Hello everyone,
 
Today, SB 89 passed out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  I do
not know the vote yet but it must have received at least 12 of the 21
member committee to pass.  SB 89 must now go back to the Senate for
concurrence on some minor amendments (removing language that it would
make a continuous appropriation and exempting exhibition and lab ferrets
from the fee), then it must pass the Assembly on or before August 31st.
 
If the bill gets out of the Assembly in the last 11 days of session, the
Governor then has 30 days to sign or veto the bill, or let it pass into
law without his signature.  Or he can address it right away which doesn't
give him much time to consider the bill so your input is essential now!
 
So, first, please call or write your State Assemblymember if you haven't
already done so and ask him/her to support SB 89.  Remember, if this bill
doesn't get out of the Assembly, it won't get to the Governor.
 
Second, please write to, AND call Governor Schwarzenegger.  Here's the
information on where to write:
 
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Governor's Office
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
 
To call and register your support for our bill by phone call 916
445-2841.  To respond to legislation, press #2, then listen for SB 89,
press #1, then to support SB 89 press #1.  Please have all of your
friends and family call in, we need to make sure the Governor knows
there is quite a bit of support for this bill.
 
If you have done both of these things, please ask co-workers, friends,
family, to write as well.  Consider taking an afternoon off to sit in
front of a pet store with small 1/2 page flyers containing the Governor's
address and tel.  # for animal lovers to take home with them.
 
I'm donating two cases of 2005 Ferret Calendars to the effort in
Sacramento as I have for the last several years.  And if there is time
for a mailing, I will also donate enough Ferret Company post cards to
reach 5,000 Californians but I don't have $$ for postage so I will need
your help with first class stamps and a volunteer label and stamp day(s).
 
Please e-mail me if you live in the Bay Area and can help on a weekend
or evening with the mailing.  If you live outside the Bay Area, please
consider donating a roll of stamps but I need you to wait until I find
out if we have time and volunteers enough for the mailing.
 
This is the furthest our bill has ever come, let's not drop the ball now,
everyone needs to work very hard in the next few weeks to see that this
happens!
 
Jeanne Carley
Californians for Ferret Legalization
410 Mountain Home Rd.
Woodside, CA 94062
[Posted in FML issue 4603]