BILL NUMBER: AB 772 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 18, 2007
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 29, 2007
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Portantino
FEBRUARY 22, 2007
An act to add Chapter 1.58 (commencing with section 5095.80) to
Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, relating to parks.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 772, as amended, Portantino. Park and nature education centers
grant program.
The Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control,
River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006, an initiative statute
approved by the voters at the November 7, 2006, statewide general
election, among other things, makes $100,000,000 in bond funds
available to the Department of Parks and Recreation for grants for
nature education and research facilities and equipment to nonprofit
organizations and public institutions, including natural history
museums, aquariums, research facilities, and botanical gardens.
This bill would establish the Park and Nature Education Centers
Grant Program to administer, upon appropriation by the Legislature,
the $100,000,000 in bond funds made available to the department for
grants for nature education and research facilities and equipment.
The bill would specify institutions that are eligible for funding.
The bill would require the department to study each project
nominated submitted and, prior to April
1 preceding the fiscal year in which funds are proposed to be
appropriated, submit to the Legislature a prioritized list and
comparative evaluation of all projects nominated
submitted prior to January 1.
The department would be required to annually submit to the
Department of Finance a list of the highest priority projects for
inclusion in the Budget Bill.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 1.58 (commencing with Section 5095.80) is added
to Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, to read:
CHAPTER 1.58. PARK AND NATURE EDUCATION CENTERS GRANT PROGRAM
5095.80. This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the
Park and Nature Education Centers Grant Program.
5095.81. The one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) made
available to the department pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section
75063, upon appropriation, shall be used by the department,
consistent with Section 75063, for competitive grants in accordance
with this chapter.
5095.82. (a) Funds shall be made available as grants on a
competitive basis for eligible projects submitted by organizations
including, but not limited to, nonprofit or publicly operated natural
history museums, nature education centers, children's museums and
science centers, aquariums, zoos, and botanical gardens.
(b) To be eligible for funding, an eligible institution shall
submit an application to the department prior to January 1 preceding
the fiscal year in which the funds are proposed to be appropriated.
(c) The department shall study each project nominated
submitted and, prior to April 1 preceding the
fiscal year in which the funds are proposed to be appropriated, shall
submit to the Legislature a prioritized list and comparative
evaluation of all projects nominated
submitted prior to January 1.
5095.83. (a) Eligible institutions include those that meet one or
more of the following criteria:
(1) Institutions that combine the study of natural science with
preservation.
(2) Institutions with demonstration and education programs that
serve diverse populations.
(3) Institutions that provide collections and programs related to
the relationship of Native American cultures to the environment.
(4) Institutions for marine wildlife conservation research.
(b) Not less than 70 60 percent of
the funds allocated pursuant to this chapter shall be awarded to
eligible institutions that meet at least three of the
following criteria:
(1) The grant applicant serves no less than 80,000 visitors per
year, with priority for institutions serving a significant number of
children, especially at-risk youth, from multiple low-income public
schools and public school districts.
(2) The grant applicant is located within a heavily urbanized
county or heavily urbanized city, as defined in subdivisions (e) and
(f).
(3) The grant applicant has a minimum annual operating budget of
one million dollars ($1,000,000).
(4) The grant application is for a minimum of one million dollars
($1,000,000) and a maximum of five million dollars ($5,000,000).
(5)
(4) The education programming of the grant applicant is
aligned with the California academic content standards.
(c) A grant application submitted pursuant to subdivision (b)
shall be for a minimum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) and a
maximum of five million dollars ($5,000,000).
(c) Of the funds allocated pursuant to subdivision (b), not
(d) Not less than 20
percent of the funds allocated pursuant to this chapter
shall be available as grants administered by the department to
nonprofit organizations and public institutions for the development,
rehabilitation, or restoration of facilities accredited by the
American Zoo and Aquarium Association.
(d)
(e) Not less than 10 20
percent of the funds allocated pursuant to this chapter shall be
available as grants, not to exceed five hundred thousand
dollars ($500,000) one million dollars ($1,000,000)
, administered by the department to nonprofit organizations and
public institutions that do not meet the minimum eligibility
criteria set forth in subdivision (b). An institution receiving a
grant under this subdivision shall meet one or more of the criteria
set forth in subdivision (a).
(f) An institution that meets at least one of the criteria in
subdivision (a) shall be eligible to be awarded funds pursuant to
subdivision (b) or (d), if the institution proposes to build a new
facility or expand an existing facility to serve an underserved
population and already has land and entitlements secured.
(g) An institution is eligible to receive funding pursuant to only
one subdivision of this section.
(e)
(h) For the purposes of this section, "heavily
urbanized county" is defined as a county with a population of 700,000
or more.
(f)
(i) For the purposes of this section, "heavily
urbanized city" is defined as a city with a population of 200,000 or
more or any city located within a heavily urbanized county.
5095.84. The department shall annually submit to the Department
of Finance a list of the highest priority projects for inclusion in
the Budget Bill.