California Assembly Bill 702, which originally sought to regulate all breeders and was then amended to become a “Dog and Cat Bill of Rights” has not met the deadline for committee consideration and is now officially dead.
AKC GR strongly encourages California club and residents to take a minute to join AKC GR in thanking the members of the Assembly Business and Professions Committee for not considering this bill in any form, and thanking the author for agreeing to not ask that the bill be scheduled. Scroll down for contact information.
Background:
In 2021, Assemblymember Miguel Santiago of Los Angeles authored AB 702, which would have regulated all breeders in the state. It also included many requirements that would have been virtually impossible for hobbyists to follow, and some requirements that were not in the best interest of dogs or local shelters.
Thanks to an outpouring of communication from AKC GR, California clubs, and local shelters, among others, the author, in conjunction with leadership on the Assembly Business and Professions Committee, agreed to table the bill until 2022.
In January 2021, the bill was significantly amended to instead become a “Dog and Cat Bill of Rights”. While it did not include the troubling breeder regulations, it had many problematic and concerning provisions. AKC GR had significant concerns with this amended bill.
Once again, the author and committee agreed to not schedule a hearing on the bill, even as amended. Now the deadline for considering 2021 bills in this committee has passed, so AB 702 is officially dead.
What You Can Do:
AKC GR is closely monitoring bills, as it is possible the author or others may introduce additional dog bills during the 2022 session.
It is essential that the author, the Business and Professions Committee, and your Assemblymember and Senator hear from California dog owners and hobbyists. Let them know how much you appreciate that AB 702 was tabled and respectfully ask that no bills seeking to extensively regulate dog ownership in the state be introduced or considered this year. Encourage them to work with AKC, AKC clubs, and breeders to develop effective solutions for the state. When contacting them, consider sharing this brief document that highlights the good works and value of AKC and clubs.
- Contact the author – Ultimately, it was Assemblyman Santiago (author of AB 702) who had the bill tabled. Thank him for agreeing to pull the bill in 2021 and 2022. Encourage him to work with AKC and breeders to develop effective solutions for California dogs.
Miguel Santiago (Dist. 53)
Sacramento Office: (916) 319-2053
Los Angeles District Office: (213) 620-4646
- Thank the Chair and Vice Chair of the Assembly Business and Professions Committee – Let them know you appreciate that AB 702 was not considered by the committee this session. While we understand that future legislation may or may not be assigned to this committee, respectfully encourage them to work with AKC and breeders should legislation regarding dog ownership be assigned to the committee. If you are a constituent, be sure to mention that when contacting them:
Marc Berman, Chair (Dist. 24)
Sacramento Office: (916) 319-2024
Palo Alto Office: (650) 324-0224
Heath Flora, Vice Chair (Dist. 12)
Sacramento Office: (916) 319-2012
Ripon District Office: (209) 599-2112
assemblymember.flora@assembly.ca.gov
- Contact your Assemblymember and State Senator – Let them know you are a constituent dog owner/breeder/hobbyist and ask that they not support or author any legislation this year that would extensively regulate dog owners. Encourage them to work with the AKC and local clubs should a dog issue or bill be brought to their attention or authored during the 2022 session.
Visit the AKC Legislative Action Center at akcgr.org and type your zip code in the “Find Officials” box on the right side of the home page to get the name and contact information for your State Assemblymember and State Senator.
AKC Government Relations continues to closely monitor California legislation and will provide updates as they are available. For questions or more information, contact AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org.