SB 1148 signed into law

The following was an email sent by Retired Senator Dave Cogdill on Tuesday, Sept. 25: “I’m assuming you have all heard by now that Gov. Brown signed SB1148 today. As expected, he also vetoed SB 505 (LaMalfa) (the bill allowing the purchase of trout from private hatcheries, although it passed the legislature unanimously) saying that with the signing of 1148, 505 wasn’t necessary.

“To add insult to injury the Gov. Line item vetoed the $1,000,000 for hatchery infrastructure that CalTrout liked to point to as additional support for hatcheries, and which was used in part to buy SEIU’s neutrality through the legislative process, and convince the angling public of CalTrout’s sincerity, I hope they feel as duped as they should.

“I hope and pray that this bill turns out to be the panacea Curtis Knight would like us all to believe, but I sincerely doubt it. I believe production at the hatcheries will remain mediocre at best, one will be much more likely to run into a fish biologist than a game warden in the field, the overall angling experience will deteriorate, and the cost of fishing licenses will increase substantially. I hope as this bill is implemented the public will hold CalTrout and their partners at DFG accountable to produce as advertised and not let them off the hook! No pun intended!

Thanks again for all your help. Wish things had turned out differently, but as I pointed out in a previous email, ‘elections have consequences.’ Welcome to Jerry Brown’s California!”