Bill > SB1397

This bill aims to enhance and expand the state's program for managing conflicts between humans and mountain lions, with a focus on public safety and scientific research, and will be repealed on January 1, 2033. It requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) to maintain, improve, and broaden its existing human-mountain lion conflicts program, which includes public education on minimizing interactions and protecting animals, and to continue and increase scientific research to develop and test methods for deterring mountain lions from populated areas and preventing them from becoming accustomed to people. The DFW will also be required to engage in public outreach, including attending local government meetings in areas with high conflict rates to provide updates on their efforts and permit processing times. Furthermore, the Director of Fish and Wildlife must provide annual status updates on these programs to legislative committees until 2034, and the DFW must submit a comprehensive report to the Legislature by October 1, 2031, detailing the programs, their outcomes, staffing, and recommendations for improvement. This legislation is declared to be consistent with and in furtherance of the California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990, which designates mountain lions as specially protected mammals.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB1397