BILL ANALYSIS
AJR 21
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AJR 21 (Portantino)
As Introduced March 14, 2007
Majority vote
WATER, PARKS & WILDLIFE 11-2
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|Ayes:|Wolk, Maze, Berryhill, | | |
| |Caballero, Charles | | |
| |Calderon, Huffman, Lieu, | | |
| |Mullin, Nava, Parra, | | |
| |Salas | | |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Anderson, La Malfa | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Memorializes the President and Congress to repeal the
Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA), and prohibits
charging recreational visitor fees on any federal lands in
California except National Parks. Specifically, this bill :
1)States legislative findings regarding FLREA which allows
federal land management agencies to charge visitor fees for
recreation on publicly owned land.
2)Memorializes the President and Congress to repeal FLREA, and
that recreational fees not be imposed on federal lands within
the State of California under FLREA, except in national parks.
EXISTING LAW allows, under federal law enacted in 2004, visitor
fees to be charged by federal land management agencies,
including the United States (U.S.) Forest Service, Bureau of
Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS),
National Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation, for recreation
on public lands under their management.
FISCAL EFFECT : As a nonbinding resolution, this bill has no
fiscal effect.
COMMENTS : FLREA authorizes collection of recreational fees at
federal recreational lands and waters. FLREA requires that the
fees must be commensurate with benefits and services provided to
AJR 21
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the visitor. FLREA prohibits fees from being charged solely for
parking or picnicking along roads or trails, for person who are
simply traveling through federal lands without using the
facilities or services, for camping at undeveloped sites without
a minimum number of facilities, for use of overlooks or scenic
pullouts, for any person who has a right of access for hunting
or fishing privileges under a special provision of law or
treaty, or for entrance to BLM, Bureau of Reclamation or Forest
Service lands.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, FLREA permits federal land
management agencies to continue charging modest fees at
campgrounds, rental cabins, high-impact recreation areas, and
day use sites with certain facilities. The Forest Service notes
that more and more people are recreating on national forests and
other public lands every year; and, that meeting the increased
needs of these visitors, delivering quality recreation and
wilderness experiences, and protecting natural resources has
become a challenge. To help address these needs, FLREA was
passed.
Supporters of this bill assert that federal lands should be open
to all users free of charge, and charging fees is a barrier to
public access, particularly for low-income persons. They note
that other states, including Alaska, Colorado, Montana and
Oregon have passed similar resolutions. Proponents also assert
that charging fees for recreational access to public lands
disproportionately burdens people living in rural areas, and
makes criminals out of ordinary citizens. They emphasize that
this measure will help maintain open access to public lands,
roll back commercialization of federal public lands, and
encourage support for use of tax dollars rather than fees to
maintain public lands.
Analysis Prepared by : Diane Colborn / W., P. & W./
(916)319-2096
FN: 0000274