ab 1382 failed: senator cervantes killed california's genetically modified pet ban
AB 1382 is dead. Not because it was a bad bill. Not because the science didn't support it. Not because California legislators decided that genetically modified novelty animals - including rabbits engineered to glow in the dark - are actually fine for the consumer pet market.
It died because Senator Sabrina Cervantes, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, held it on the suspense file on August 13, 2026.
What AB 1382 Was
AB 1382, authored by Assemblymember Leticia Castillo, would have prohibited the commercial sale of genetically modified animals produced for cosmetic purposes in California. This was not an anti-science bill. It was not a ban on research. It was a ban on the commercial production and sale of novelty animals, including bioluminescent rabbits engineered to glow in the dark, for no purpose other than entertainment and profit.
The bill addressed a real and growing concern. Every rabbit BCB has pulled from a shelter was someone else's impulse purchase. Every rabbit surrendered because they "weren't what we expected" is the predictable outcome of marketing a living animal as a novelty. A rabbit engineered to glow in the dark is not a sustainable pet. They are a temporary spectacle with a decade or more of care needs that most consumers are not prepared to meet - and when they surrender that rabbit, it is the shelter system, the rescue community, and the animals themselves who pay the price.
What Actually Happened
Senator Cervantes chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee - the committee with the power to move AB 1382 forward or stop it entirely. She stopped it.
The political context is documented and has been reported by the Los Angeles Times: Senator Cervantes' sister, Clarissa Cervantes, is running against AB 1382's author, Assemblymember Leticia Castillo, in a rematch of a 2024 Assembly race that Castillo won by just 596 votes. Holding this bill, authored by her sister's political opponent, helped Clarissa Cervantes' campaign by denying Assemblymember Castillo a legislative win.
The Los Angeles Times covered this story. We encourage you toread it here.
BCB supported AB 1382. We submitted a formal letter of support. We are naming what happened because the rabbit community (and California voters) deserve to know.
Why This Matters Beyond Rabbits
We are not a single-issue organization. We do not tell anyone how to vote, although we highly and always enourage you to research and think critically.
But we will say this clearly: how an elected official treats the most defenseless - animals, children, the elderly - is a direct reflection of how they will govern and whose interests they will prioritize when it matters. Senator Cervantes had the opportunity to protect animals from a preventable and growing harm. She had the standing, the authority, and the evidence to move this bill forward. Cervantes chose her family's political interests instead.
When genetically modified novelty rabbits flood the consumer market - and they will, now that California has failed to act - and when those rabbits are inevitably dumped in shelters, abandoned in parks, and surrendered by families who were never prepared for the reality of rabbit care, that outcome has a name attached to it. Senator Cervantes had the chance to prevent it. She did not. The consequences of lost lives will be on her head, unless she is willing to take responsibility for every pet that will inevitably be dumped. As a senator, we commend her for her other public wins for the LGBTQ+ community and championing of reproductive rights, but we must hold her accountable for the lives of those who cannot speak for themselves.
The people doing rescue work in California are already burning out. The community of dedicated rabbit rescuers in Los Angeles is predominantly in their 60s and 70s. We are among the youngest people actively doing this work in Southern California. We have watched colleagues leave rescue not by choice but by necessity - through illness, physical limitation, financial exhaustion, and death. We are not recruiting faster than we are losing people.
Adding a new category of novelty animal to an already broken system, one whose genetic health consequences are not yet fully understood, one that will be surrendered the moment the novelty wears off, places that burden on a community that is already at its breaking point.
Cervantes chose her family's political future over that community. This is a matter of public record. California voters in her district should know it.
What You Can Do
Contact Senator Cervantes' office directly. Let her know that her decision to hold AB 1382, and the political reasoning behind it, will not go unnoticed by California voters who care about animal welfare. Her office can be reached at (951) 680-6750 or through her email: senator.cervantes@senate.ca.gov.
Follow Social Compassion in Legislation. SCIL championed AB 1382 and has stated they are not done fighting this issue. Follow their work atsocialcompassioninlegislation.org and sign up for updates on the next round.
Stay engaged. Legislative advocacy works through sustained collective pressure. BCB will continue to support welfare-forward legislation and share opportunities for community engagement when they arise.
BCB submitted a formal letter of support for AB 1382. Read it here →.
The rabbits cannot advocate for themselves. But you can.