California one step closer to banning cat declawing after bill passes Assembly
The California Assembly has unanimously passed a bill to ban cat declawing in the state. The bill will now go to the state senate.
Assembly Bill 867 was authored by Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-Milpitas) and is co-sponsored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco). The bill would only allow declawing if a veterinarian deems it medically necessary.
"Cat declawing is a cruel and barbaric surgical procedure that causes lifelong disfigurement and pain," said Lee. "This is a common sense bill reinforcing that cat declawing goes against ethical treatment standards for animals."
According to the ASPCA, "Declawing of cats, or onychectomy, is the amputation of the last digital bone, including the nail bed and claw, on each front toe. If the surgery is performed correctly and the entire nail bed is removed, the claw cannot regrow. "
The California Veterinary Medical Association is opposed to the bill.
They submitted a letter to the chairman of the Assembly Business and Professions Committee saying "The CVMA is deeply concerned that the veterinary profession is being singled out among our fellow healing arts professionals with legislation proposing to ban specific medical and surgical procedures in statute, which is a dangerous precedent. Accordingly, the CVMA respectfully must "oppose" AB 867."
According to Lee, cat declawing has been outlawed in New York state, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
7 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
South Korea's liberal opposition candidate Lee is expected to win election, exit poll shows
With more than 31% of ballots counted as of 11:15 p.m., Lee, the Democratic Party candidate, led with more than 48% of votes, trailed by main conservative candidate Kim Moon Soo with 43%. Advertisement The exit poll by South Korea's three major TV stations -– KBS, MBC and SBS -– earlier showed Lee projected to obtain 51.7% of total votes cast, beating Kim with 39.3%. Pre-election surveys suggested Lee appeared headed for an easy win, riding on deep public frustration over the conservatives in the wake of Yoon's martial law debacle that plunged South Korea into political turmoil. Hundreds of Lee supporters gathered outside the National Assembly, waving Korean flags and singing. Advertisement Nearly 80% of the country's 44.4 million eligible voters cast ballots, according to an interim tally. That's one of the highest turnouts for a presidential election in South Korea, reflecting public eagerness to move past the political turmoil. The winning candidate will immediately be sworn in as president Wednesday for a single, full term of five years without the typical two-month transition period. Promise to revitalize the economy In a Facebook posting earlier Tuesday, Lee, whose Democratic Party led the legislative effort to oust Yoon, called for voters to 'deliver a stern and resolute judgement' against the conservatives over martial law. In one of his final campaign speeches Monday, Lee claimed that a win by Kim would mean the 'return of the rebellion forces, the destruction of democracy and the deprival of people's human rights.' He also promised to revitalize the economy, reduce inequality and ease national divisions. Kim, a former labor minister under Yoon, claimed that a Lee win would allow him to wield excessive power, launch political retaliation against opponents and legislate laws to protect him from various legal troubles, as his party already controls parliament. Lee 'is now trying to seize all power in South Korea and establish a Hitler-like dictatorship,' Kim told one rally. Supporters of South Korea's Democratic Party's presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, react outside the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. Ahn Young-joon/Associated Press Pragmatic diplomacy Lee, who served as governor of Gyeonggi province and mayor of Seongnam city, has been a highly divisive figure in politics for years. As a former child laborer known for his inspirational rags-to-riches story, Lee came to fame through biting criticism of the country's conservative establishment and calls to build a more assertive South Korea in foreign policy. That rhetoric has given him an image as someone who can institute sweeping reforms and fix the country's deep-seated economic inequality and corruption. Advertisement His critics view him as a dangerous populist who relies on political division and backpedals on promises too easily. On foreign policy, Lee has has steadfastly vowed to pursue pragmatic diplomacy. He has promised to solidify a trilateral Seoul-Washington-Tokyo partnership, a stance that is not much different than the position held by South Korea's conservatives. Experts say there aren't many diplomatic options for South Korea as it tries to address Trump's tariff hikes and calls for South Korea to pay more for the cost of the U.S. military presence, as well as North Korea's headlong pursuit of nuclear weapons. Experts say that has made both Lee and Kim avoid unveiling ambitious foreign policy goals. Impact of tariff hikes Lee's government still could become engaged in 'a little bit of friction' with the Trump administration, while Kim's government, which prioritizes relations with Washington, would likely offer more concessions to the U.S., said Chung Jin-young, a former dean of the Graduate School of Pan-Pacific International Studies at South Korea's Kyung Hee University. Chung predicted Lee won't be able to pursue overly drastic steps on foreign policy and security, given the country's foreign exchange and financial markets are vulnerable to such changes. Lee has preached patience over Trump's tariff policy, arguing it would be a mistake to rush negotiations in pursuit of an early agreement with Washington. Kim has said he would meet Trump as soon as possible. On Monday, South Korean trade officials held an emergency meeting to discuss a response to Trump's announcement that the U.S. will raise tariffs on steel and aluminum products to 50% beginning Wednesday. South Korea's central bank last week sharply lowered its 2025 growth outlook to 0.8%, citing the potential impact of Trump's tariff hikes and weak domestic demand worsened by the political turmoil of past months. Advertisement Relations with North Korea Relations with North Korea remain badly strained since 2019, with the North focused on expanding its nuclear arsenal while refusing dialogues with South Korea and the U.S. Since his second term began in January, Trump has repeatedly expressed his intent to resume diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but Kim has so far ignored the offer while making Russia his priority in foreign policy. Lee, who wants warmer ties with North Korea, recently acknowledged it would be 'very difficult' to realize a summit with Kim Jong Un anytime soon. Lee said he would support Trump's push to restart talks with Kim, which he believed would eventually allow South Korea to be involved in some projects in North Korea. Foreign policy strategists for Lee understand there isn't much South Korea can do to bring about a denuclearization of North Korea, said Paik Wooyeal, a professor at Seoul's Yonsei University. He said Lee also doesn't share the Korean nationalistic zeal held by ex-liberal President Moon Jae-in, who met Kim three times during his 2017-22 term.
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
South Korea's liberal opposition candidate Lee is expected to win election, exit poll shows
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's liberal opposition candidate Lee Jae-myung was expected to win an early presidential election on Tuesday, a joint exit poll and ongoing vote counts suggested. The victory would cap months of political turmoil triggered by the stunning, but brief imposition of martial law by the now ousted conservative leader Yoon Suk Yeol. It was unclear whether Lee's election would cause any major, immediate shift in South Korea's foreign policy. Lee, previously accused by critics of tilting toward China and North Korea and away from the U.S. and Japan, has repeatedly stressed South Korea's alliance with the U.S. as the foundation of its foreign policy. The toughest external challenges awaiting a new president are U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policy and North Korea's advancing nuclear program. But experts say whoever becomes president in South Korea can't do much to secure major progress in South Korea's favor on those issues. With nearly 57% of ballots counted as of early Wednesday, Lee, the Democratic Party candidate, led with 49% of votes, trailed by main conservative candidate Kim Moon Soo with 42.6%. The country's major broadcasters were analyzing that Lee's victory was a certainty. The exit poll by South Korea's three major TV stations — KBS, MBC and SBS — earlier showed Lee projected to obtain 51.7% of total votes cast, beating Kim with 39.3%. Preelection surveys suggested Lee appeared headed for an easy win, riding on deep public frustration over the conservatives in the wake of Yoon's martial law debacle that plunged South Korea into political turmoil. 'With the vote counting still underway, it's premature to say anything definitively, but if the results stand as they are now, I pay my respects to the great decision of our people,' Lee said outside his apartment in Incheon, just west of Seoul, as his supporters shouted his name. Hundreds of Lee supporters separately gathered outside the National Assembly in Seoul, waving Korean flags and singing. Nearly 80% of the country's 44.4 million eligible voters cast ballots, according to an interim tally. That's one of the highest turnouts for a presidential election in South Korea, reflecting public eagerness to move past the political turmoil. The winning candidate will immediately be sworn in as president Wednesday for a single, full term of five years without the typical two-month transition period. Pragmatic diplomacy Lee, who served as governor of Gyeonggi province and mayor of Seongnam city, has been a highly divisive figure in politics for years. As a former child laborer known for his inspirational rags-to-riches story, Lee came to fame through biting criticism of the country's conservative establishment and calls to build a more assertive South Korea in foreign policy. That rhetoric has given him an image as someone who can institute sweeping reforms and fix the country's deep-seated economic inequality and corruption. His critics view him as a dangerous populist who relies on political division and backpedals on promises too easily. On foreign policy, Lee has has steadfastly vowed to pursue pragmatic diplomacy. He has promised to solidify a trilateral Seoul-Washington-Tokyo partnership, a stance that isn't much different from the position held by South Korea's conservatives. He said he would pursue better ties with North Korea but acknowledged that it would be 'very difficult' to realize a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un anytime soon. This signals Lee won't likely initiate any drastic steps meant to improve relations with North Korea. Experts say there aren't many diplomatic options for South Korea as it tries to address Trump's tariff hikes and calls for South Korea to pay more for the cost of the U.S. military presence, as well as North Korea's headlong pursuit of nuclear weapons. Experts say that has made both Lee and Kim avoid unveiling ambitious foreign policy goals. Paik Wooyeal, a professor at Seoul's Yonsei University, said foreign policy strategists for Lee understand there isn't much South Korea can do to bring about a denuclearization of North Korea. Paik said Lee also doesn't share the Korean nationalistic zeal held by ex-liberal President Moon Jae-in, who met Kim three times during his 2017-22 term. Impact of tariff hikes Lee's government still could become engaged in 'a little bit of friction' with the Trump administration, while Kim's government, which prioritizes relations with Washington, would likely offer more concessions to the U.S., said Chung Jin-young, a former dean of the Graduate School of Pan-Pacific International Studies at South Korea's Kyung Hee University. Chung predicted Lee won't be able to pursue overly drastic steps on foreign policy and security, given the country's foreign exchange and financial markets are vulnerable to such changes. Lee has preached patience over Trump's tariff policy, arguing it would be a mistake to rush negotiations in pursuit of an early agreement with Washington. Kim has said he would meet Trump as soon as possible. On Monday, South Korean trade officials held an emergency meeting to discuss a response to Trump's announcement that the U.S. will raise tariffs on steel and aluminum products to 50% beginning Wednesday. South Korea's central bank last week sharply lowered its 2025 growth outlook to 0.8%, citing the potential impact of Trump's tariff hikes and weak domestic demand worsened by the political turmoil of past months. Healing domestic divide The election serves as another defining moment in the country's resilient democracy, but observers worry a domestic divide worsened after Yoon's martial law stunt is far from over and could pose a big political burden on the new president. The past six months saw large crowds of people rallying in the streets to either denounce or support Yoon, while a leadership vacuum caused by Yoon's impeachment and ensuing formal dismissal rattled the country's high-level diplomatic activities and financial markets. Lee has promised to heal the national split, but his vow to thoroughly hold those involved in Yoon's martial law stunt accountable has sparked concerns that he would use investigations to launch political retaliations against his opponents. In a Facebook posting earlier Tuesday, Lee called for voters to 'deliver a stern and resolute judgement' against the conservatives over martial law. In a campaign speech Monday, Lee claimed that a win by Kim would mean the 'return of the rebellion forces, the destruction of democracy and the deprival of people's human rights.' Kim, a former labor minister under Yoon, said that a Lee win would allow him to wield excessive power. Lee 'is now trying to seize all power in South Korea,' Kim told one rally. Hyung-jin Kim And Kim Tong-hyung, The Associated Press
Time Magazine
17 minutes ago
- Time Magazine
The Meaning of Lee Jae-myung's Election Triumph
According to exit polls, South Korea's presidential election today delivered a resounding triumph for Lee Jae-myung, the veteran center-left politician and leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DP). His victory over Kim Moon Soo of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) closes a tumultuous chapter in South Korean politics, marked by former president Yoon Suk-yeol's short-lived martial law declaration, impeachment, and removal from office. It also ushers in a left-leaning administration with wide latitude to govern, setting the stage for a dramatic reorientation of the country's domestic and foreign policy. Lee takes office with a rare advantage in South Korea's often fractious political system: a unified government. The DP already holds a majority in the National Assembly through at least 2028, when the next legislative elections are set to take place, giving Lee power to enact his agenda without the checks and gridlock that stymied his predecessor. Though he campaigned on a centrist message to broaden his appeal among moderate and undecided voters, Lee will use his large margin of victory and the highest turnout since 1997 to claim a strong political mandate and govern as a progressive. A populist shaped by his years as a labor and human rights lawyer, Lee has long advocated for a stronger state role in redistributing economic gains and curbing the excesses of South Korea's powerful conglomerates. His recent pro-market signals —such as pledges to double the KOSPI and pursue MSCI developed market index inclusion —contrast with his lifelong skepticism of the private sector and appear aimed at shoring up business and consumer confidence, which cratered in the aftermath of the Yoon-triggered political crisis. While structural changes such as sweeping chaebol reform may be blunted by institutional resistance, his administration will push for increased social welfare spending, higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy, and tighter oversight of big business. Despite his clear mandate, Lee's policy rollout will be delayed by transition logistics and early constraints. He takes office on June 4 under by-election rules, but it will take him weeks to form his cabinet and months to begin implementing his legislative agenda. His administration won't unveil a detailed policy platform until mid-August, with its first proposed budget arriving in September. In the meantime, Lee must stabilize an economy under pressure from weak domestic demand, falling exports, and the looming threat of higher U.S. tariffs. U.S.-South Korea trade talks will represent Lee's first test. The Trump administration's 90-day tariff reprieve expires July 9, at which point U.S. tariffs will rise from 10% to 25% unless a new trade deal is struck. Lee has so far adopted a cautious tone, signaling that he may seek a deadline extension to allow him to benchmark South Korea's deal against those being negotiated by Japan and others. If talks stall or collapse, South Korea—whose second-largest export market after China is the U.S.—would face major headwinds as Lee tries to stimulate growth. Foreign policy is another arena where Lee will chart a distinct course. He has pledged to maintain South Korea's core alliances, but his record suggests a cooler posture toward Washington and Tokyo and a pivot toward Beijing and Pyongyang. Lee has criticized his predecessor's overtures to Japan as overly 'subservient' and is skeptical of deeper trilateral security cooperation that binds South Korea more closely to the U.S.-Japan alliance. A friendlier approach to China—which Beijing is all too happy to encourage —would further strain ties with Washington. At the same time, Lee has expressed openness to restarting talks with North Korea and wants to avoid Seoul being sidelined if Donald Trump revives his own outreach to Kim Jong-un. But Kim's renunciation of reunification and deepening ties with Russia limit expectations for diplomacy. Still, engagement with Pyongyang is one of the few areas where Lee and Trump could find common ground. After three years of divided government, institutional clashes, and episodic crises, South Korea is taking a sharp left turn—driven by a president who has the mandate, the parliamentary majority, and the political will to deliver it. His presidency will mark the most cohesive governing era South Korea has seen in years—and possibly the most transformative. If Lee can deliver on even part of his agenda, he will reshape the contours of the country's politics—and its place in the world—for years to come.
