Update (April, 2014): The Assembly Water, Parks, And Wildlife Committee decided to put the bill on hold until mid-2015, and conduct a study on sea park conditions in the meantime.
Bill Description:
This bill would make it illegal to:
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The penalty for violating these prohibitions would be a fine of up to $100,000 and/or six months in county jail.
Furthermore, the bill stipulates that orcas held for rehabilitation or research purposes must be returned to the wild whenever possible. If reintroduction into the wild is not possible, then the orca must be held in a sea pen that is open to the public and not used for performance or entertainment purposes. The same options apply to orcas currently held for performance or entertainment purposes.
Background:
For more information on why this bill is necessary, read Born Free USA’s blog on the documentary Blackfish, which exposed the deep inhumanity inherent in keeping killer whales captive.
Take Action:
California residents, call or email your state assemblymember and urge them to support this important legislation!
Read the full text and follow its progress here.