SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A bill that would have limited undercover farm animal abuse investigations has been pulled by its author amid stiff and growing opposition.
Jim Patterson, R-Fresno, had carried the bill for the California Cattlemen's Association, which said it sought to quickly end abuse. Patterson pulled the bill Wednesday just three hours before it was to be voted on by the Assembly Agriculture Committee.
Patterson's bill would have required anyone collecting evidence of abuse to turn it over to law enforcement within 48 hours, which animal advocates say does not allow enough time to show a pattern of illegal activity under federal humane handling and food safety laws.
"My intention with this will was and remains to be the prevention of animal cruelty," Patterson said. "The chair of the agriculture committee, myself and the California Cattlemen's Association have agreed to hold a hearing in the future to discuss how we can move forward with our goals of a safe food supply, strong agriculture industry and the humane treatment of livestock."