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.

The Humane Society of the United States thanks Assembly Appropriations Chair Mike Gatto; Urges Assembly to Approve Legislation to Prohibit Bear and Bobcat Hounding



Submitted by The Humane Society on Aug 15, 2012

The Humane Society of the United States is urging its more than 1.2 million California supporters to contact their member of the California Assembly now that the Appropriations Committee has advanced Senate Bill 1221, authored by Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, to the Assembly floor. SB 1221, which passed the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee last month on a vote of 8 to 4 and the California Senate by a vote of 22 to 15 in May, would prohibit the inhumane and unsporting practice of bear and bobcat hounding.

Hounding involves fitting dogs with high‐tech radio devices that allow bear and bobcat trophy hunters to monitor the dogs' movement remotely. Dogs are released to chase frightened wild animals often for miles, across all types of habitat, including forests, private property and into national parks. Dogs pursue their target until the exhausted animal climbs a tree to escape or turns to confront the dog pack. The trophy hunter then kills his cornered prey, often shooting the animal off a tree branch at point-blank range.

“Hounding of bears and bobcats is an archaic practice that belongs in California’s past, not its future,” said Sen. Lieu. “Eighty three percent of Californians oppose hounding, and I urge members of the Assembly to vote in favor of outlawing this inhumane and unnecessary activity.”

“Allowing packs of radio-collared dogs to chase bears and bobcats for miles, only for the terrified and exhausted animal to later be shot out of a tree, is unacceptable,” said Jennifer Fearing, California senior state director for the HSUS. “The Humane Society of the United States thanks Assembly Appropriations Chair Mike Gatto and calls on Californians to engage and urge their Assemblymember to ban this cruel and inhumane practice.”

Facts:

• Fourteen states – including Colorado, , Montana, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington – allow bear hunting but prohibit hounding. Montana’s wildlife management officials consider prohibiting bear hounding a feature of the state’s “fair chase” principles.
• A statewide survey conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, Inc. in 2011 reveals that 83 percent of California voters oppose allowing packs of dogs to chase and kill bears – with 75 percent of voters saying they would support a statewide ballot measure to end this trophy hunting method that puts bears, dogs and other wildlife in jeopardy of serious harm, suffering and death.
• SB 1221 would make California the 15th state to prohibit the hounding of bears and the 14th state to ban the hounding of bobcats.
• Dogs can be struck by vehicles, die from dehydration or as a result of violent confrontations with wildlife, and many are abandoned, which puts a strain on local animal shelters.
• SB 1221 is co-authored by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, Sens. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco and Leland Yee, D-South San Francisco and Assemblymembers Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, Bob Blumenfield, D-Van Nuys, Mike Eng, D-Monterey Park, Paul Fong, D-Cupertino, Anthony Portantino, D-La Canada-Flintridge, Jose Solorio, D-Anaheim and Das Williams, D-Santa Barbara.
• Thousands of Californians including wildlife advocates, ranchers, hunters and landowners have written or called in support of SB 1221, as have dozens of animal protection, wildlife rehabilitation and animal sheltering organizations including The HSUS, Sierra Club California, ASPCA, State Humane Association of California, the Bear League and Wildcare.
• Editorial boards for the Los Angeles Times, the Ventura County Star, the Riverside Press-Enterprise, and the San Jose Mercury News have all called for enactment of SB 1221. The Marin County Board of Supervisors and the Los Angeles City Council have also passed supportive resolutions.
• The HSUS conducted an analysis of California Department of Fish and Game law enforcement reports from 2007-2012 and found more than 500 incidents related to illegal hounding activities and bear and bobcat poaching. The poaching incidents included houndsmen killing bears to illegally sell parts of the animals on the black market, houndsmen trespassing, poaching bear cubs, hounds attacking livestock and cruelty to hounds. Many of the poaching incidents were also associated with narcotics charges and other illegal activity by houndsmen with prior felony convictions. 

You can read this article and more at the Opposing Views blog by clicking HERE

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Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly.  He represents Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and portions of Atwater Village along with the cities of Burbank and Glendale.  His web site is asm.ca.gov/gatto or  e-mail Mike at: assemblymember.gatto@assembly.ca.gov, or call him at (818) 558-3043.

Gatto Approves Bill that Bans Hunting of Bears, Bobcats

July 7, 2012 | 6:28 p.m.

The Sacramento office of Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Silver Lake) received a petition last Monday morning signed by 2,000 residents in his district urging him to support a bill that would ban the use of hounds in the hunting of bears and bobcats after he failed to vote on the measure a few days earlier.

Gatto approved the bill later that day, sending it to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

Gatto said there were several last-minute amendments made to SB 1221 that he wanted to study before casting a vote.

In the first round of voting, the bill needed seven votes to pass before the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife, but only got six, with Gatto abstaining.

“I checked with a number of my constituents who I turn to for advice on these issues and they thought the provisions in the bill were workable and made sense for California,” Gatto said during a phone interview.

He said his office also received many phone calls regarding the measure from people living in, and outside, the 43rd Assembly District.

Jennifer Fearing, California director for the Humane Society of the United States, said her organization is elated Gatto voted in favor of the bill.

“We are very pleased that the forward momentum for this bill continues,” she said.

She added that she feels confident that the outreach efforts in Gatto's district were “powerful and persuasive.”

During the petition drive, one volunteer who gathered about 500 signatures said 100% of the people who stopped and talked to her signed the document.

-- Mark Kellam, Times Community News

Twitter: @LAMarkKellam

Article from the Glendale News-Press, read this article at the Glendale News-Press HERE

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Mike Gatto is the Assistant Speaker Pro Tempore of the California State Assembly.  He represents the cities of Burbank, Glendale, and parts of Los Angeles, including Los Feliz, North Hollywood, Silver Lake, Toluca Lake, Valley Glen, and Van Nuys.  He has served in the Assembly since June 2010.  E-mail Mike at: assemblymember.gatto@assembly.ca.gov, or call (818) 558-3043.

Website of Assemblyman Mike Gatto: www.asm.ca.gov/gatto