A new state bill aimed at safeguarding pets from stalkers has gained momentum in the California Legislature.

Senate Bill 221, introduced by Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R–Yucaipa), has passed the Senate floor with unanimous support and is now set to advance to the Assembly.

The big picture: Under current law, stalking includes threats that instill fear in an individual for their safety or that of immediate family members. • SB 221 seeks to revise California Penal Code Section 6469 to extend this protection to include credible threats made against a person’s animals.

State of play: The legislation comes as stalking continues to impact millions of Americans annually, with statistics from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey revealing that one in three women and one in

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