20250AB__089297AMD INTRODUCED 2025-02-19 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2025-04-01 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-01-05 2025 AB AMD Introduced by Assembly Member Schultz LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Schultz

An act to add

Section to the Fish and Game Code, relating to wild animals. wild animals Captive wild animals: direct contact: prohibition. Existing law prohibits the importation, transportation, or possession of specified wild animals into this state, except under a revocable, nontransferable permit, known as a restricted species permit, issued by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, in cooperation with the Department of Food and Agriculture, and only if certain requirements are met. Existing law exempts specified entities from this permit requirement under certain circumstances.

Existing law requires the Fish and Game Commission, in cooperation with the Department of Food and Agriculture, to adopt regulations governing, among other things, the confinement of a wild animal possessed under a restricted species permit and the possession of all other wild animals. Existing law requires those regulations to be designed to, among other things, provide for the welfare of wild animals and the safety of the public. This bill would prohibit a person from allowing any member of the public to come into direct contact, as defined, with a covered animal, as defined, except as provided.

The bill would provide that any person who violates this provision is subject to a specified civil penalty for each violation, and that the restricted species permit for the covered animal is subject to immediate suspension or revocation by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. The bill would authorize a person whose permit is suspended or revoked to appeal the suspension or revocation to the commission by filing a written request for an appeal within days of the suspension or revocation. This bill would provide that the provisions of this bill are severable.

MAJORITY NO YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section is added to the Fish and Game Code , to read: 2129. (

a) For purposes of this section, the following

definitions apply: (1) “Covered animal” means any live member of any of the following animals held in captivity: (

A) Bear. (

B) Elephant. (

C) Nonhuman primate. (2) “Direct contact” means physical contact or proximity where physical contact is possible, including, but not limited to, any proximity without a permanent physical barrier designed to prevent physical contact between the public and a covered animal. (3) “Professional production crew” means a cast or crew member of a television or motion picture production team that has obtained all permits as required by law, and includes a professional photographer, videographer, or cinematographer. (

b) Notwithstanding any other law, a person shall not allow any member of the public to come into direct contact with a covered animal. (

c) This

section shall not apply to direct contact between a covered animal and any of the following individuals:

(1) The owner of the covered animal.

(2) The owner of the facility in which the covered animal is kept.

(3) A trained, paid, professional employee or contractor of the owner of the covered animal or facility, including employees who care for or handle animals at a zoo, as defined in subdivision (

c) of

Section 2150, or an accompanying paid employee receiving professional training, while acting in the course and scope of official duty.

(4) A licensed veterinarian, a veterinary student accompanying a licensed veterinarian, a registered veterinary technician under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian, or any licensed medical professional assisting the veterinary team and under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian, while acting in the course and scope of official duty.

(5) A law enforcement officer or animal control authority acting in the course and scope of official duty.

(6) An employee of a federal, state, or local agency while acting in the course and scope of official duty.

(7) A board member of the facility where the animal is kept who is listed on the facility’s statement of information, or a trainee, who meets all of the following conditions: (

A) The person is accompanied by the facility’s owner or trained employee. (

B) The person is performing work with the covered animal away from public view. (

C) The person is under a contract or other engagement with the facility’s owner.

(8) A professional production crew who is acting in the course and scope of a television or motion picture production. (

d) A person who violates this

section is subject to the civil penalty set forth in

Section for each violation, and the restricted species permit for the covered animal is subject to immediate suspension or revocation by the department. A person whose restricted species permit is suspended or revoked pursuant to this

section may appeal the suspension or revocation to the commission by filing a written request for an appeal with the commission within days of the suspension or revocation. A person who violates this

section shall not be subject to the criminal penalties set forth in this code. (

e) This

section shall not be construed to limit or prevent the commission from enacting rules or regulations that prohibit the direct contact with an animal that is not a covered animal. (

f) The provisions of this

section are in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other laws protecting animal welfare. This

section shall not be construed to limit any state law or rules protecting the welfare of animals or to prevent a local governing body from adopting and enforcing its own animal welfare laws and regulations. SEC. 2. The provisions of this act are severable.

If any provision of this act or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application. <caml:Num>SECTION 1.</caml:Num><caml:ActionLine action="IS_ADDED" xlink:href="urn:caml:codes:FGC:caml#xpointer(%2Fcaml%3ALawDoc%2Fcaml%3ACode%2F%2Fcaml%3ALawSection%5Bcaml%3ANum%3D'2129'%5D)" xlink:label="fractionType: LAW_SECTION" xlink:type="locator">Section is added to the <caml:DocName>Fish and Game Code</caml:DocName>, to read:</caml:ActionLine><caml:Fragment><caml:LawSection id="id_4F997BA9-69D8-4048-9148-7B83755183EB"><caml:Num>2129.</caml:Num><caml:LawSectionVersion id="id_F0668684-B3DB-400F-9E72-3A4BE0EB6333"><caml:Content><xhtml:p>(a)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>For purposes of this section, the following

definitions apply:</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(1)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>“Covered animal” means any live member of any of the following animals held in captivity:</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(A)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Bear.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(B)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Caracal.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(C)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Elephant.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(D)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Kangaroo, or any hybrid of a kangaroo.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(E)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Nonhuman primate.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(F)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Otter.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(G)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Serval.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(H)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Sloth.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(I)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Wallaby, or any hybrid of a wallaby.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(2)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>“Direct contact” means physical contact or proximity where physical contact is possible, including, but not limited to, any proximity without a permanent physical barrier designed to prevent physical contact between the public and a covered animal.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(3)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>“Professional production crew” means a cast or crew member of a television or motion picture production team that has obtained all permits as required by law, and includes a professional photographer, videographer, or cinematographer.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(b)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Notwithstanding any other law, a person shall not allow any member of the public to come into direct contact with a covered animal.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(c)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>This

section shall not apply to direct contact between a covered animal and any of the following:</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(1)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The owner of the covered animal.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(2)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The owner of the facility in which the covered animal is kept.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(3)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>A trained, paid, professional employee or contractor of the owner of the covered animal or facility, or an accompanying paid employee receiving professional training, while acting in the course and scope of official duty.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(4)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>A licensed veterinarian, a veterinary student accompanying that veterinarian, a registered veterinary technician under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian, or any licensed medical professional assisting the veterinary team and under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian, while acting in the course and scope of official duty.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(5)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>A law enforcement officer or animal control authority acting in the course and scope of official duty.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(6)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>An employee of a federal, state, or local agency, while acting in the course and scope of official duty.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(7)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>A board member of the facility where the animal is kept who is listed on the facility’s statement of information, or a trainee, who meets all of the following conditions:</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(A)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The person is accompanied by the facility’s owner or trained employee.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(B)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The person is performing work with the covered animal away from public view.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(C)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The person is under a contract or other engagement with the facility’s owner.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(8)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>A professional production crew who is acting in the course and scope of a television or motion picture production.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(d)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>This

section shall not apply to direct contact that occurs at a facility that is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(e)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Any person who violates this

section is subject to the civil penalty set forth in

Section for each violation, and any restricted species permit for the covered animal is subject to immediate suspension or revocation by the department. A person whose restricted species permit is suspended or revoked pursuant to this

section may appeal the suspension or revocation to the commission by filing a written request for an appeal with the commission within days of the suspension or revocation. A person who violates this

section is not subject to the criminal penalties set forth in this code.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(f)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>This

section shall not be construed to limit or prevent the Fish and Game Commission from enacting rules or regulations that prohibit the direct contact with an animal that is not defined as a “covered animal” in this section.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(g)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The provisions of this

section are in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other laws protecting animal welfare. This

section shall not be construed to limit any state law or rules protecting the welfare of animals or to prevent a local governing body from adopting and enforcing its own animal welfare laws and regulations.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:LawSectionVersion></caml:LawSection></caml:Fragment></caml:BillSection><caml:BillSection id="id_9B11BD28-4AEA-46C2-8EBE-3F64809D43CA"><caml:Num>SEC. 2.</caml:Num><caml:Content><xhtml:p>The provisions of this act are severable.

If any provision of this act or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:BillSection>"?>