SB 312: Dog importation: health certificates. - California

10/09/25 - Chaptered → SB312 · 1 edit

MINOR

No substantive policy changes were made between these two versions. The difference is purely in presentation format: the first version is the formal authenticated chaptered document with state headers and page numbers, while the second is the same bill text rendered on a web-based legislative information page with navigation menus, version history links, and a digest key summary.

TECHNICAL

The document was reformatted from an authenticated electronic legal material layout (with STATE OF CALIFORNIA header, page numbers, and centered formatting) to a web-based bill text page with navigation elements, version history dropdowns, and a digest key showing Vote: MAJORITY, Appropriation: NO, Fiscal Committee: YES, Local Program: YES.

09/02/25 - Amended Assembly → 09/12/25 - Enrolled · 3 edits · Sep 12, 2025

MINOR

The enrolled version of SB 312 makes three substantive changes from the prior amended assembly version: it removes the requirement for the Department of Food and Agriculture to build a public searchable website of health certificates (former Section 31001), drops the word 'accredited' before 'licensed veterinarian' in the certificate requirements, and corrects a cross-reference error. The removal of the website mandate is the most significant policy change, as it eliminates a transparency mechanism that would have made dog importation data publicly searchable.

REQUIREMENT

Section 31001 was deleted entirely. It had required the Department of Food and Agriculture to develop, maintain, and make publicly available an internet website containing information from every submitted health certificate, searchable by each required item except street names, address numbers, and telephone numbers.

ELIGIBILITY

Section 31000(b)(9) removed the word 'accredited' before 'licensed veterinarian,' meaning any state-licensed veterinarian can now complete the health certificate, not just those who are also accredited. This broadens the pool of veterinarians who can issue the required documents.

TECHNICAL

Section 31000(c) corrected a cross-reference error, changing 'subdivision (a) (b)' to simply 'subdivision (b),' fixing an erroneous reference that could have created ambiguity about which requirements the USDA Form 7001 must satisfy.

03/26/25 - Amended Senate → 05/05/25 - Amended Senate · 6 edits · May 5, 2025

MODERATE

The May 5 amendment to SB 312 makes several substantive changes to the dog health certificate requirement: it removes an exemption that previously allowed dogs in transit, at exhibitions, or going to federally regulated facilities to bypass the certificate requirement; it adds a privacy limitation on the public website by excluding street names, address numbers, and telephone numbers from searchability; and it replaces the term 'consignment' with 'shipment' throughout. These changes tighten enforcement scope while adding a modest privacy safeguard.

SCOPE

Removed an exemption (former subdivision (e)) that allowed dogs passing through the state, dogs at temporary exhibitions, and dogs going to federally regulated research institutions or dealers under the Animal Welfare Act to bypass the health certificate requirement. This broadens the bill's applicability to all dogs brought into California for resale or change of ownership.

ENFORCEMENT

Added a privacy limitation to Section 31001: the public website must be searchable by each item required by Section 31000, except street names, address numbers, and telephone numbers. Previously there was no such exception, meaning full addresses and phone numbers would have been publicly searchable.

Added fiscal note language clarifying that violations of the Food and Agricultural Code are misdemeanors under existing law, and that because this bill's requirements would be part of that code, violations would constitute crimes, creating a state-mandated local program.

DEFINITION

Replaced the term 'consignment' with 'shipment' throughout the bill (in items 5 through 9 of the required health certificate information). This is a terminology simplification that does not change the substantive requirement.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the USDA Form 7001 provision from 'shall be used' to 'may be used,' making it clear that the federal form is one acceptable option rather than the only one. Also changed 'receiving agency shall department' to simply 'department' for clarity on who accepts alternative forms.

In item (10) of required certificate information, replaced 'consignor and consignee' with 'consignor and the buyer,' clarifying that it is the buyer's contact information (not a generic consignee) that must be listed on the health certificate.

05/05/25 - Amended Senate → 09/02/25 - Amended Assembly · 5 edits · Sep 2, 2025

MODERATE

The Assembly amended SB 312 to remove the requirement that the department's public website post full unredacted health certificates, while adding a new five-year record retention requirement for the department. The bill also fixed several drafting errors and made minor clarifications to terminology.

REQUIREMENT

Section 31001 no longer requires the department's public website to display 'without redaction, and the actual health certificates.' The website must still contain the information received on every submitted health certificate and be searchable, but the full unredacted documents are no longer required to be posted online.

New Section 31002(c) requires the department to retain a health certificate for five years, establishing a minimum record-keeping period that did not exist in the prior version.

TECHNICAL

Fixed a drafting error in Section 31000(b)(4)(B): 'old age age, or other reason another reason' was corrected to 'old age, or another reason.'

Section 31000(c) cross-reference was clarified from 'described in subdivision (a)' to 'described in subdivision (a) (b),' specifying that both subdivisions' minimum requirements must be satisfied by an alternative form.

DEFINITION

Section 31000(b)(9) changed 'accredited veterinarian' to 'accredited licensed veterinarian,' adding the word 'licensed' for clarity.

09/12/25 - Enrolled → 10/09/25 - Chaptered · 1 edit · Oct 9, 2025

MINOR

SB 312 was approved by the Governor on October 9, 2025, and filed as Chapter 480. The diff reflects only the transition from an enrolled bill to a signed chaptered law: the header changed to include the chapter number and authentication language, the Governor's approval date was filled in, and page numbering was updated. No substantive policy changes were made between the two versions.

TECHNICAL

The bill was formally enacted as Chapter 480 with the Governor's approval date of October 9, 2025 recorded. All statutory language (Sections 31000, 31002, and the repeal provisions) remains identical to the enrolled version.

02/10/25 - Introduced → 03/26/25 - Amended Senate · 7 edits · Mar 26, 2025

MODERATE

The Senate amendment to SB 312 strengthens dog importation health certificate requirements by requiring certificates to be submitted directly to buyers (not just the state), adding a USDA breeder license number requirement, tightening physical address rules to exclude PO boxes and nonfixed locations, and adding buyer contact information to required certificate contents. These changes increase transparency for consumers purchasing dogs and make it harder for sellers to obscure their identity or location.

REQUIREMENT

Health certificates must now be submitted electronically to both the Department of Food and Agriculture AND the buyer, giving purchasers direct access to the dog's health information.

A new requirement mandates inclusion of the USDA license number associated with the breeder of the dog (if applicable), adding a traceability link back to the source breeder.

Physical addresses on certificates can no longer be a post office box, airport, parking lot, or other public or nonfixed location. The address must correspond to a verifiable, permanent residence or business location where the animal resides or is housed.

The certificate must now include the full name, physical address, email address, and telephone number of the buyer (in addition to consignor/consignee information).

The language regarding USDA Form 7001 was changed from 'shall satisfy the requirements' to 'may be used to satisfy the requirements,' making it permissive rather than mandatory as an acceptable form.

DEFINITION

A new definition of 'consignor' was added: a person, business, or organization that ships or sends goods to another party for sale or storage, retaining ownership until the goods are paid for.

TECHNICAL

References to 'consignment' were replaced with 'shipment' throughout the bill for clarity.

Dog importation: health certificates.

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