AB 1319: Protected species: California Endangered Species Act.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law makes it unlawful to take a bird, mammal, fish, reptile, or amphibian, except as authorized by law.

This bill would make it unlawful for a person in California to import, cause to be imported, export, cause to be exported, transport, sell, offer for sale, possess with the intent to sell, receive, acquire, or purchase any fish, wildlife, or plant that was taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of any law or statute of any state or any law, treaty, or statute of the United States with regard to fish, wildlife, or plants in effect on January 19, 2025. The bill would, upon conviction or other entry of judgment, require any seized evidence be forfeited, as specified. The bill would make these provisions inoperative on December 31, 2031, and would repeal them on January 1, 2032.

Under existing law, a violation of the Fish and Game Code is a crime.

Because the above provision would be part of the Fish and Game Code, a violation of which would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Endangered Species Act (CESA) requires the Fish and Game Commission to establish a list of endangered species and a list of threatened species pursuant to a prescribed listing process, and generally prohibits the taking of those species. Existing law requires the commission to publish a notice in the California Regulatory Notice Register upon receipt of a petition to add or remove a species from either the list of endangered species or the list of threatened species by the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

This bill would require the department to determine if there is a decrease in protections by the federal government for an endangered or threatened species, as defined, and, if so, would require the department to publish written findings in the California Regulatory Notice Register that would add the species to the commission’s list of provisional candidate species, as specified. The bill would require the department to report the provisional candidacy determination at the next public meeting of the commission. The bill would prohibit criminal or civil liability for an entity operating under federal authorization for take, as specified, as long as the entities are in full compliance with their federal biological opinion. The bill would make these provisions inoperative on December 31, 2031, and would repeal them on January 1, 2032.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 2

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. October 11, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 638, Statutes of 2025.
2. October 11, 2025Approved by the Governor.
3. September 23, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
4. September 11, 2025Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 51. Noes 19. Page 3307.).
5. September 10, 2025In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
6. September 10, 2025Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 25. Noes 10. Page 2799.).
7. September 8, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
8. September 5, 2025Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
9. September 3, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
10. September 2, 2025Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
11. September 2, 2025From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 29).
12. August 18, 2025In committee: Referred to suspense file.