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ASSEMBLY BILL 818 (DEMPSTER – 1931)

CHAPTER 503, STATUTES OF 1931

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“An act providing for the recovery of damages by person bitten by dogs and creating a liability of the owners of such dogs,” was enacted om 1931 with the passage of Assembly Bill 818.  (See Exhibit #1b)  Assembly member Charles Dempster introduced this measure which was enacted without amendment on January 31, 1931.  (See Exhibit #1a)

Assembly Bill 818 was assigned to both the Assembly Committee on Judiciary, Committee on Revision and Printing, and the Senate Committee on Judiciary where policy issues raised by the bill were considered.  (See Exhibit #2)  No amendments were made to Assembly Bill 818.  (See Exhibit #2)  Subsequent to legislative approval, Governor James Rolph, Jr., signed the bill on May 29, 1931 and it was recorded by the Secretary of State on August 14th as Chapter 502 of the Statutes of 1931.  (See Exhibits #1b and #2)
 

The Legislative Digest of 1931 described Assembly Bill 818 as follows: “Provides for absolute liability for dog bites on the part of owners of any dog, regardless of owner’s negligence or knowledge of viciousness.”  (See Exhibit #3, page 326)