"Calif Lawmakers Sidestep Bill on Seaworld Shows Until After Elections"

"The bill to ban orca shows and breeding programs at parks in California was introduced by state Assemblyman Richard Bloom, a Santa Monica Democrat, who has said he was inspired by the documentary film, "Blackfish," which tells the story of an orca that killed a trainer at SeaWorld's park in Orlando, Florida, in 2010.

The decision to send the bill back for further study allows the state assembly to sidestep a tough issue in an election year because the study will not be complete until the middle of next year - after the November Congressional and statewide elections and during a new legislative session.

It also removes incoming Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, a Democrat, from the uncomfortable position of being caught between liberal supporters and SeaWorld, which provides thousands of jobs in her home district of San Diego."

Sharon Bernstein reports for Reuters April 9, 2014.