California 2025-2026 Regular Session

California Assembly Bill AB631 Latest Draft

Bill / Amended Version Filed 04/02/2025

                            Amended IN  Assembly  April 02, 2025 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 631Introduced by Assembly Member LeeFebruary 13, 2025An act to add Section 32004 to the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to animals. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 631, as amended, Lee. Animals: animal shelters: transparency.Existing law requires all public and private animal shelters to keep accurate records on each animal taken up, medically treated, or impounded, as specified. This bill would require animal shelters, as defined, to post on their internet websites, or third-party internet websites, the number of animals taken in, the source of intake, and the outcomes for all animals, as specified. The bill would require this information to be made publicly accessible, be updated at least once per month, quarter, and remain publicly accessible for at least 5 years.To the extent that this bill would impose a new program or higher level of service on public animal control agencies or shelters, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY  Appropriation: NO  Fiscal Committee: YES  Local Program: YES Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 32004 is added to the Food and Agricultural Code, immediately following Section 32003, to read:32004. (a) For purposes of this section, animal shelter has the same meaning as specified defined in Section 30503.5.(b) An animal shelter shall post on its internet website, or a third-party internet website that is conspicuously linked on its internet website, all of the following information: (1) The number of animals taken in with separate categories for dogs, cats, and other animals.(2) The source of intake separated by category, including, but not limited to, stray animals, surrendered by owner, or transferred from another animal shelter.(3) The outcomes for all animals separated by category, including, but not limited to, returned to owner, adopted, transferred to another organization, euthanized, died in care, or dead upon arrival.(c) The information required to be posted pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be made publicly accessible, be updated on the animal shelters internet website or third-party internet website at least once per month, quarter, and remain publicly accessible for at least five years.(d) Animal shelters with local contracts for animal care are encouraged to make the data information available in a downloadable spreadsheet format that may include, but is not limited to, a comma-separated values file or a tab-separated values file and that is compatible with a spreadsheet software application that is widely used at the time of the posting.SEC. 2. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

 Amended IN  Assembly  April 02, 2025 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 631Introduced by Assembly Member LeeFebruary 13, 2025An act to add Section 32004 to the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to animals. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 631, as amended, Lee. Animals: animal shelters: transparency.Existing law requires all public and private animal shelters to keep accurate records on each animal taken up, medically treated, or impounded, as specified. This bill would require animal shelters, as defined, to post on their internet websites, or third-party internet websites, the number of animals taken in, the source of intake, and the outcomes for all animals, as specified. The bill would require this information to be made publicly accessible, be updated at least once per month, quarter, and remain publicly accessible for at least 5 years.To the extent that this bill would impose a new program or higher level of service on public animal control agencies or shelters, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY  Appropriation: NO  Fiscal Committee: YES  Local Program: YES 

 Amended IN  Assembly  April 02, 2025

Amended IN  Assembly  April 02, 2025

 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION

 Assembly Bill 

No. 631

Introduced by Assembly Member LeeFebruary 13, 2025

Introduced by Assembly Member Lee
February 13, 2025

An act to add Section 32004 to the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to animals. 

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 631, as amended, Lee. Animals: animal shelters: transparency.

Existing law requires all public and private animal shelters to keep accurate records on each animal taken up, medically treated, or impounded, as specified. This bill would require animal shelters, as defined, to post on their internet websites, or third-party internet websites, the number of animals taken in, the source of intake, and the outcomes for all animals, as specified. The bill would require this information to be made publicly accessible, be updated at least once per month, quarter, and remain publicly accessible for at least 5 years.To the extent that this bill would impose a new program or higher level of service on public animal control agencies or shelters, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Existing law requires all public and private animal shelters to keep accurate records on each animal taken up, medically treated, or impounded, as specified. 

This bill would require animal shelters, as defined, to post on their internet websites, or third-party internet websites, the number of animals taken in, the source of intake, and the outcomes for all animals, as specified. The bill would require this information to be made publicly accessible, be updated at least once per month, quarter, and remain publicly accessible for at least 5 years.

To the extent that this bill would impose a new program or higher level of service on public animal control agencies or shelters, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

## Digest Key

## Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 32004 is added to the Food and Agricultural Code, immediately following Section 32003, to read:32004. (a) For purposes of this section, animal shelter has the same meaning as specified defined in Section 30503.5.(b) An animal shelter shall post on its internet website, or a third-party internet website that is conspicuously linked on its internet website, all of the following information: (1) The number of animals taken in with separate categories for dogs, cats, and other animals.(2) The source of intake separated by category, including, but not limited to, stray animals, surrendered by owner, or transferred from another animal shelter.(3) The outcomes for all animals separated by category, including, but not limited to, returned to owner, adopted, transferred to another organization, euthanized, died in care, or dead upon arrival.(c) The information required to be posted pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be made publicly accessible, be updated on the animal shelters internet website or third-party internet website at least once per month, quarter, and remain publicly accessible for at least five years.(d) Animal shelters with local contracts for animal care are encouraged to make the data information available in a downloadable spreadsheet format that may include, but is not limited to, a comma-separated values file or a tab-separated values file and that is compatible with a spreadsheet software application that is widely used at the time of the posting.SEC. 2. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

## The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 32004 is added to the Food and Agricultural Code, immediately following Section 32003, to read:32004. (a) For purposes of this section, animal shelter has the same meaning as specified defined in Section 30503.5.(b) An animal shelter shall post on its internet website, or a third-party internet website that is conspicuously linked on its internet website, all of the following information: (1) The number of animals taken in with separate categories for dogs, cats, and other animals.(2) The source of intake separated by category, including, but not limited to, stray animals, surrendered by owner, or transferred from another animal shelter.(3) The outcomes for all animals separated by category, including, but not limited to, returned to owner, adopted, transferred to another organization, euthanized, died in care, or dead upon arrival.(c) The information required to be posted pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be made publicly accessible, be updated on the animal shelters internet website or third-party internet website at least once per month, quarter, and remain publicly accessible for at least five years.(d) Animal shelters with local contracts for animal care are encouraged to make the data information available in a downloadable spreadsheet format that may include, but is not limited to, a comma-separated values file or a tab-separated values file and that is compatible with a spreadsheet software application that is widely used at the time of the posting.

SECTION 1. Section 32004 is added to the Food and Agricultural Code, immediately following Section 32003, to read:

### SECTION 1.

32004. (a) For purposes of this section, animal shelter has the same meaning as specified defined in Section 30503.5.(b) An animal shelter shall post on its internet website, or a third-party internet website that is conspicuously linked on its internet website, all of the following information: (1) The number of animals taken in with separate categories for dogs, cats, and other animals.(2) The source of intake separated by category, including, but not limited to, stray animals, surrendered by owner, or transferred from another animal shelter.(3) The outcomes for all animals separated by category, including, but not limited to, returned to owner, adopted, transferred to another organization, euthanized, died in care, or dead upon arrival.(c) The information required to be posted pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be made publicly accessible, be updated on the animal shelters internet website or third-party internet website at least once per month, quarter, and remain publicly accessible for at least five years.(d) Animal shelters with local contracts for animal care are encouraged to make the data information available in a downloadable spreadsheet format that may include, but is not limited to, a comma-separated values file or a tab-separated values file and that is compatible with a spreadsheet software application that is widely used at the time of the posting.

32004. (a) For purposes of this section, animal shelter has the same meaning as specified defined in Section 30503.5.(b) An animal shelter shall post on its internet website, or a third-party internet website that is conspicuously linked on its internet website, all of the following information: (1) The number of animals taken in with separate categories for dogs, cats, and other animals.(2) The source of intake separated by category, including, but not limited to, stray animals, surrendered by owner, or transferred from another animal shelter.(3) The outcomes for all animals separated by category, including, but not limited to, returned to owner, adopted, transferred to another organization, euthanized, died in care, or dead upon arrival.(c) The information required to be posted pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be made publicly accessible, be updated on the animal shelters internet website or third-party internet website at least once per month, quarter, and remain publicly accessible for at least five years.(d) Animal shelters with local contracts for animal care are encouraged to make the data information available in a downloadable spreadsheet format that may include, but is not limited to, a comma-separated values file or a tab-separated values file and that is compatible with a spreadsheet software application that is widely used at the time of the posting.

32004. (a) For purposes of this section, animal shelter has the same meaning as specified defined in Section 30503.5.(b) An animal shelter shall post on its internet website, or a third-party internet website that is conspicuously linked on its internet website, all of the following information: (1) The number of animals taken in with separate categories for dogs, cats, and other animals.(2) The source of intake separated by category, including, but not limited to, stray animals, surrendered by owner, or transferred from another animal shelter.(3) The outcomes for all animals separated by category, including, but not limited to, returned to owner, adopted, transferred to another organization, euthanized, died in care, or dead upon arrival.(c) The information required to be posted pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be made publicly accessible, be updated on the animal shelters internet website or third-party internet website at least once per month, quarter, and remain publicly accessible for at least five years.(d) Animal shelters with local contracts for animal care are encouraged to make the data information available in a downloadable spreadsheet format that may include, but is not limited to, a comma-separated values file or a tab-separated values file and that is compatible with a spreadsheet software application that is widely used at the time of the posting.



32004. (a) For purposes of this section, animal shelter has the same meaning as specified defined in Section 30503.5.

(b) An animal shelter shall post on its internet website, or a third-party internet website that is conspicuously linked on its internet website, all of the following information: 

(1) The number of animals taken in with separate categories for dogs, cats, and other animals.

(2) The source of intake separated by category, including, but not limited to, stray animals, surrendered by owner, or transferred from another animal shelter.

(3) The outcomes for all animals separated by category, including, but not limited to, returned to owner, adopted, transferred to another organization, euthanized, died in care, or dead upon arrival.

(c) The information required to be posted pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be made publicly accessible, be updated on the animal shelters internet website or third-party internet website at least once per month, quarter, and remain publicly accessible for at least five years.

(d) Animal shelters with local contracts for animal care are encouraged to make the data information available in a downloadable spreadsheet format that may include, but is not limited to, a comma-separated values file or a tab-separated values file and that is compatible with a spreadsheet software application that is widely used at the time of the posting.

SEC. 2. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

SEC. 2. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

SEC. 2. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

### SEC. 2.