Update: Evidently a handful of Members had their arms [or something] twisted to let this bill out late in the evening by a bare 41-38 majority.
AB 1634 by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, to make all dog and cat owners [with some exceptions] spay or neuter their own animal, is short of votes right now at 37 "aye", 34 "no", needing of course, 41 to get out. It will come back up for vote later but may well fail tonight. Maybe the 2 foot high stack of "oppose" letters in my office and, others presumably, had an effect on this Assembly membership. Don’t mess with people’s critters!
June 6th, 2007 at 12:00 am
It’s too bad democrats are against the family pet but for condoms for prisoners. :-(
Thanks for your leadership!
June 6th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Todd Spitzer joined most (not all) Democrats in supporting the bill, which is designed to save millions of dollars for our cities and towns, as well as the lives of more than one million unwanted animals. Not surprisingly, most Republicans voted against this logical measure.
June 6th, 2007 at 12:00 am
This is NOT a logical measure. A logical measure would be to reserve to counties and cities the ability to determine the best pracitices for animal control. A logical measure would be to fully fund our local animal control agencies such that they can do the work we have already charged them with. A logical measure would be to encourage animal control agencies to work more closely with local veteranarians, breed rescues, and animal protection advocates to craft reasonable and effective measures. The heavy-handed, blunt tool of government should be a last resort or weilded only when the lack of a viable alternative exists. In this situation, many such alternatives do.
June 7th, 2007 at 12:00 am
UPDATE: The Assembly passed the bill 41-38.
June 7th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Mr. Adams has a great idea about fully funding our local animal control agencies. Perhaps we can raise the VLF to make that happen…oh wait…don’t we have a budget deficit and need to reign in our spending? Or has Mr. Adams forgotten the new Republican member talking points that came in his starter kit?
June 7th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Spitzer did what? Lone GOP Assemblymember voted Yes? After the treatment he received from Nunez on the broom closet-size office.
Perhaps this is the way Spitzer wants to leave the Assembly with this kind of a bang!
June 7th, 2007 at 12:00 am
My favorite quote from today’s news coverage on this bill comes from Levine, “This is a hugely serious prroblem AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, and we need to do something about it.”
Why does it seem that this legislative session is one attack on local control after another?
June 7th, 2007 at 12:00 am
I ‘ll be praying for Asseblyman Adams as he goes home to face his wife this weekend. :-)
Anthony- you put up a good fight!
June 7th, 2007 at 12:00 am
This is appalling! Thank you to my Assemblyman, Ted Gaines, for speaking out on the floor against this bill. And thank you to all the other pet-friendly legislators who voted against it as well.
June 7th, 2007 at 12:00 am
This is just a sad attempt to criminalize everyday citizens and to deflect attention from their big brother you must submit to the collective mentality.Let local municipalities decide these matters and get on that budget deficit Commrades Steve and Alex.