Got an email from SCI; it is about time this "law" was challenged under interstate commerce.

Safari Club International (SCI) filed a lawsuit in federal court on August 6, 2014, challenging a California law that bans the importation, transportation, and possession of mountain lions hunted outside of California. The California law, enacted in 1990 through a voter initiative, has discouraged hunters in California from hunting mountain lions in others states and countries. SCI’s members in California and surrounding states strongly encouraged SCI to challenge this misguided ban.

“For too long California has interfered with the hunting of mountain lions in other states by residents of California,” said SCI President Craig Kauffman. “Back in 1990, ill-informed California voters decided it was a good idea to take the management of this predator species out of the hands of the wildlife professionals. Not only did they ban mountain lion hunting within the state, but they went further and tried to impose on other states their misguided views on mountain lion hunting. The result was a harmful and illegal ban on the importation of mountain lions hunted outside of California.”

SCI’s main claims in the case are that the import/possession ban violates the U.S. Constitution’s Commerce Clause and Equal Protection Clause. The ban both infringes on interstate commerce without serving a strong local interest and discriminates against hunters who wish to import mountain lions as compared to hunters of other non-protected wildlife. SCI filed its lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California (Sacramento). The two defendants are the California Attorney General Kamala Harris and the Director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife Charlton Bonham.

I for one would be very happy if this ban was lifted.

quote:

Originally posted by tanks:
I for one would be very happy if this ban was lifted.

Not gonna happen. When I was stationed in the Land of Fruits, Flakes and Nuts, they tried to lift it. If my memory is right there were only something like 6 or 7 counties in the entire state that wanted the ban but they had the majority of the people so it stayed. Face it, as long as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Orange County etc... have a say in it, the ban will stay in effect.

CA is basically being run from San Fran these days. Both Pelosi and Feinstein are from there and that place has way more pull in both state and national affairs than it should. Vote those 2 bitches out and CA can begin to heal itself. Until then, you're screwed. It is what it is.

quote:

Originally posted by TommyII:

quote:

Originally posted by tanks:
I for one would be very happy if this ban was lifted.

Not gonna happen. When I was stationed in the Land of Fruits, Flakes and Nuts, they tried to lift it. If my memory is right there were only something like 6 or 7 counties in the entire state that wanted the ban but they had the majority of the people so it stayed. Face it, as long as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Orange County etc... have a say in it, the ban will stay in effect.

CA is basically being run from San Fran these days. Both Pelosi and Feinstein are from there and that place has way more pull in both state and national affairs than it should. Vote those 2 bitches out and CA can begin to heal itself. Until then, you're screwed. It is what it is.

That is why challenging this on legal grounds is the right way to go. Think about it: why not outlaw the right to wear fur or own a motorcycle?

SCI has the financial backing, wisdom and experience to push the right buttons no matter how high it entails. I wish them success.
It is about time ill thought and politically unsound laws be challenged.

Hey Tommy II! You left out Barbara Boxer, LOL! Going the Federal Court route is the way it needs to go, as it doesn't matter how many votes CA has if the Courts rule the ban is unconstitutional!