Senate BillChaptered/SignedFish and Game
SB 1135: California Wildlife Coexistence Act.
What SB 1135 does, verified October 1, 2026
The bill aims to promote wildlife coexistence by establishing a statewide wildlife incident reporting tool and maintaining a database of wildlife incidents. The program will provide resources to eligible participants for wolf-livestock conflicts, including compensation for livestock losses. The department will also establish a technical advisory committee to provide guidance and recommendations on wildlife coexistence efforts. Additionally, the department will be required to publish information on its website related to wildlife coexistence and wolf-livestock conflicts.
Bill journey
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6ChapteredCurrent
Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 820, Statutes of 2026. (2026-09-29)Alert me
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions32 total · showing 5
| Sep. 29, 2026 | Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 820, Statutes of 2026. |
| Sep. 29, 2026 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Aug. 31, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 6 p.m. |
| Aug. 26, 2026 | Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 31. Noes 9.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. |
| Aug. 19, 2026 | Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 58. Noes 17. Page 6269.) Ordered to the Senate. |
Latest bill textChaptered version, September 29, 2026 · 1,903 words
Senate Bill No. 1135
CHAPTER 820
An act to amend Section 2080 of, to add Section 3960.7 to, and to add Chapter 14 (commencing with Section 2960) to Division 3 of, the Fish and Game Code, relating to wildlife.
[ Approved by Governor September 29, 2026. Filed with Secretary of State September 29, 2026. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1135, Blakespear. California Wildlife Coexistence Act.
Existing law establishes the Department of Fish and Wildlife in the Natural Resources Agency. Under existing law, the department has jurisdiction over the conservation, protection, and management of fish, wildlife, native plants, and habitat necessary for biologically sustainable populations of those species.
This bill would require the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to establish the Wildlife Coexistence Program to manage and promote wildlife coexistence by conducting specified activities, including maintaining a statewide wildlife incident reporting tool. The bill would rename the Wolf-Livestock Compensation Pilot Program to the California Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program and would require the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to establish the program to provide resources to eligible participants for purposes relating to wolves and livestock. The bill would authorize the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, including the cost for implementation, to provide resources to wildlife coexistence partners, as defined, to support efforts required for the Wildlife Coexistence Program and the California Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program. The bill would require the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to establish the Wildlife Coexistence Technical Advisory Committee to provide technical guidance, public input, and programmatic recommendations related to the department’s wildlife coexistence efforts. The bill would require the department, on or before July 1, 2028, to include specified information on its internet website, as provided.
The California Endangered Species Act prohibits the taking of an endangered or threatened species, except as specified. Under existing law, it is also unlawful to permit or allow any dog to pursue any big game mammal during the closed season on that mammal, to pursue any fully protected, rare, or endangered mammal at any time, to pursue any bear or bobcat at any time, or to pursue any mammal in a game refuge or ecological reserve if hunting within that refuge or ecological reserve is unlawful.
This bill would provide that, notwithstanding those prohibitions, the pursuit of wolves by dogs that are guarding or protecting livestock or crops on property owned, leased, or rented by the owner of the dogs, is not prohibited if the dogs are maintained with, and remain in reasonable proximity to, the livestock or crops being guarded or protected.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 2080 of the Fish and Game Code is amended to read:2080.
No person or public agency shall import into this state, export out of this state, or take, possess, purchase, or sell within this state, any species, or any part or product thereof, that the commission determines to be an endangered species or a threatened species, or attempt any of those acts, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the Native Plant Protection Act (Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 1900) of Division 2), the California Desert Native Plants Act (Division 23 (commencing with Section 80001) of the Food and Agricultural Code), or Section 3960.7.SEC. 2.
Chapter 14 (commencing with Section 2960) is added to Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code, to read:CHAPTER 14. California Wildlife Coexistence Act
Article 1. General Provisions
2960.
This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the California Wildlife Coexistence Act.2961.
It is the policy of the state that the management of wildlife shall include an emphasis on the safe coexistence of humans and wildlife through department-led efforts to reduce, minimize, and mitigate conflicts. These efforts shall also seek to align with the state’s conservation, public safety, environmental planning, and climate adaptation goals and to be accomplished through coordination and cooperation between the department and wildlife coexistence partners.2962.
For purposes of this chapter, “wildlife coexistence partners” means local, state, and federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, federally recognized tribes, non-federally recognized California Native American tribes included on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission, other entities, and academic programs.2963.
The department may adopt regulations to avoid or minimize human-wildlife conflict or to implement the provisions of this chapter.Article 2. The Wildlife Coexistence Program
2965.
Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the department shall establish the Wildlife Coexistence Program to manage and promote wildlife coexistence by conducting all of the following activities:(a) Managing, tracking, and responding to wildlife calls, reports, and incident responses related to human-wildlife conflict, depredation, animal welfare, and wildlife health issues.
(b) Avoiding, minimizing, and mitigating conflicts between humans and wildlife by proactively and continuously implementing best practices that emphasize effective, economically and logistically feasible, and ecologically appropriate nonlethal conflict resolution solutions developed using best available science and indigenous knowledge.
(c) Investigating, documenting, and analyzing reported human-wildlife incidents, including, but not limited to, depredation, perceived or actual human-wildlife conflicts, animal welfare, and wildlife health issues.
(d) Maintaining a statewide wildlife incident reporting tool.
(e) Consistent with existing law, supporting community-based efforts in coordination with wildlife coexistence partners and providing technical assistance, resources, and recommendations.
(f) Conducting ongoing public outreach and education.
(g) Implementing the provisions of this chapter.
2966.
Upon appropriation by the Legislature, including the cost for implementation, the department may provide resources to wildlife coexistence partners to support efforts required for the Wildlife Coexistence Program pursuant to Section 2965 and the California Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program pursuant to Section 2970.2967.
On or before July 1, 2028, the department shall include on its internet website, accessible to the public, all of the following information:(a) The annual number, general locations, and species involved in reported human-wildlife conflicts and department responses pursuant to Section 2965.
(b) An inventory of known types of proactive wildlife coexistence activities available to the department within each region and statewide, including community-based and tribal efforts.
(c) Descriptions of resources provided pursuant to Section 2966, including recipients, regions, and dollar amounts.
(d) Depredation permits issued by species, damage type, and regions.
(e) The outcomes of the California Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program pursuant to Section 2970, including a list of any resources funded by activity, county, and wolf pack.
(f) The department shall update this information each year on or before January 31.
Article 3. The California Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program
2970.
(a) The Wolf-Livestock Compensation Pilot Program established pursuant to the annual Budget Act of 2021 shall be renamed the California Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program.(b) Upon appropriation by the Legislature, including the cost for implementation, the department shall establish the California Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program to provide resources to eligible participants for all of the following:
(1) Providing equipment, information, and resources for practices used to proactively and nonlethally deter wolf attacks on livestock.
(2) Compensation for confirmed or probable losses of livestock verified by the department to have been caused by wolves.
(3) Compensation for indirect impacts on livestock from the presence of wolves.
(c) (1) At least 50 percent of the funds appropriated to the program shall be used for purposes of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).
(2) If the balance of funds for the program falls below one million dollars ($1,000,000), at least 25 percent of the funds appropriated to the program shall be used for purposes of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).
(3) If the balance falls below one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), funds appropriated to the program are not required to, but may, be used for purposes of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).
(d) (1) To be eligible for any resources from the program for the purposes of paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (b), a participant within an area defined by the department as pack territory or an area of wolf activity shall have adopted, implemented, and documented, as practicable, proper and ongoing deployment of proactive, nonlethal conflict reduction measures approved by the department.
(2) Outside an area identified by the department as pack territory or an area of wolf activity, a participant is eligible for program resources for up to two confirmed or probable losses within any 12-month period. Eligibility for compensation for subsequent losses is contingent upon the participant adopting, implementing, and documenting, as practicable, proper and ongoing deployment of proactive, nonlethal conflict reduction measures approved by the department.
(e) In determining eligibility for the program for purposes of subdivision (d), the department shall consider all relevant factors relating to the practicability of adopting, implementing, and documenting proper and ongoing deployment of proactive, nonlethal conflict reduction measures approved by the department, including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) The availability of funds appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).
(2) The costs to a participant of implementing proactive, nonlethal conflict reduction measures.
(3) The extent that routine agricultural practices and animal husbandry practices, or alterations in those practices undertaken in response to the presence of wolves, may represent adequate proactive, nonlethal conflict reduction measures.
(4) The extent that a permittee or lessee is contractually approved to implement certain proactive, nonlethal conflict reduction measures.
(5) The extent that a participant had sufficient time to implement proactive, nonlethal conflict reduction measures before suffering additional losses.
(6) Whether terrain conditions exist that would impede the effectiveness of proactive, nonlethal conflict reduction measures.
Article 4. The Wildlife Coexistence Technical Advisory Committee
2975.
(a) Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the department shall establish the Wildlife Coexistence Technical Advisory Committee to provide technical guidance, public input, and programmatic recommendations related to the department’s wildlife coexistence efforts.(b) The advisory committee shall advise the department on all of the following:
(1) Best available science, indigenous knowledge, and management practices for reducing human-wildlife conflict.
(2) Development, implementation, and evaluation of wildlife coexistence programs.
(3) Program metrics, data collection standards, and reporting practices.
(4) Equity and geographic balance in program design, resource allocation, and funding distribution.
(5) Opportunities for coordination and collaboration with wildlife coexistence partners.
(c) The advisory committee shall consist of no fewer than 11 and no more than 15 members, appointed by the director, representing expertise or experience in one or more of the following areas, with no more than two people from each category:
(1) Public safety.
(2) Wildlife biology or ecology.
(3) Human-wildlife conflict mitigation or coexistence practices.
(4) Tribal natural resource management or indigenous knowledge.
(5) Conservation or environmental interests.
(6) Rural community.
(7) Agricultural interests.
(8) Animal behavior or veterinary science.
(9) Land management or wildlife connectivity.
(10) Urban community or local government interests.
(11) Wildlife rehabilitation.
(d) Members shall serve three-year terms and may be reappointed. Initial appointments may include shorter terms to ensure staggering.
(e) Members of the advisory committee shall serve without compensation.
(f) The advisory committee shall meet at least twice per year, or more frequently at the request of the department.
(g) The department shall consider, but is not required to adopt, recommendations made by the advisory committee.
SEC. 3.
Section 3960.7 is added to the Fish and Game Code, to read:3960.7.
Notwithstanding Section 3960, the pursuit of wolves by dogs that are guarding or protecting livestock or crops on property owned, leased, or rented by the owner of the dogs, is not prohibited if the dogs are maintained with, and remain in reasonable proximity to, the livestock or crops being guarded or protected.Text of SB 1135 as chaptered, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions