PRESS RELEASE: Mike Gatto’s Bill to Enable More Dog Parks Signed Into Law

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August 12, 2013                                                                                                   Mobile (415) 889-9762

Mike Gatto’s Bill to Enable More Dog Parks Signed Into Law

Sacramento, CA – Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s (D-Los Angeles) bill to help local governments create dog parks was signed into law today by Governor Jerry Brown.  The idea for the bill came from Glendale City Councilmember Laura Friedman, who told Gatto that liability concerns were preventing small- and medium-sized cities from siting dog parks. 

“When Glendale was considering opening a dog park, one of the biggest concerns was protecting the City from liability,” said Friedman.  “I approached Assemblyman Gatto and am glad to see real action to address this problem for Glendale and other cities.”

Gatto’s AB 265 limits the liability that cities and counties face when operating dog parks and protects them from litigants who claim, for example, that they were unaware of potential dangers.  The current legal situation is muddled, causing many local governments to feel uncertain about potential liability.

Burbank City Councilman Jess Talamantes echoed the importance of AB 265.  “As a Councilman, I must be responsible with the city’s public finances and ensure that Burbank is protected from liability.  Assemblyman Gatto’s bill provides greater certainty that Burbank’s potential future investment in a dog park will not come back to bite us.”

AB 265’s Republican supporter, Assemblyman Brian Maienschein (R-San Diego), who served eight years on the San Diego City Council, expressed similar sentiments, saying “this bill would have made my life significantly easier when I was on the San Diego City Council and trying to site a dog park.” 

“Dog parks help build safer and stronger communities by providing a public space for neighbors to interact while training and socializing their dogs,” said Assemblyman Gatto.  “We should not allow liability concerns to be a barrier to creating these open spaces, especially in small- and medium-sized cities that cannot afford to self-insure.” 

Jennifer Fearing of the Humane Society of the United States emphasized the social importance of dog parks, especially for animal lovers with physical ailments.  “Dog parks enable senior citizens and people with disabilities, who cannot always walk their dogs, a safe alternative,” said Fearing.  “The Humane Society is glad for an opportunity to support a bill with the noble goal of nurturing the human-animal bond.”

Precedent exists for the state limiting liability to encourage specialized open spaces.  In 1997, the state imposed limited liability under certain circumstances for cities that open skate parks.  State lawmakers reasoned that more recreation opportunities were needed, but that skateboarding is inherently dangerous, and should be done at the users’ risk, and without massive liability for cities and their taxpayers.

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee in the California State Assembly.  He represents Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Atwater Village, East Hollywood, Franklin Hills, Hollywood Hills, Los Feliz, and Silver Lake.  www.asm.ca.gov/gatto

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Daily Breeze: Dog park legislation boosts Whittier plans

Excerpt from a great story by Peter Fullam of the Daily Breeze / San Gabriel Valley News on how my AB 265 is already having a positive effect in small/medium cities.

Members of the Whittier Dog Park Task Force gather with their dogs on the sidewalk around Central Park in Whittier on Friday April 22, 2011. (SGVN/Staff Photo by Keith Durflinger/SWCITY)

Cities would have immunity from bite lawsuits

By Peter Fullam, SGVN
twitter.com/peterfullam

Posted:   07/09/2013 07:01:55 PM PDT

WHITTIER - Plans for the city's dog park got a boost earlier this month when legislation giving cities immunity from lawsuits by people who get bitten at dog parks was sent to the Governor's Office.

"We were happy it was approved," said Fran Shields, director of the city's Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department. "It gives us an immunity shield for the dog park we're planning."

According to the Legislative Counsel's Digest, the bill provides that any public entity that owns or operates a dog park "shall not be held liable for an injury or death of a person or pet resulting solely from the actions of a dog in the dog park."

Shields said she hopes to bring plans for the dog park before the City Council by the end of August. If plans progress smoothly, construction on the dog park could begin by the end of the year, she said...

Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) authored AB 61 to help
small- and medium-sized cities open dog parks.

...Shields said the legislation, called Helping Communities Afford Dog Parks, is similar to earlier legislation that gave cities immunity from liability for injuries that happen at skate parks.

The bill was introduced by Assemblyman Mike Gatto, D-Los Angeles. It passed the state Senate June 24 and the Assembly June 27. It was sent to the Governor's Office on July 1, and a spokeswoman for Gatto said Tuesday the bill is waiting for the governor to sign it.

"It's a good thing for the city," Shields said of the legislation. "With this we're able to keep moving forward."

You can read more at http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_23629814/dog-park-legislation-boosts-whittier-plans

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee in the California State Assembly.  He represents Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Atwater Village, East Hollywood, Franklin Hills, Hollywood Hills, Los Feliz, and Silver Lake.  www.asm.ca.gov/gatto 

Gatto receives 100% on Humane Society Legislative Report Card

PRESS RELEASE: The Humane Society Legislative Fund Releases California State Humane Scorecard Scorecard evaluates elected officials on work for animals for the 2012 legislative session

SACRAMENTO (Feb. 11, 2013) -- The Humane Society Legislative Fund is releasing its California State Humane Scorecard for the 2012 legislative session. The scorecard provides a snapshot of California state lawmakers’ records on animal welfare policies. Lawmakers are scored based on their floor votes on bills addressing issues such as cockfighting, hound hunting, tenants with pets, trapping, and poaching. "The California State Humane Scorecard provides an easy way for constituents to assess how their lawmakers acted on animal protection issues, and it helps chart the progress of our public policy work on behalf of animals in the state," said Sara Amundson, executive director of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. "In 2012, California lawmakers banned the trophy hunting of bears and bobcats with packs of hounds, strengthened the penalties for illegal cockfighting, and cracked down on other abuses. The anti-cruelty laws of a state are a reflection of our basic values and attitudes toward animals, and this collection of bills is a measurable step forward for the state of California." The Humane Society Legislative Fund tracked seven bills during the session: A.B. 2402, which reforms state fish and wildlife management processes including changing the agency’s name to California Department of Fish and Wildlife; S.B. 1480, which protects pets and wildlife from unnecessary cruelty and death associated with wildlife trapping methods; A.B. 2179, which increases ability to prosecute and penalize for wildlife crimes; S.B. 1229, which prohibits landlords from requiring cats to be declawed or dogs to be devocalized as a condition of tenancy; S.B. 1221, which bans the hunting of bears and bobcats with hounds; A.B. 2609, which improves Fish and Game Commission appointments and business practices; and S.B. 1145, which increases fines for those convicted of participating in a cockfight. Five of the seven scored bills, including A.B. 2402, S.B 1229, S.B. 1221, A.B. 2609, and S.B. 1145, were signed into law in 2012. With the passage of these laws, California continues to hold its No. 1 ranking on The Humane Society of the United States’ “Humane State Ranking” of animal protection laws, a title it also held in 2010 and 2011. Highlights from the 2012 California Humane Scorecard include: Of the 119 members of the legislature scored, 43 received perfect scores – indicating a vote in support of animal protection for all seven scored bills, including 11 senators and 32 assemblymembers. Four members received more than 100 percent, reflecting their support of animal protection in all seven bills, as well as primary leadership on at least one of the scored bills. These members are state Senators Ellen Corbett, D-10, and Fran Pavley, D-23, and Assemblymembers Michael Allen, D-07, and Ben Hueso, D-79. The average score for state senators was 65 percent. The average score for assemblymembers was 67 percent. Only one state senator scored less than 29 percent and 53 assemblymembers scored 57 percent or higher. There were 24 members of the legislative animal protection caucus, which sponsors nonpartisan forums and briefings, tracks the progress of relevant legislation, provides members with dependable information on animal welfare issues and works to build broad coalitions in support of common-sense animal welfare laws. Media contact:  Kaitlin Sanderson, HSLF, (301) 721-6463, ksanderson@hslf.org Like HSLF on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation Follow HSLF on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. On the web at hslf.org.