California lawmakers stopped a proposal to study the return of grizzly bears to the state.
Senate Bill 1305, introduced by Sen. Laura Richardson, asked the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to create a plan assessing whether reintroducing grizzlies is possible and wise.
The Assembly Appropriations Committee ended the bill without discussion or public comment. Chairperson Buffy Wicks said the state must focus on managing conflicts between humans and predators first.
Grizzly bears once roamed California widely. Settlers eliminated them by the 1920s. Today, only black bears remain.
Two Native American tribes and animal groups backed the bill, saying grizzlies would restore the ecosystem. Ranchers and rural residents opposed it, citing concerns about safety and livestock losses.
