Effort to ban genetically modified animals dies in California Legislature. Advocates blame politics
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Set us as preferred SACRAMENTO — Proposed legislation to protect animals from “Frankenstein”-like medical experimentation died in the state Senate on Thursday, and supporters blame election year politics for its demise.Assembly Bill 1382 by Assemblymember Leticia Castillo (R-Home Gardens) would have banned the sale of genetically modified animals in California, such as glow-in-the-dark rabbits and horned “unicorn” horses.While the business of cosmetically modified, futuristic-looking pets remains in its infancy, animal rights groups worry that eventually the creatures will be created, sold and later discarded in crowded municipal shelters.Castillo’s bill passed unanimously in the Assembly earlier this year and sailed through the Senate Judiciary Committee in June with bipartisan support.
On Thursday, the legislation died in the Senate Appropriations Committee.The chair of that powerful committee is Sen.
Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside) whose sister, Clarissa Cervantes, is challenging Castillo in the Nov.3 election.
Cervantes never brought up the bill during Thursday’s hearing, which effectively kills it.Cervantes’ office didn’t respond to requests about why the legislation died.Judie Mancuso, the founder of Social Compassion in Legislation, the bill’s sponsor, called the outcome “ludicrous.”“When you’ve worked in the Capitol as long as I have, you understand that good bills can become political assets or political liabilities during an election cycle,” said Mancuso.Castillo pledged Thursday to continue her focus on animals and cosmetic genetic engineering.“This bill was never about politics — it was about protecting animals from being turned into novelty products,” Castillo said in a statement.
“I’m disappointed AB 1382 did not move forward, but I am not done fighting for these anima...