Proposed senate bill would put an end to circus cruelty in California

LOS ANGELES (FOX 11) - A new bill introduced to the California State Senate would put an end to circus cruelty in the state, legislators said.

On Tuesday, Democratic Senator Ben Hueso joined Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz, PETA, Social Compassion in Legislation and a host of celebrity activists to announce the introduction of the State Senate Bill 313 also known as the Circus Cruelty Prevention Act.

The bill would make it illegal to use or allow the use of wild and exotic animals in traveling acts within the state.

Supporters of the bill believe that this measure recognizes both the animal welfare concerns and public safety concerns of circuses and other traveling shows that force wild or exotic animals to perform.

"Wild animals are innately driven to behave as they would in their natural homes -- the rich ecosystems in which their species evolved over millennia. When they're denied any semblance of a natural life, they suffer physically and psychologically," Los Angeles City Council said in a press release.

The bill was officially announced during a press conference on Tuesday morning at Los Angeles City Hall.