Amended in Senate June 12, 2013

Amended in Assembly April 17, 2013

Amended in Assembly March 19, 2013

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 711

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Introduced by Assembly Member Rendon

(Principalbegin delete coauthor: Assembly Memberend deletebegin insert coauthors: Assembly Members Alejo, Gatto, andend insert Pan)

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Ammiano, Blumenfield, Fong,begin insert Holden,end insert Stone, and Williams)

(Coauthor: Senator Steinberg)

February 21, 2013

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An act to amend Section 3004.5 of the Fish and Game Code, relating to hunting.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 711, as amended, Rendon. Hunting: nonlead ammunition.

Existing law requires the Fish and Game Commission, by July 1, 2008, to establish by regulation a public process to certify centerfire rifle and pistol ammunition as nonlead ammunition, and to define by regulation nonlead ammunition as including only centerfire rifle and pistol ammunition in which there is no lead content. Existing law requires the commission to establish and annually update a list of certified centerfire rifle and pistol ammunition.

Existing law requires that nonlead ammunition, as determined by the commission, be used when taking big game with a rifle or pistol, as defined by the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s hunting regulations, and when taking coyote, within specified deer hunting zones, but excluding specific counties and areas. A violation of these provisions is a crime. Existing law requires the commission to establish a process, to the extent that funding is available, that will provide hunters in these specified deer hunting zones with nonlead ammunition at no or reduced charge.

This bill would revise and recast these provisions to require the use of nonlead ammunition for the taking of all wildlife, including game mammals, game birds, nongame birds, and nongame mammals, with any firearm. The bill would require thebegin delete commission, by July 1, 2014,end deletebegin insert commissionend insert to certify, by regulation, nonlead ammunition for these purposes.begin insert The bill would require that the list of certified ammunition include any federally approved nontoxic shotgun ammunition.end insert The bill would make conforming changes. The bill would provide that these provisions do not apply to government officials or their agents when carrying out a mandatory statutory duty required by law.

The bill would require the commission to promulgate regulations by July 1,begin delete 2014,end deletebegin insert 2015,end insert that phase in the requirements of these provisions. The bill would require that these requirements be fully implemented statewide by no later than July 1,begin delete 2016.end deletebegin insert 2018.end insertbegin insert The bill would require the commission to implement any of these requirements that can be implemented practicably, in whole or in part, in advance of July 1, 2018.end insert The bill would also require that the commission not reduce or eliminate any existing regulatory restrictions on the use of lead ammunition in California condor habitat unless or until the additional requirements for use of nonlead ammunition as required by these provisions are implemented.

By expanding and changing the definition of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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