On this day in vegan history · September 13, 2016
California Outlaws the Orca Show
The state that built Shamu into a household name made it illegal to breed a killer whale in captivity or put one through a routine ever again.
The facts
- Bill
- AB 2305, the Orca Welfare and Safety Act
- Signed
- September 13, 2016, by Governor Jerry Brown
- Author
- Assemblymember Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica), with the Animal Welfare Institute as co-sponsor
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor charges and fines up to $100,000 for violations
On September 13, 2016, Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 2305, the Orca Welfare and Safety Act, making California the first state to ban breeding captive orcas and using them in theatrical shows. Assemblymember Richard Bloom of Santa Monica carried the bill after an earlier 2014 version stalled, and the Animal Welfare Institute co-sponsored it. SeaWorld San Diego, the only California park still holding orcas, had already ended its breeding program that March and announced it would retire its theatrical shows for calmer educational presentations. The law took the retreat SeaWorld chose under pressure and made it permanent, binding on any future owner or operator, with fines up to $100,000 for violations.
In their words
The day in the words of the people who were there. Every quote is verbatim, and every source links out so you can check it.
-
This codifies this corporate policy in law, so they're stuck now
Naomi Rose, marine mammal scientist at the Animal Welfare Institute, quoted after the signing
Source: National Geographic -
Breed or impregnate any orca held in captivity in the state.
The statutory text of AB 2305, listing acts made unlawful under the new law
Source: California Legislative Information
Why it still matters
It was the first time any state turned a marine park's voluntary retreat into law, closing off the option of a future SeaWorld, or a future owner, ever breeding or performing orcas in California again.
Sources
This history is still being written.
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