The 2025 California State Legislative Session is half over with the May 2 deadline for policy committees to hear fiscal bills introduced in their house some bills have died, but countless others are still in play. The highlighted bills below are of particular interest to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and its mission.
AB 1038 (Hadwick) – Bears: Hunting: Use of Dogs
AB 1038 by Assembly Member Heather Hadwick (R/01-Redding) would provide wildlife managers and those responsible for public safety with science-based tools for the responsible management of California’s overabundant black bear populations. It would enhance public safety while preserving the wild nature of bears by requiring the Fish & Game Commission to designate specific seasons during which houndsmen may use dogs in the non-lethal pursuit of bears. Second, it would restore the authority of the Commission to restore a hound hunting season in the future, if deemed necessary, in areas identified by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) as requiring management.
In April, CDFW released its updated Bear Management Plan (BMP) which estimates California’s black bear population at 60,000 – twice the previous projection. Further, the updated BMP also states that black bears are now occupying areas they have never occupied before–including urban and suburban areas–resulting in a substantial increase in human-bear conflicts and California’s first confirmed fatal black bear attack in 2023.
In addition to public safety concerns, California’s overabundant black bear population is placing substantial stress on California’s deer herds and other predators, most notably mountain lions. Multiple studies documented bears killing up to 80% of deer fawns within their first 30 days of life. The BMP also documents that bears chase mountain lions off their adult deer kills over 70% of the time. In doing so, mountain lions kill again and more to compensate for the energetic losses–leading to the highest deer predation rates on record. One CDFW study framed the significant contribution of black bears to the decline of California’s deer herds as “warranting special attention.”
AB 1038 was heard in the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee on April 29. Going into the hearing, animal-rights opposition was expecting yet another easy victory on the extremely uneven playing field of the California Capitol. Yet, following intense lobbying by RMEF’s state lobbyist, the California Houndsmen for Conservation, the California Deer Association and other partners, the result was almost a surprise victory.
After receiving testimony and a series of questions to both sides from the dais, the vote roll was called. Seven “aye” votes were needed for AB 1038 to pass out of the 13-member Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee made up of 10 Democrats and three Republicans. The bill quickly racked up six “aye” votes and only three “no” votes. Needing just one more vote to pass, the committee took a five-hour recess. Following several hours of lobbying, the committee reconvened and went through the roll of those who had not voted. Sportsmen failed to secure the additional aye vote and failed despite having six “aye” and four “no” votes (with three members not voting.)
However, the bill is not dead yet. Assembly Member Hadwick quickly asked the committee for “reconsideration” of the bill–a motion that allows a measure that failed to be heard again in committee. On a unanimous vote, the committee agreed to allow the bill to be heard again. Due to legislative deadlines, the bill cannot be heard again in committee until January 2026, during the second year of the 2025-2026 legislative session.
AB 1169 (Gonzalez) – Wildlife Grants: SHARE Program
In 2003, the legislature created the private lands access program known as Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement Program, or “SHARE.” The legislation capped the compensation CDFW could offer a private landowner at $30 per acre, or $50 per public participant per day. Twenty-two years later, SHARE has proven to be successful with roughly 100,000 acres of private land enrolled in the program. However, the cap on the financial compensation CDFW can offer private landowners has slowed enrollment as landowners with quality hunting to be offered on their properties have chosen more lucrative options for providing public hunter access.
AB 1169 by Assembly Member Jeff Gonzalez (R/36-Coachella) would address this concern by removing the cap on financial compensation CDFW can offer to private landowners. The bill would allow CDFW to determine the appropriate amount to pay each participating landowner, as long as it is commensurate with the quality of the wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities that are to be provided on the property.
In addition, while current law states that the SHARE Program shall be a partnership of CDFW and nongovernmental organizations, CDFW has not done so in a significant way – even though some organizations have excellent relationships with private landowners, operate their own outdoor programs or even own their own land. The bill would require CDFW to contract some of the work necessary to carry out the program to nonprofit conservation groups.
AB 1169 was heard in the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee on April 8, passing it on to the Assembly Appropriations Committee on a unanimous vote with a recommendation that the bill be placed on consent.
However, once received in Assembly Appropriations Committee, the bill was referred to suspense file. AB 1169 must be heard and passed out of Assembly Appropriations Committee by May 23 to meet legislative deadline.
SB 427 (Blakespear) – Habitat Conservation Fund
In 1990, California voters passed Proposition 117, “The California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990.” Among other things, the act created the Habitat Conservation Fund (HCF) and guaranteed the fund $30 million annually for 30 years for the acquisition, restoration and enhancement of habitat necessary to protect wildlife and plant populations. It was extended 10 years in 2019. SB 427 by Senator Catherine Blakespear (D/38-Encinitas) would remove the current HCF sunset date of July 1, 2030, and allow the important annual transfer of these funds into the HCF to continue in perpetuity.
The Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee heard the bill on April 8, passing it to the Senate Appropriations Committee on a unanimous vote.
Once received in Senate Appropriations Committee, SB 427 was referred to suspense file. It is set to be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 23.
SB 818 (Alvarado-Gil) – Mountain Lions: Pilot Program: Permitted Houndspersons
As originally drafted, SB 818 by Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil (R/4-El Dorado Hills), would have allowed for a regulated program under which CDFW approved houndsmen with properly trained hounds could haze nuisance lions out of problem areas in a way that was both humane and effective. Use of hounds has been prohibited since 1990 with passage of Prop 117. The original draft was called “Taylen and Wyatt’s Law” in honor of victims of a cat attack that killed Taylen Brooks.
However, the bill was hostilely amended to strip out the hounding provisions and would now maintain existing coexistence measures and to provides grants for equipment to deal with livestock, domestic pets and other attractants of mountain lions. Passage of the original bill was always going to be a tall task, requiring 4/5th majorities in both bodies to override the Prop 117 vote. The Brooks family now opposes the bill as it is amended.