Richard Bloom

Environment

In 2013, Bloom authored the Bobcat Protection Act, which has since been signed into law, but did not result in protection of the Bobcat due to loopholes. Public pressure played a key role to influence the California governor to direct the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to ban trapping of the bobcat within the state. Despite the new legislation, hunting or trapping the bobcat within the state's national parks or the California State Parks has been illegal since 1918.^{[citation needed]}

On March 7, 2014, Bloom introduced legislation AB2140 to ban live performances and captive breeding of orcas.^[8] The bill stalled in the state in April 2014. The legislation, if passed, would have effectively ended SeaWorld San Diego's "Shamu" performances.^[9][10] Despite the failure of the bill in the legislature, amid growing pressure from the documentary Blackfish, released in 2013, SeaWorld changed its orca show from live stunts to an educational focus. In 2015, Bloom introduced a separate but similar bill, the Orca Welfare and Safety Act to ban captive orca performances. In 2016, the bill passed both chambers, entering effect in 2017.^[11] SeaWorld San Diego had already stopped its breeding program in March 2016, and following the death of the orca Tilikum, abandoned its live orca show in 2017, with other SeaWorld locations following suit by 2019.^[12]

In 2019, Bloom introduced legislation to ban second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides.^[13] The bill passed as the California Ecosystems Protection Act in 2020.^[14]

In the 2015 legislative session, Bloom introduced AB888 to ban plastic microbeads in personal care products.^[15] The purpose was to eliminate the use of plastics within facial scrubs.^[16] The bill was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown.^{[citation needed]}

Culture and arts

Bloom also authored Assembly Bill 189 which was signed into law and established the California Cultural Districts program.^[17]