Legislating Compassion
How to pass a law banning confinement of farm animals in your state
Originally published in Animal World magazine
Last November, California voters overwhelmingly voted Yes on Proposition 2, a groundbreaking ballot measure that will effectively outlaw battery cages for egg-laying hens, gestation crates for pregnant pigs, and veal crates for calves in the state by 2015. As co-sponsors of this compassionate legislation, Farm Sanctuary and The Humane Society of the United States chose to focus on banning these three intensive confinement systems because one, they are among the very worst agribusinesses abuses in terms of the lifelong suffering they cause, and two, the majority of people agree that they are cruel and should be illegal. This was proven beyond any doubt when 63 percent of the California electorate – more than 8 million people – voted Yes on Prop 2.
With Prop 2 secure among the annals of California law, we are now building on the success and momentum of this unprecedented victory by seeking to introduce similar laws in other states — and we want you to join us in this ongoing effort! If you would like to make history by banning battery cages, gestation crates and/or veal crates in your home state, you can help make it happen. First, visit farmsanctuary.org/issues/legislation to find out if such a measure has already been initiated in your home state. If so, you will find advice on the Web page about supporting these bills, but if not, just follow this quick-start guide to initiate your efforts, and consult farmsanctuary.org/get_involved/act/activist_lobbying.html for more detailed step-by-step instructions.
1. Find a Sponsor – Start by identifying an elected state representative with a strong pro-animal voting record who may want to sponsor an anti-confinement bill in the legislature. Call the legislator’s office to schedule a meeting with the legislator (or the staff member who specializes in animal issues) so you can present your proposal in person.
2. Prepare Your Presentation – Since the passage of Prop 2 sets an important precedent for new farm animal protection laws, you can base your measure on the groundwork that it has already laid (see farmsanctuary.org/get_involved/alert_cruel_confinement.html for details). Respect your legislator’s time by boiling your presentation down to just a few minutes, and bring printouts of Farm Sanctuary’s one-page Legislator Brief (farmsanctuary.org/get_involved/assets/Confinement Legislator Brief_vf.pdf) to reinforce the points in your proposal. And be sure to dress professionally for your meeting.
3. Draft Your Bill – Writing legislation requires highly specialized legal knowledge and skills (see farmsanctuary.org/get_involved/act/activist_bill_drafting.html for more details), so ask your legislator if they have access to a bill drafting service through the legislature. If they do not, start looking for someone who has experience in this area and understands how the proposal relates to local animal welfare laws.
If you are committed to enacting a bill to ban intensive confinement systems like battery cages, gestation crates and veal crates in your home state, experienced Farm Sanctuary campaign coordinators are available to offer guidance and support along every step of the way. Contact us at campaign@farmsanctuary.org or 607-583-2225 ext. 229 for more information about initiating and passing farm animal legislation in your home state.
Originally published in Animal World magazine
Last November, California voters overwhelmingly voted Yes on Proposition 2, a groundbreaking ballot measure that will effectively outlaw battery cages for egg-laying hens, gestation crates for pregnant pigs, and veal crates for calves in the state by 2015. As co-sponsors of this compassionate legislation, Farm Sanctuary and The Humane Society of the United States chose to focus on banning these three intensive confinement systems because one, they are among the very worst agribusinesses abuses in terms of the lifelong suffering they cause, and two, the majority of people agree that they are cruel and should be illegal. This was proven beyond any doubt when 63 percent of the California electorate – more than 8 million people – voted Yes on Prop 2.
With Prop 2 secure among the annals of California law, we are now building on the success and momentum of this unprecedented victory by seeking to introduce similar laws in other states — and we want you to join us in this ongoing effort! If you would like to make history by banning battery cages, gestation crates and/or veal crates in your home state, you can help make it happen. First, visit farmsanctuary.org/issues/legislation to find out if such a measure has already been initiated in your home state. If so, you will find advice on the Web page about supporting these bills, but if not, just follow this quick-start guide to initiate your efforts, and consult farmsanctuary.org/get_involved/act/activist_lobbying.html for more detailed step-by-step instructions.
1. Find a Sponsor – Start by identifying an elected state representative with a strong pro-animal voting record who may want to sponsor an anti-confinement bill in the legislature. Call the legislator’s office to schedule a meeting with the legislator (or the staff member who specializes in animal issues) so you can present your proposal in person.
2. Prepare Your Presentation – Since the passage of Prop 2 sets an important precedent for new farm animal protection laws, you can base your measure on the groundwork that it has already laid (see farmsanctuary.org/get_involved/alert_cruel_confinement.html for details). Respect your legislator’s time by boiling your presentation down to just a few minutes, and bring printouts of Farm Sanctuary’s one-page Legislator Brief (farmsanctuary.org/get_involved/assets/Confinement Legislator Brief_vf.pdf) to reinforce the points in your proposal. And be sure to dress professionally for your meeting.
3. Draft Your Bill – Writing legislation requires highly specialized legal knowledge and skills (see farmsanctuary.org/get_involved/act/activist_bill_drafting.html for more details), so ask your legislator if they have access to a bill drafting service through the legislature. If they do not, start looking for someone who has experience in this area and understands how the proposal relates to local animal welfare laws.
If you are committed to enacting a bill to ban intensive confinement systems like battery cages, gestation crates and veal crates in your home state, experienced Farm Sanctuary campaign coordinators are available to offer guidance and support along every step of the way. Contact us at campaign@farmsanctuary.org or 607-583-2225 ext. 229 for more information about initiating and passing farm animal legislation in your home state.