CA SB1397

Requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to maintain, enhance, and expand its human-mountain lion conflicts program to protect public health and safety, including public education on protecting livestock and domestic animals

Mandates expanded scientific research to develop methods for deterring mountain lions from entering communities and preventing habituation to humans, in partnership with agencies like Utah State University

Requires the department to regularly attend public meetings in high-conflict counties to provide updates on program status and depredation permit processing times

Director of Fish and Wildlife must appear annually before legislative committees through 2034 to provide program status updates, with a full report due to the Legislature by October 1, 2031

All provisions sunset on January 1, 2033 (or 2036 for reporting requirements); requires four-fifths vote in both houses to pass due to Proposition 117 protections for mountain lions as a specially protected species