SACRAMENTO – On Thursday, Assemblymember Mariko Yamada’s (D-Davis) Assembly Bill 1965, allowing dogs on restaurant patios, was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown.

The bill will give restaurants the option to allow pet dogs in their outdoor seating areas under specified conditions unless a local ordinance determines otherwise.

“It will soon be legal to take your beagle with you to dinner,” said Yamada. “With Gov. Brown’s signature, restaurateurs in California will see more businesses catering to their customers and the canine companions they love. I wish everyone ‘bone-appétit’.”

AB 1965 does not mandate that restaurants allow dogs on their patios, but makes the practice permissible as long as basic health standards and local ordinances are followed.

Restaurant owners could make this decision without the threat of a citation or lawsuit, while protecting public health.

“The governor’s signature has elevated our pets to become an even greater part of our families,” said Judie Mancuso, president of Social Compassion in Legislation. “We hope to have a play date with our first dog, Sutter Brown and the governor.”

This law will become effective on Jan. 1, 2015.