ACTION ALERT for Californians-Local democracy under threat in California

[fed-up]

--- ACTION alert! --- Local democracy under threat in California --

On Friday June 24th Californians for GE-Free Agriculture learned that legislation
will soon be introduced in California that would prevent counties, towns and cities
from passing any local regulation on seeds.

The bill in question, AB1508, had been read several times in committee and was
coming to a final vote on Tues. June 28. On Fri. June 24, language was proposed to
dramatically amend the bill to include a provision that effectively overrides county
and city authority to regulate seeds, including all genetically engineered seed.
This would null and void the 3 California counties and 2 cities that have passed
ban’s on genetically engineered (GE) organisms, and would prevent any future local
organizing to regulate GE organisms in any way.

Similar legislation has been sweeping through states governments across the nation.
Fifteen states recently have introduced legislation removing local control of plants
and seeds; twelve of these have already passed into law. The uniformity of the
language in each of these bills and their swift, back-door introduction indicate
that this is a carefully coordinated attempt by the agriculture biotech industry to
prevent local jurisdictions from passing moratoriums, bans or other restrictions on
GE-crops.

Cal GE-Free and our allies are working to insure that California does not become the
13th state to pass legislation restricting local democracy in this way, and we will
be calling on concerned citizens around California to speak out in defense of local
rights in the event the amended bill should ever come to a vote in either the
Assembly or the Senate. A broader appeal will follow if the bill passes through this
Committee, and we will keep you updated as it progresses. If you would like to tune
in on the web to the Committee hearing on Tuesday June 28, you can do so at
http://www.senate.ca.gov/~newsen/audiotv/audiotv.htp

For now, please scroll down to see who to contact ON MONDAY JUNE 27 to put pressure
on the Senate Agriculture Committee. If you are in any of these Senators’
jurisdictions, please contact them as soon as possible expressing your opposition to
the amendments to SB 1508.

THE most important point:
Pre-emption undermines participatory strips away local control and democratic
action, strips local control, and is a threat to citizen participation on issues of
widespread concern.

PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL ON MONDAY – THE COMMITTEE HEARING IS ON TUESDAY!

ASSEMBLYMAN SIMON SALINAS (potential author of the amendment - urge him NOT to
author this amendment)
Assembly District 28, Santa Clara, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties
Capitol Office: State Capitol, P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0028
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

ASSEMBLYMAN JUAN ARAMBULA ([e-mail])
Assembly District 31, Fresno and Tulare Counties
Capitol Office: State Capitol, P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0031
Phone: (916) 319 - 2031
Fax: (916) 319 - 2131 fax

SENATOR DEBORAH ORTIZ ([e-mail])
Member of Senate Agriculture Committee
Senate District 6; Sacramento County
Capitol Office: State Capitol, Room 5114, Sacramento, CA 95814, [phone]
Fax [phone]

SENATOR DEAN FLOREZ (Email: [e-mail])
Member of Senate Agriculture Committee
Senate District 16; Fresno, Kings, Kern and Tulare Counties
Capitol Office: State Capitol, Room 5061, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]

SENATOR WESLEY CHESBORO ([e-mail].)
Member of Senate Agriculture Committee
Senate District 2; Humboldt, Mendocino, Lake, Napa and Sonoma Counties
Capitol Office: State Capitol, Room 5035: Sacramento CA 95814
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]


SENATOR EDWARD VINCENT ([e-mail])
Member of Senate Agriculture Committee
District 25; LA County
Capitol Office: State Capitol, Room 5052, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

SENATOR JEFF DENHAM ([e-mail])
Chair of Senate Agriculture Committee
Senate District 12, Stanislaus, Merced, San Benito, Madera Counties
State Capitol, Room 3076, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

SENATOR DENNIS HOLLINGSWORTH ([e-mail])
Senate Agriculture Committee
District 36, Riverside, San Diego
State Capitol, Room 5064, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

)

SENATOR CHARLES POOCHIGIAN ([e-mail])
Senate Agriculture Committee
District 14, Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Tuolumne
State Capitol, Room 5087, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: [phone]


PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO INTERESTED FRIENDS AND FAMILY!