Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Animal Fighting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Assembly committee advances bill aimed at cracking down on cockfighting and gamefowl yards
Summary
AB 928 (referred to in transcript as AB 9 28) would add tools allowing enforcement against operations that breed and sell fighting birds; supporters tied the measure to avian disease and criminal activity, while hobbyist and poultry groups warned the bill could harm legitimate breeders and youth programs.
Assemblymember James Rogers presented AB 928, described as the California Cockfighting Cruelty Act, intended to give enforcement tools to intervene against gamefowl yards and trafficking of birds used for cockfighting. "This bill is a common sense measure to address the active criminal industry of cockfighting and rooster trafficking that still persists in this state," Rogers said, pointing to large seizures and links between the industry and avian influenza outbreaks and other criminal activity.
Sponsors and veterinarians testified the measure targets the commercial trade in fighting birds by limiting numbers of adult roosters maintained on parcels and by creating civil penalties to disrupt the sale and trafficking that fund illegal cockfighting. Adam Parascandola of Humane World for Animals and Dr. Gail Hansen of the Humane Veterinary Medical Alliance stressed public-health risks including avian influenza and bacterial pathogens, and argued the bill contains exemptions for commercial poultry, hobbyists, 4-H, FFA and rescues.
Opposition was robust. Multiple poultry breeders, 4-H leaders and county fair organizers said the bill would sweep up legitimate breeders and youth projects and could force hobbyists and sanctioned poultry shows to register with state programs they described as insufficiently resourced. Speakers including Becky Colano and others said the civil-penalty structure and registration requirements would imperil heritage-breed conservation and county fair shows; several speakers urged instead raising criminal penalties for cockfighting to felony status.
Committee members acknowledged the constituency concerns and urged continued negotiation. Rogers said the bill includes exemptions and a one-year grace period and that he would keep working with stakeholders. The committee voted to pass the bill to the Judiciary Committee; the roll call recorded ayes from Soria, Alanis, Aguiar-Curry, Connolly and Ransom; Assemblymember Gonzales voted no and Assemblymember Hadwick abstained. The clerk announced the bill had the votes necessary to pass out of committee but noted absentees could be added later.
