CaliforniaCalifornia Wildlife Coexistence Act.
What it does
Existing law establishes the Department of Fish and Wildlife in the Natural Resources Agency. Under existing law, the department has jurisdiction over the conservation, protection, and management of fish, wildlife, native plants, and habitat necessary for biologically sustainable populations of those species.
More detail
This bill would require the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to establish the Wildlife Coexistence Program to manage and promote wildlife coexistence by conducting specified activities, including maintaining a statewide wildlife incident reporting tool. The bill would rename the Wolf-Livestock Compensation Pilot Program to the California Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program and would require the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to establish the program to provide resources to eligible participants for purposes relating to wolves and livestock. The bill would authorize the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, including the cost for implementation, to provide resources to wildlife coexistence partners, as defined, to support efforts required for the Wildlife Coexistence Program and the California Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program. The bill would require the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to establish the Wildlife Coexistence Technical Advisory Committee to provide technical guidance, public input, and programmatic recommendations related to the department's wildlife coexistence efforts. The bill would require the department, on or before July 1, 2028, to include specified information on its internet website, as provided.
The California Endangered Species Act prohibits the taking of an endangered or threatened species, except as specified. Under existing law, it is also unlawful to permit or allow any dog to pursue any big game mammal during the closed season on that mammal, to pursue any fully protected, rare, or endangered mammal at any time, to pursue any bear or bobcat at any time, or to pursue any mammal in a game refuge or ecological reserve if hunting within that refuge or ecological reserve is unlawful.
This bill would provide that, notwithstanding those prohibitions, the pursuit of wolves by dogs that are guarding or protecting livestock or crops on property owned, leased, or rented by the owner of the dogs, is not prohibited if the dogs are maintained with, and remain in reasonable proximity to, the livestock or crops being guarded or protected.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 29Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 820, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 29Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Aug 31Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 6 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 26Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 31. Noes 9. Page 5853.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.Major
- Vote recorded Unfinished Business SB1135 Blakespear et al. Concurrence. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 19In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
- Vote recorded SB 1135 Blakespear Senate Third Reading By Rogers. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 19Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 58. Noes 17. Page 6269.) Ordered to the Senate.Passed Assembly
- Aug 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 13Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 13From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 4.) (August 13).Major
- Aug 13Assembly Rule 63 suspended.
- Aug 5August 5 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.
- Jun 30From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 2.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 3From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on W., P., & W.Major
- Jun 1Referred to Com. on W., P., & W.Minor
- May 22In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- May 22Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 29. Noes 2. Page 4416.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Senate
- May 19Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 18Ordered to second reading.Minor
- May 18Read third time and amended.Major
- May 14Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 1. Page 4266.) (May 14).Minor
- May 8Set for hearing May 14.
- Apr 27April 27 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 17Set for hearing April 27.
- Apr 14From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 3870.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 9Set for hearing April 14.
- Apr 8Re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.Minor
- Mar 23From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.Major
- Feb 26Referred to Com. on RLS.Minor
- Feb 18From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 20.
- Feb 17Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.Introduced