but
increased economic burden. As seen in other jurisdictions that have imposed permit regimes, many
breeders will move out of state or may be forced to take their operations underground. As a result,
the amount of licensing fees collected will be reduced significantly.
- AB 1634 provides an unfunded mandate for local governments to implement and enforce. Many local governments do not have the resources to impose the provisions of the bill.
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW:
- Contact your representative in the California State Assembly. To find your Assemblymember, click here.
- Contact the members of the California Assembly Appropriations Committee who will consider
this bill. Tell them that you strongly oppose AB 1634 as amended by the Business and Professions
Committee on April 24th.
It is imperative that clubs send official opposition letters to the committee consultants to ensure your club is listed in the bill analysis!
Assembly Appropriations Committee
ATTN: Chuck Nicol, Committee Consultant
State Capitol, Room 2114
Sacramento, California 95814
FAX: (916) 319-2181
Assembly Republican Fiscal Office
ATTN: Chris Ryan
State Capitol. Room 6031
Sacramento, CA 95814
FAX: (916) 319-3560
- Contact the members of the California Assembly Appropriations Committee who will consider this bill. Tell them that you strongly oppose AB 1634 as amended by the Business and Professions Committee on April 24th. For a complete list of committee members, please click here.
For more information, contact AKC’s Canine Legislation Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail doglaw@akc.org.
The Canine Legislation Department will continue to monitor developments in California, and will issue Legislative Alerts as they warrant.
