Asm. Alex Lee’s Ridiculous But Socialistic Legislation

As I write this I am at risk of brain cells dying off. California Assemblyman Alex Lee (D-Palo Alto) has authored another gratuitous (actually stupid) bill. This latest legislation from Assemblyman Lee bans cat declawing.

His last stupid bill bans the sale of anti-aging skin care products to minors.

As I asked on X, “How do these bills improve your roads, lower taxes, educate your children, increase water supply, lower crime or fight inflation? He’s just proving his own irrelevance.”

Here is the Assemblyman’s press statement:

Assemblymember Alex Lee introduced legislation to safeguard the welfare of cats by protecting them from the harmful and barbaric surgical procedure of declawing. AB 867 affirms California’s stewardship of our pets by prohibiting cat declawing in the state.

“Cat declawing, the amputation of the first knuckle of each cat’s toes, is an outdated, cruel, and unethical surgical procedure that results in lifelong disfigurement and pain,” said Assemblymember Lee. “Many countries have already outlawed this inhumane practice. AB 867 shows the nation and world that California does not endorse surgical mutilation performed electively on healthy cats for human convenience.”

Declawing involves amputating cats’ toe bones or severing the tendon controlling their paws — a surgical procedure that can lead to debilitating health effects. Surgical complications include hemorrhage, infection, pain, and anesthetic complications. Removing cats’ claws also increases the likelihood of behaviors like biting, aggression, and litter box avoidance. Overgrooming, chronic back pain, residual bone fragments and mobility issues are among other long-term effects of declawing.

I am a cat lover. I have two fabulous gigantic cats. I don’t declaw my cats even though they are indoor cats. Decades ago I did declaw my cats. But from about 1990 forward, I chose not to – I changed my mind.

Today, most veterinarians refuse to perform the surgery.

It was my decision. I didn’t need Assemblyman Alex Lee to ban the process – especially when he wasn’t even born when I decided to end the practice on my own cats.

The issue is not about the practice of declawing but about Alex Lee’s socialist impulses using his office as an authoritarian. Why not just educate the public rather than assuming the role of a benevolent despot?

Skin care and declawing might appear to be frivolous issues, but a peek into Lee’s legislation reveals more about him as a legislator.

Lee’s AB 3031 was vetoed by Gov. Newsom – thankfully. But that it was passed through the Legislature is disturbing.

AB 3031 – LGBTQ+ Commission

• • The bill creates the LGBTQ+ Commission to address the inequities and barriers faced by the LGBTQ+ community. The Commission will monitor state legislation, and assess programs and policies affecting the LGBTQ+ community.

These are a few bills that Alex Lee couldn’t get through the Legislature – pay close attention to them:

• AB 2386 – Third-hand smoke 
  • ​​​​​​​The bill aims to protect the health of car owners by requiring licensed pre-owned vehicle retailers to provide customers with tobacco residue disclosure.
• AB 2404 – Sympathy strikes
  • ​​​​​​​The bill enables public workers to exercise their right to honor picket lines, allowing them to demonstrate solidarity in labor disputes.
• AB 2444 – Nail salon notice
  • ​​​​​​​The bill ensures nail salon workers and owners receive the necessary education about labor laws, so that workers are treated fairly in their workplace.
• AB 2491 – Anti-aging skincare (reintroduced in 2025)
  • The bill protects children from potentially harmful and unsuitable skincare by banning the sale of over-the-counter anti-aging products to kids under the age of 13.
• AB 2530 – Housing for educators
  • ​​​​​​​The bill ensures that public school districts have the expertise to establish housing for their staff, so that educators can live in the communities they serve.
• AB 2584 – Corporate ban on single-family homes
  • ​​​​​​​The bill aims to protect California’s limited supply of single-family homes from being bought up by Wall Street, and ensure that residents have the opportunity to become homeowners.
• AB 2616 – Repeal Mortgage Interest Deduction on second homes
  • ​​​​​​​The bill repeals California’s Mortgage Interest Deduction on second homes. By eliminating tax breaks for vacation homes, AB 2616 will direct desperately needed funding to state programs.
• AB 2665 – Mixed-income housing revolving loan program
  • ​​​​​​​The bill establishes a revolving loan program in the California Housing Finance Agency in order to finance the construction of affordable housing for Californians of mixed incomes.
• AB 2881 – The Social Housing Act
  • ​​​​​​​The Social Housing Act creates social housing for Californians. It will establish the California Housing Authority to produce housing that is publicly backed, mixed-income, affordable and financially self-sustaining.
• AB 2960 – Syphilis testing
  • ​​​​​​​The bill addresses the rising number of syphilis cases by increasing syphilis testing, so that patients can seek timely and appropriate treatment.

Lee graduated college in 2017. He interned for several politicians including Mike Honda, Ed Chau, Evan Low, Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, and Kansen Chu, according to the San Jose Mercury News in “Homegrown Alex Lee, 25, becomes youngest state legislator in decades.” “He began working for Henry Stern as a full-time legislative aide after graduating college.”

Alex needs a real job in the private sector and to experience some life before he authors more socialistic nanny legislation, wasting everyone’s time and money. But at least we know he sees himself as an enlightened despot.