Update (Sept. 26, 2012): This bill was signed into law by the governor.
Bill description: Introduced by Sen. Ted W. Lieu (D-Torrance), it would prohibit hunters from using packs of dogs to pursue bears and bobcats in California. In “hounding,” radio-collared dogs are used to track, chase and run down animals. Using a portable receiver, the hunter can determine when the pursued animal is trapped in a tree and then comes to shoot that animal at point-blank range.
In their frantic retreat from the dogs, bears and bobcats endure a tremendous amount of stress. In addition, hounding may separate mother bears from their cubs, leaving the young orphaned or even caught and torn up by the dogs. The dogs themselves also placed at extreme risk of injury from encounters with wild and terrified bears and bobcats.
Read and track the progress of this bill here.