Bill to Limit Rooster Ownership Climbs Through Assembly Committees

A bill that would severely limit rooster ownership for some Californians is poised to make it through the Assembly in the coming weeks following support coming from a majority of lawmakers in Sacramento.

Assembly Bill 928, authored by Assemblyman Chris Rogers (D-Santa Rosa), would prohibit a person from keeping or raising more than 3 roosters per acre, or 25 roosters total on any property. In addition, AB 928 would subject a person who violates this prohibition to a civil penalty not to exceed $2,500 for each violation. However, there is a long list of exemptions for rooster holders, with  commercial poultry operations, poultry hobbyists, schools, animal agencies, and FFA and 4H projects being allowed to have more than AB 928’s limit.

Assemblyman Rogers first wrote the bill in February to both help fight against the practice of cockfighting and the help control avian flu, the latter of which has caused egg prices to skyrocket in recent months. In a recent statement, Rogers highlighted the growing concern of cockfighting in California, which is illegal in the state.  He pointed out that he three largest cockfighting seizures in U.S. history were all recently in California.  This included a Ceres man sentenced to 16 months in prison in 2022 for selling gamefowl after federal agents found nearly 3,000 birds on his property. While cockfighting is a difficult crime to enforce because officers must prove intent, Rogers hopes that AB 928 can help bring back some enforcement.

“AB 928 builds on California’s legacy of protecting animals from cruel and inhumane treatment by allowing law enforcement to address cockfighting in the community before it becomes a major criminal operation,” said Assemblyman Rogers of the bill. “This legislation will not only protect birds, it also helps address the public health risk presented by smuggled birds that have the potential to spread diseases, like avian flu, to legitimate poultry operations.”

Possible rooster limits

The Humane Society and other animal welfare groups swiftly backed the bill once introduced, all pressing on animal safety and curbing the avian flu.

“Cockfighting is a criminal industry in California that profits from extreme animal cruelty, and we applaud Assemblymember Rogers’ leadership on this issue,” said Humane Society of the United States Senior Director Ann Chynoweth. “Not only is cockfighting malicious, it also poses a significant risk for the spread of avian diseases. With the rising cost of eggs being a persistent issue for California consumers, this legislation will help protect against the driver behind those price increases — avian flu.”

However, despite the support, some farmers said that the bill could limit some of them, despite numerous exceptions already being written into the bill. Specifically, they called the bill a “catch all” instead of focusing more on cockfighting violators.

“That’s problematic simply because this is a catch-all. It’s catching innocent people that are really in the breeding of livestock,” noted Fresno County Farm Bureau CEO Ryan Jacobsen in a statement on Sunday. “Particularly when it comes to the chicken side. So, they need multiple roosters to be able to successfully have an operation there, and this might take that ability away.

“We want to make sure that from an agriculturally speaking perspective, those that are trying to raise these commercially are able to continue to do so into the future.”

Even with some farmer opposition, AB 928 has proven to be a popular bill. Last month it easily passed the Assembly Agriculture Committee 6-1, with an upcoming vote in the Assembly Judicial Committee expected to have a similar vote with the Humane Society working with them closely to pass it.

“AB 928 – working with the California Humane Society, the Cockfighting Cruelty Act will increase penalties and enforcement on cockfighting rings in California Oh yeah, and AB 666, our Bigfoot bill,” Rogers said on Bluesky.