Watch CBS News

What's For Dinner? With A New California Law, Roadkill Could Be An Option

SACRAMENTO (CBSLA) — A bill signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom this weekend would allow drivers to salvage and eat roadkill.

Senate Bill 395 required that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife develop a program that would allow drivers who unintentionally fatally strike a deer, elk, antelope or wild pig to take it home and cook it. It would also allow people who stumbled upon an animal carcass to keep it for food.

As signed into law, the department has until 2022 to develop a permitting process that would allow people to obtain a wildlife salvage permit after taking possession of the animal in exchange for information about the animal, where it was killed or found, what led up to the animal's death (if known) and where the carcass was being taken among other information.

RELATED: No More Circus Animals? A Halt To Lunch-Shaming; Newsom Signs Flurry Of New Calif. Laws

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Bob Archuleta (D-Pico Rivera), sought to eliminate the waste of wild game meat and improve the safety of wild game animals by collecting data on when and where most wild game was being accidentally killed.

"Each year it is estimated that over 20,000 deer alone are hit by motor vehicles on California's roadways," the new law stated. "This potentially translates into hundreds of thousands of pounds of healthy meat that could be used to feed those in need."

After Newsom signed the bill into law, Archuleta tweeted out his gratitude.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.