Urgent! Help our Friends at CLAW Citizens for Los Angeles Wildlife support AB1322

Aug 30

Important Update:

Last week, AB 1322 was put in Suspense by the CA Senate Appropriations Committee meaning it runs the risk of being held indefinitely (i.e. not passed).

This Friday, Sept 1, the Appropriations Committee chaired by Senator Anthony Portantino, will decide whether to advance the bill.

As a refresher, AB 1322 would expand restrictions on toxic rat poisons and set a moratorium on the deadly first-generation anticoagulant rodenticide Diphacinone.

It is crucial that this bill passes for the safety of our wildlife, pets, children, and ecosystems. More than half of wildlife tested in California have been exposed to rodenticides. Even more sobering for us Angelenos, are these stats that came out of a study in the Santa Monica Mountains:

94% of mountain lions tested positive for rodenticides
92% of bobcats tested positive for rodenticides
83% of coyotes tested positive for rodenticides

So, why was AB 1322 put into Suspense? Certain state departments have argued that it would cost too much money to implement and maintain. We do NOT agree. We see these arguments as last-ditch attempts to kill the bill.

You can read CLAW's support letter for AB 1322 here.

Your voice is critically needed!

Help urge Senator Portantino to advance the bill!

Contact information for Senator Portantino is available here, call or you can email the committee staff working on the bill:

Ashley Ames (Ashley.Ames@sen.ca.gov).

You're welcome to also contact the following Democratic Senators from the committee:

Senator Angelique V. Ashby (staff member is Cassidy Denny; Cassidy.Denny@sen.ca.gov)
Senator Steven Bradford (staff member is Christopher Morales; Christopher.Morales@sen.ca.gov)
Senator Aisha Wahab (staff member is Zachariah Oquenda; Zachariah.Oquenda@sen.ca.gov)
Senator Scott D. Wiener (staff member is Raayan Mohtashemi; Raayan.Mohtashemi@sen.ca.gov)

A sample email is included below, but please edit it to make it your own.

Draft Email:

Dear Chair Portantino and Committee Members,

My name is FIRST LAST. I strongly support AB 1322 which protects California wildlife and communities against harmful rodenticides.

Anticoagulant rodenticides are poisoning California wildlife and have been documented in at least 38 nontarget species including the critically endangered San Joaquin kit fox and California condor. The problem is so severe that over 70% of wildlife tested in California are exposed to rodenticides. National Park Service researchers have documented the presence of anticoagulant rodenticides in 39 out of 40 mountain lions tested in the Santa Monica Mountains, which are already threatened with local extinction from habitat fragmentation and lack of wildlife connectivity. In September 2022, the four unborn kittens of a pregnant mountain lion named P-54 also tested positive for anticoagulant rodenticides.

AB 1322 is desperately needed to extend the existing moratorium on dangerous second generation anticoagulant rodenticides and strengthen future restrictions on anticoagulant rodenticides, including the first generation anticoagulant diphacinone, to better protect wildlife, children, and pets.

Please advance the bill to the full Senate.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

[FIRST LAST]