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]