NWCOA Legislative Alert
California Wildlife - Senate Bill 1480
06 23, 2012

,
!!!!!! LEGISLATIVE ALERT !!!!!!
Stop CA Senate Bill 1480 in committee BEFORE it impacts your business!
This bill has passed the Senate and will be heard by the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife on Tuesday, June 26.

Contact these assembly committee members immediately and ask them to vote NO on this legislation and use the talking points below.
Make at LEAST one phone call even if you are NOT in the area - this type of legislation should never be approved anywhere in the US. It might be your state next!
READ ON and TAKE ACTION



Talking Points in Opposition to Pending California Senate Bill 1480
Below are talking points to use in opposing pending Senate Bill 1480, a bill relating to trapping. Though not all PCOC members are subject to nuisance wildlife trapping licensing and other requirements, a number of members do manage species of wildlife not exempt from licensing requirements such as squirrels, raccoons, opossums, and bats.
• The contractual language (Page 10, Section 7, proposed Section 4014 of the Fish and Game Code) is extremely biased against professional problem animal management services, and seems nothing more than an attempt to dissuade a customer from contracting with a licensed pest/wildlife management professional to address a property owner’s animal pest problem.
For instance, requiring the statement that an animal that poses a risk to human health and safety may only be taken by a government officials seems to convey the impression a pest/wildlife management professional performing nuisance animal services is doing something inappropriate. The fact is that a customer with a raccoon in his or her attic or a fox threatening a pet may truly believe that their health and safety is at risk, even though those circumstances may not necessarily meet the statutory criteria of “risk to human health and safety,” and it is perfectly legal for a wildlife/pest management professional to offer and perform remedial services.
In addition, some language seems contradictory and intended only to confuse the prospective customer. For example: one required sentence says that all furbearing and nongame mammals legal to trap must be immediately killed or released. It further states that unless released, trapped animals shall be killed by shooting where local ordinances, landowners, and safety permit. This statement gives homeowners the impression that their disposition choices are shooting the animal on their property or releasing it onsite, neither which would appeal to most homeowners. Meanwhile, another required statement says that drowning, chest crushing, or injection with any chemical not sold for the purpose of animal euthanasia are prohibited. The statement conveniently omits that is permissible to euthanize nuisance wildlife in a CO2 chamber, which is perhaps the most common form of euthanasia practices by the industry.
• The provision (Page nine, Section 6, Section 4013(b) of the Fish and Game Code) that a lactating female not be killed, and traps not set if young animal sounds have been reported is completely impractical and unworkable, as it is not always possible to determine if an animal is lactating and many homeowners would not have any idea if they sounds they are hearing are young animal sounds. A related provision is also in Section 7 that pertains to the required contract.
• The proposed amended Section 4004(k)(1)(B) of the Fish and Game Code pertaining to bat control is impractical and a drain on Department of Fish and Game resources, and could lead to unfair government competition with the private sector for bat exclusion work.
• According to bill proponents, the pending measure is based largely on the DC Wildlife Protection Act. Although the bill was passed in late 2010, it has yet to be implemented and it is not clear when or if it will in its current form.

Committee Members District Office & Contact Information
Jared Huffman - Chair
Dem - 6 Contact Assembly Member Jared Huffman
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849, Room 3120, Sacramento, CA 94249-0006; (916) 319-2006

Linda Halderman- Vice Chair
Rep - 29 Contact Assembly Member Linda Halderman
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849, Room 4009, Sacramento, CA 94249-0029; (916) 319-2029

Bill Berryhill
Rep - 26 Contact Assemblyman Bill Berryhill
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849, Room 3141, Sacramento, CA 94249-0026; (916) 319-2026

Bob Blumenfield
Dem - 40 Contact Assembly Member Bob Blumenfield
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849, Room 6026, Sacramento, CA 94249-0040; (916) 319-2040

Nora Campos
Dem - 23 Contact Assembly Member Nora Campos
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849, Room 2175, Sacramento, CA 94249-0023; (916) 319-2023

Paul Fong
Dem - 22 Contact Assembly Member Paul Fong
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849, Room 5135, Sacramento, CA 94249-0022; (916) 319-2022

Beth Gaines
Rep - 4 Contact Assembly Member Beth Gaines
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849, Room 4009, Sacramento, CA 94249-0004; (916) 319-2004

Mike Gatto
Dem - 43 Contact Assembly Member Mike Gatto
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849, Room 4140, Sacramento, CA 94249-0043; (916) 319-2043

Roger Hernández
Dem - 57 Contact Assembly Assistant Majority Whip Roger Hernández
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849, Room 5150, Sacramento, CA 94249-0057; (916) 319-2057

Ben Hueso
Dem - 79 Contact Assembly Member Ben Hueso
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849, Room 5144, Sacramento, CA 94249-0079; (916) 319-2079

Brian W. Jones
Rep - 77 Contact Assembly Member Brian W. Jones
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849, Room 3147, Sacramento, CA 94249-0077; (916) 319-2077

Ricardo Lara
Dem - 50 Contact Assembly Member Ricardo Lara
Capitol Office
P.O. Box 942849, Room 2179, Sacramento, CA 94249-0050; (916) 319-2050

Mariko Yamada
Dem - 8 Contact Assembly Member Mariko Yamada
Capitol Office
State Capitol, Room 5160, Sacramento, CA 94248-0001; (916) 319-2008

Complete Committee info here: http://awpw.assembly.ca.gov/
Please make every effort to make a phone call. It is this type of legislation that will affect your business long term if approved. As an industry we must all take the time to put a stop to it. If not you could possibly be regulated right out of business! Make a call as soon as possible!

Sincerely,
National Wildlife Control Operators Association

Company Contact:

NWCOA
PO BOX 3313 Fairfax, VA 22038-3313
PH: 571-205-8818
Email: Maureenlederer@gmail.com

Who started this bill and why

This is based on the DC wildlife protection act. Which is based on the HSUS model of wildlife control. Which has little tidbits like reuniting "wildlife families" and other emotional based wildlife control practices.

So for all those who have been negative about NWCOA trying to get some standards and a basic level of compentency for our industry, here is your alternative served up by our "friends" at HSUS.

So once again, regulations will be coming sooner or later. Your only choice is whether you want to be involved or let HSUS or other wildlife protection groups decide how you will or won't be allowed to operate.

I called and posted this on other sites. Hopefully it made a difference.

Chuck I think you are the only NWCOA cheerleader left here.

Think again, Mr. Salys!

Well Dave I guess if working against an animal welfare group like HSUS that wants to apply their twisted version of wildlife control to this industry, letting others know about legislation that could affect their business and everthing else NWCOA is doing to elevate this industry creates no "cheerleaders" here on Trapperman my peers must be right and I am wasting my time here.

Not at all!
Educating the professionals in any industry sure beats letting them be ignorant. It is imperative that WCO's - NWCOA members or not - know what's being done to, by or for our industry.
Keep on keepin' on!

x2 Thanks Charles.