AKC is monitoring several bills impacting dog owners in California. Below are a few highlights in advance of the June 2 deadline for legislation to advance out of the chamber where it was introduced.
To see the complete list visit the AKC legislative action center at www.akcgr.org and/or the AKC legislative tracker. AKC Government Relations (AKC GR) will continue to provide updates and alerts on these and other bills that could impact you.
Bills Supported by AKC:
- Senate Bill 89 – Crimes: Stalking.
Status: Passed Senate Public Safety and Appropriations Committees; pending before full Senate.
Summary: This bill would bring California’s stalking laws in line with federal law in protecting a domestic violence victim’s pets from being targeted by an abuser without consequence. AKC has worked with Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh on this bill and supports its passage.
What You Can Do: This bill must be voted out of the Senate before Friday, June 2. To register your support, send an email to Senate Leaders: President pro Tempore Toni Atkins (senator.atkins@senate.ca.gov) and Minority Leader Brian Jones (senator.jones@senate.ca.gov) simply stating that you support Senate Bill 89 because it protects domestic violence victims and their pets.
- Assembly Bill 1215 – Pets Assistance with Support Grant Program: homeless shelters: domestic violence shelters: pets.
Status: Passed Assembly Housing and Community Development and Assembly Appropriations Committees; bill before the full Assembly.
Summary: Currently, many shelters for domestic violence victims and homeless people are not able to accommodate people with pets, causing many to avoid the shelter system. This bill would use state grants to allow for domestic violence and homeless shelters to be able accommodate pets with the goal of removing more people from harmful situations. The AKC supports this proposal.
What You Can Do: This bill must be voted out of the Assembly before Friday, June 2. To register your support, send an email to Assembly Leaders: Speaker Anthony Rendon (assemblymember.rendon@assembly.ca.gov), Majority Leader Eloise Gomez Reyes (assemblymember.reyes@assembly.ca.gov), and Republican Leader James Gallagher (assemblymember.gallagher@assembly.ca.gov) simply stating your support for Assembly Bill 1215 because it protects domestic violence victims, the homeless, and pets.
- Assembly Bill 781 – Accessibility to emergency information and services: emergency shelters: persons with pets.
Status: Passed Assembly Emergency Management and Assembly Appropriations Committees; bill before the whole Assembly.
Summary: This bill would require a city or county, on or before July 1, 2024, to update its emergency plan to designate emergency shelters able to accommodate persons with pets. The AKC supports this bill.
What You Can Do: This bill must be voted out of the Assembly before Friday, June 2. To register your support, send an email to Assembly Leaders: Speaker Anthony Rendon (assemblymember.rendon@assembly.ca.gov), Majority Leader Eloise Gomez Reyes (assemblymember.reyes@assembly.ca.gov), and Republican Leader James Gallagher (assemblymember.gallagher@assembly.ca.gov) simply stating your support for Assembly Bill 781 because it protects the public, pets, and emergency services personnel from needlessly being forced to stay in dangerous environments.
- Assembly Bill 703 – Residential property insurance: dog breeds.
Status: Missed committee deadline; will not advance this year.
Summary: This bill would have banned breed specific discrimination in residential insurance policies against dog owners. AKC strongly supported this bill and similar legislation.
What You Can Do: No action required. Although this bill will not advance this year, AKC looks forward to supporting similar legislation in the future. If you would like to thank the bill’s author for his efforts to end breed discrimination in residential insurance policies, you can email your appreciation to Assemblymember Gregg Hart (assemblymember.hart@assembly.ca.gov).
- Assembly Bill 1518 – Service dogs.
Status: Unanimously passed Assembly Business and Professions Committee; held in Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Summary: This bill would have required the Department of Consumer Affairs to conduct a statewide education campaign to raise public awareness on both the value of service dogs and to ensure they do not suffer from abuse.
What You Can Do: No action required. Although this bill will not advance this year, AKC looks forward to supporting similar legislation in the future. If you would like to thank the bill’s author for supporting the value of service dogs, you can email your appreciation to Assemblymember Laura Friedman (assemblymember.friedman@assembly.ca.gov).
Additional Bill Monitored by AKC:
- Assembly Bill 554 – Corporations for the prevention of cruelty to animals: enforcement of laws.
Status: Passed Assembly Judiciary and Assembly Banking and Finance Committees; bill before full Assembly.
Summary: As originally drafted, this bill could have made it make it easier for an owner’s animals to be seized without traditional due process protections. After working with the bill’s author to amend the bill, AKC’s concerns have been adequately addressed. We thank Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel for his willingness to work with us.
What You Can Do: AKC continues to monitor this bill, but no action is necessary at this time.
- Assembly Bill 742 – Law enforcement: police canines.
Status: Passed Assembly Public Safety Assembly Appropriations Committees; bill before full Assembly.
Summary: After recent amendments, this bill would restrict the use of police canines for the purpose of arrest, apprehension, or any form of crowd control. AKC recognizes the value of highly trained working K9s for a wide variety of jobs including detection, search and rescue, and other public safety functions. Rather than limiting the safety functions of properly trained working K9s, AKC encourages the bill’s sponsor to focus on ensuring that law enforcement canines and their handlers have the proper and up-to-date training, certifications, and knowledge of best practices to keep all Californians safe.
What You Can Do: Those who wish to comment on the bill can contact Assembly Leadership: Speaker Anthony Rendon (assemblymember.rendon@assembly.ca.gov), Majority Leader Eloise Gomez Reyes (assemblymember.reyes@assembly.ca.gov), and Republican Leader James Gallagher (assemblymember.gallagher@assembly.ca.gov).
- Assembly Bill 1399 – Veterinary medicine: veterinarian-client-patient relationship: telehealth.
Status: Passed Assembly Business and Professions and Assembly Appropriations Committees; bill before full Assembly.
Summary: Currently, telemedicine for animals can only be conducted after first establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship or in cases of emergency. This bill would expand telehealth for animals to more every day, regular medical needs.
What You Can Do: Those who wish to comment on the bill can contact Assembly Leadership: Speaker Anthony Rendon (assemblymember.rendon@assembly.ca.gov), Majority Leader Eloise Gomez Reyes (assemblymember.reyes@assembly.ca.gov), and Republican Leader James Gallagher (assemblymember.gallagher@assembly.ca.gov).
AKC Government Relations continues to monitor bills in California impacting dog owners and will provide updates. For questions or more information, contact AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org.