Senate OKs Bill to Allow Sport Hunting of Mountain Lions
A bill that could lead to the renewed sport hunting of mountain lions passed the state Senate on Thursday after supporters claimed the big cats were threatening public safety.
“This legislation tries to restore some common sense to a serious public safety situation,” Sen. Tim Leslie (R-Carnelian Bay) said before the Senate voted 26 to 9 to send his proposal to the Assembly.
Leslie’s bill--if approved by lawmakers, the governor and voters--would partially overturn Proposition 117, a 1990 ballot measure that designated mountain lions as specially protected mammals and barred sport hunting of the cats.
Under the bill, state game officials could manage the lions the same way they control other mammals that are not rare, endangered or threatened species. Those management tools would include sport hunting, a Leslie aide said.
“Since passage of Proposition 117, there has been tremendous growth in [lion] attacks on people and livestock,” Leslie said. “Proposition 117 said it fully protects public safety, but Proposition 117 does not fully protect public safety.”
However, Sen. Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica) charged that the bill was aimed at renewing hunting and not at public safety.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
