I just read the news about today's committee hearing on California's
amnesty bill.  Jeanne Carley asked that we not write to her with questions,
so I'm hoping that some other FML members who are close to the legislative
process can address my concerns.  Although the hearing did not go as well
as we would have hoped, I am concerned to hear some ferret proponents
speaking as if the bill is now dead or as good as dead.  Considering the
bias of the WPW committee members (with both the chair and the vice-chair
opposing the bill), it is a miracle that the bill survived in any form.
 
I don't know all the details of the legislative process, but it seems that
it is possible for committees to amend bills in pretty major ways (as we
observed today, for example).  Isn't it possible to revitalize this bill
as it makes its way through the Assembly?  If the authors continue to
push for the bill, then it will presumably go next to the Assembly
Appropriations Committee.  Two of the bill's co-authors are on the
Appropriations Committee, and seventeen of the twenty-one members of the
committee voted in favor of ferret legislation last time it reached the
Assembly floor.  Is it not possible for the Appropriations Committee to
put the "amnesty" back into "ferret amnesty bill?"
 
I would hate to see those who have pushed so hard for legalization give
up at this point.  A lot of people have worked very hard writing to
legislators and collecting signatures for the governor.  It has been
stressed that if we do not win this time, we may never get another chance.
If that is the case, then I hope we will fight as hard as we can and as
long as we can for the safety of our ferrets.
 
Julie
[Posted in FML issue 3475]