Legistative Alert: Statewide ban on lead hunting ammunition! Do your part Now!

JULY 12, 2013


LEGISLATIVE ALERT!!!

PROPOSED STATEWIDE BAN ON LEAD HUNTING AMMUNITION PENDING IN SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
ON SUSPENSE CALENDAR

!!!!IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED TO PREVENT IT FROM MOVING FORWARD!!!!

AB 711 (Rendon) Hunting: nonlead ammunition

Anti-hunters are accelerating their campaign to expand the current ban on lead ammunition for hunting in the range of the California Condor to PREVENT THE USE OF ALL LEAD AMMUNITION FOR ANY HUNTING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE!
THANKS LARGELY TO STRONG OPPOSITION FROM SCI MEMBERS, THE BILL IS PENDING IN THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE WHERE IT IS CURENTLY ON THE COMMITTEE’S “SUSPENSE” FILE, BUT IT WILL BE RECONSIDERED FOR PASSAGE AGAIN AT THE END OF AUGUST!

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ALL SCI MEMBERS IMMMEDIATELY CONTACT MEMBERS OF THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE AND THEIR OWN DISTRICT LEGISLATORS TO REQUEST THATAB 711 BE KEPT ON THE SUSPENSE FILE PERMANENTLY!!

If passed, AB 711 could actually result in the STOPPAGE OF ALL HUNTING WITH RIFLES AND HANDGUNS IN CALIFORNIA! This is because the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has made a determination that nonlead ammunition for these firearms meets the tests for prohibited armor piercing ammunition because of its chemical composition and the fact that various makes and models of handguns exist that, collectively, can shoot virtually all of it. It is illegal under both state and federal laws to use or
possess such armor piercing ammunition!

To date, ATF has not granted any waivers for sporting ammunition, and ammunition manufacturers are uncertain if they should continue to produce it!!!!

THUS, IF AB 711 PASSES, HUNTERS MAY FIND THEMSELVES IN THE POSITION OF NOT BEING ABLE TO HUNT SIMPLY BECAUSE THERE IS NO RIFLE OR PISTOL AMMUNITION AVAILABLE THAT IS LEGAL TO USE FOR HUNTING IN CALIFORNIA!!!!
SCIENTIFIC TESTING HAS SHOWN THAT THE CURRENT BAN ON LEAD AMMUNITION HAS NOT RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANTLY LOWERING THE BLOOD LEAD LEVELS IN CONDORS. IN FACT, ONE MAJOR SCIENTIFIC STUDY CHALLENGES THE VALIDITY OF PRIOR RESEARCH AND WHETHER HUNTERS’ LEAD AMMUNITION IS REALLY THE PROBLEM!!!!

ANTI-HUNTERS HAVE SPECULATED WITHOUT FOUNDATION THAT BLOOD LEAD LEVELS REMAIN ELEVATED BECAUSE HUNTERS ARE IGNORING THE BAN AND ARE ILLEGALLY USING LEAD AMMUNITION!!!! HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE, HUNTER COMPLIANCE IS AROUND 99%!!
SUPPORTERS OF THE LEAD BAN ARE COMPLETELY IGNORING THE POSSIBILITY OF ANOTHER SOURCE OF LEAD, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONCE FOUND THAT THE STILLBORN CALVES PUT OUT AT CONDOR FEEDING STATIONS AT THE TIME WERE CONTAMINATED WITH LEAD AND WERE, IN FACT, THE REAL CULPRIT!!!

AB 711 IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. IF IT PASSES AND CONDOR BLOOD LEAD LEVELS DON’T DROP, THERE WILL BE LOUD AND WIDESPREAD DEMANDS BY ANTI-HUNTERS TO STOP ALL HUNTING STATEWIDE!!! THEY WILL NOT BE CALLING TO LOOK FOR OTHER SOURCES OF LEAD POISONING BECAUSE IT WOULD BE CONTRARY TO THEIR ANTI-HUNTING AGENDA!!!

AB 711 IS ONE OF SEVERAL BILLS SPONSORED BY THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES. PLEASE VIEW THE YOU TUBE VIDEO OF LOIS LERNER, IRS OFFICIAL EMBROILED IN THE CURRENT IRS SCANDAL, AND HER TIES TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-n9BNmGtmv0

AB 711 IS NOW IN THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS WHERE IT WILL BE SET FOR A SUSPENSE FILE HEARING AT THE END OF AUGUST! PLEASE ACT NOW!
PLEASE IMMEDIATELY CONTACT THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE (IF YOUR SENATOR IS A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE), YOUR OWN SENATOR, AND THE GOVERNOR IN STRONG OPPOSITION TO AB 711!

IMMEDIATE ACTION IS REQUIRED!!

PLEASE CONTACT THE FOLLOWING TO OPPOSE AB 711:

1. The Senate Appropriations Committee (Contact one of these senators if he/she is your elected Senator):
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS Member District Party Phone Fax
de León, Kevin (Chair)22D
916 651 4022
916 651 4922

Walters, Mimi (Vice-Chair)37R
916 651 4037
916 651 4937

Gaines, Ted1R
916 651 4001
916 651 4901

Hill, Jerry13D
916 651 4013
916 651 4913

Lara, Ricardo33D
916 651 4033
916 651 4933

Padilla, Alex20D
916 651 4020
916 651 4920

Steinberg, Darrell6D
916 651 4006
916 651 4906

2. Your Senator (if he/she is not a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee): http://senate.ca.gov/senators

TO LOCATE YOUR SENATOR BY YOUR ZIPCODE:
Please go to http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/ . Enter your street address, city and zip code in the boxes above the map of California; click on “Locate”. Your legislators and their contact information will then become available.

3. Governor Jerry Brown: Phone: 916-445-2841; FAX: 916-558-3160. To send an e-mail: http://gov.ca.gov/m_contact.php.

4. California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Chuck Bonham, Director – Phone: 916-653-7667; FAX: 916-653-7387.

5. California Fish and Game Commission: Phone: 916-653-4899; FAX 916-653-5040.