A bill by a Santa Barbara legislator intended to help whales, and other marine mammals that become stuck, or stranded along the California coastline has been passed by the State Senate.
SB 290 would create a grant program for emergency response teams which work with marine mammals. The legislation by Democratic State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson of Santa Barbara is aimed at helping sea life which becomes entangled in fishing gear, or stranded.
More than 6,000 stranded marine mammals were rescued off the state’s coastline in 2015 and 2016.
The bill now goes to the State Assembly for consideration.
