Sportsmen Delay California Anti-Hunting Bill
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Sportsmen Delay California Anti-Hunting Bill





California sportsmen’s grassroots action has helped impede the advancement of legislation that will target hunting dog competitors and field coursers. Sportsmen in the state should continue to oppose the bill until it is defeated.

On May 10, the Assembly Appropriations Committee heard AB 2110, a bill that will make open field coursing competitions illegal. Lawmakers received a flood of messages from California sportsmen who understand that a ban on competitive field coursing is the opening salvo in a war against hunting with dogs and, ultimately, all hunting. As a result, the committee recommended the bill be temporarily filed until it can get a better view of the bill's aggregate fiscal impacts.

Cost analysis of AB 2110 done by several non-government groups has shown that the bill will cost local law enforcement $1.3 million. The committee will reconsider the bill at the end of May. Its advancement at that time will be dependant upon costs to local governments and Assembly members’ impressions of the issue’s importance.

Grassroots action by members of the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, California Houndsmen for Conservation, Masters of Foxhounds Association of America, United Kennel Club, and numerous field coursing and falconry clubs helped delay AB 2110. The holdup of the bill, sponsored by Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, D-El Cerrito, is a second measure of victory for sportsmen. The first was an amendment to remove language that would have made those who hunt with dogs and pet owners whose dogs have run-ins with backyard wildlife vulnerable to prosecution. The amended bill only bans coursing competitions.

Take Action! California sportsmen should continue to ask assembly members to oppose AB 2110. Explain that the bill is a step towards the prohibition of hunting with dogs and, ultimately, all hunting. To find your legislator, call (916) 319-2856 or use the Legislative Action Center at www.ussportsmen.org.

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