California Gov. Edmund G. (Jerry) Brown Jr. vetoed a bill that would have prevented hunters from possessing and in some cases importing the named African species in the bill, including parts and products, lawfully harvested in Africa.
“Safari Club International recognizes California Governor Jerry Brown for vetoing Senate Bill 1487, legislation that would prohibit the people of California from importing and possessing several species legally hunted in countries in Africa,” said SCI President Paul Babaz. “SCI also applauds the sportsmen and women who voiced their opposition to Governor Brown. Without your phone calls and support, this misguided piece of legislation might have been signed into law. SCI also thanks the California Coalition for spearheading the months-long effort to stop this anti-hunting bill.”
The bill targeted elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and an additional six species – some of which are neither listed on the Endangered Species Act’s endangered/threatened lists or CITES Appendices I or II.
The authors of the bill relied on emotion rather than science to craft anti-hunting restrictions, which were neither necessary nor remotely beneficial for the species identified in SB 1487.
The bill would have discouraged Californians from legally hunting outside the U.S. and participating in the community-based conservation efforts that are succeeding in Africa.
SCI works with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and participates in international treaties like CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) to ensure that regulatory decisions related to trade in wildlife, including hunting trophies, are based on sound science rather than emotion.
This veto is a significant setback for anti-hunting legislators and a great win for hunters throughout the country. SCI continues to work with other hunting/conservation groups and state legislatures to prevent passage of restrictive laws and policies that are detrimental to hunters and wildlife conservation.
Safari Club International – First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s approximately 200 Chapters represent all 50 of the United States as well as 106 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit the home page www.SafariClub.org, or call (520) 620-1220 for more information.
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