I did send a message to one of your congresswomen when USArk first posted about this issue - I hoped then that it did some good, and still hope it was heard. (I'm still getting her updates on local CA politics periodically, even though I'm in CT!)

It sounds to me as though the cat/dog/bird exemption is based on those shows being competitive, judged events, such as an AKC club show, where some sales may take place on the side. To date, I've yet to see a herp show posted that was run as a judged competition - reptile expos are nearly pure sales / swap meets, (some include seminars, but the local one here sure doesn't) where the only judging result is whose pockets have the most dollars in 'em at the end of the day, and who goes home with the emptiest displays. The exemption you posted wouldn't apply to reptile expos as they're currently run, the way I read it.

Still - I do hope that your Governator realizes that the State of California has much bigger fish to fry, and promptly vetoes anything that would keep dollars out of his state, or keep dollars within his state from changing hands. (After all, those times when dollars change hands are his best opportunities to skim some off the top . . . )

~Bruce