California lawmakers have passed a pair of bills aimed at making the landscape safer for wildlife threatened by habitat fragmentation and ubiquitous rat poison.
AB 1889, known as the Room to Roam Act, directs cities to consider and protect wildlife connectivity in their land-use plans. Meanwhile, AB 2552, dubbed the Poison-Free Wildlife Act, puts restrictions on certain types of rat poison, including removing them for over-the-counter purchase and limiting their use in wildlife areas.
The bills, which now go to the governor’s desk for final approval, were authored by Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale). They cleared the Legislature last month and build on previous laws she spearheaded.