SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — California Assemblymember Heather Hadwick said Tuesday morning she’d ask opponents to her bill how to address the bear problem if they voted down her legislation.
Hours later, she got that chance.
Assembly Bill 1038 — introduced by the Alturas Republican — would permit someone to chase a bear with a dog during seasons designated by the state Fish and Game Commission. A 2012 law prohibited the hounding of bears in the Golden State.
The bill appeared that morning before the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee. A final vote hadn’t occurred as of publication time.
The legislation by Hadwick, whose rural district encompasses a vast portion of the northeastern part of the state, is needed because the black bear population has exploded over the past decade, she said at a press conference Tuesday morning. They’re encroaching on human communities, breaking into cars and occupied homes.
“California’s predator problem is unique,” Hadwick said, adding moments later: “Let’s keep our bears wild and our communities safe.”
To achieve that goal, the hounding of bears by dogs is needed, the Assembly member said. Bears no longer fear people, and the use of dogs is humane, nonlethal and science-based. Using dogs to chase away bears will reduce conflicts, heighten public safety and prevent deaths.
Conservationists and law enforcement leaders praised the legislation.
Sierra County Sheriff Michael Fisher said he and his deputies daily use sirens, as well as their own loud voices, to chase away bears. El Dorado County Sheriff Jeff Leikauf echoed his support, saying his office fielded 460 bear calls last year.
“This is a significant problem,” Laikauf said, adding later: “I pray that this bill goes forward.”
Later that morning, Hadwick introduced her bill before the committee. Wearing orange shirts, many people expressed support for the legislation. However, opposition argued that hounding bears doesn’t improve safety.
Dave Fleishman, with the Bear League, said the bear population hasn’t grown significantly over the past decade, as there’s no evidence of population growth or decline over that time.
He added that people currently can obtain a depredation permit from the state, which allows someone to kill a bear that’s damaged property. Despite that, requests for those permits have dropped since the state banned hounding bears.
Hadwick said opponents to her bill wouldn’t reach a compromise. She then made her ask of the committee: If it declined to pass her legislation, and offered no amendments, what is the answer?
“I have to go home and answer to my constituents why Sacramento won’t help them,” she added. “At what point do we choose people?”
That afternoon, the Assembly Health Committee examined an unrelated bill that would make Kaiser Permanente fully reimburse patients who pay out-of-pocket for behavioral health services outside the network.
Assembly Bill 1429 — written by Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, a Delano Democrat — stems from a 2023 settlement. Kaiser in that agreement opted to pay $200 million in penalties for mental health violations, as well as state it doesn’t have enough therapists.
Under the bill, Kaiser would fully reimburse patients who pay for mental health or substance abuse disorder treatment, or medication, outside of Kaiser. That requirement would remain until the state Department of Managed Health Care certifies that the health care giant has completed its corrective action work plan and addressed the issues in its services.
Patients would need only to attest in writing about Kaiser failing to provide needed services and submit their receipts from an outside provider.
“AB 1429 represents a focused approach that balances patients’ needs,” Bains said. “This is not about penalizing Kaiser.”
A Kaiser representative noted that the bill has no requirement that a patient first try to access care in-house before going outside the network. Also, access to medicine has never been an issue, leading the representative to question why it was included.
A final vote by the committee hadn’t occurred by press time.
