BILL ANALYSIS SB 1166 Page 1 Date of Hearing: June 24, 2008 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON WATER, PARKS AND WILDLIFE Lois Wolk, Chair SB 1166 (Cox) - As Amended: May 12, 2008 SENATE VOTE : 40-0 SUBJECT : Game Refuges SUMMARY : Requires the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) to undertake a process for review and public input on the proposed closure of all but two of the existing state game refuges in the state. Specifically, this bill : 1)Requires DFG to undertake education and outreach regarding the current location of existing game refuges and the potential closure of all state game refuges, except the California Sea Otter Game Refuge and the Farallon Islands Game Refuge. Requires DFG to also provide agency contacts for purposes of providing the statutory notices required of people traveling through a game refuge. 2)Requires DFG to provide opportunity for public comment regarding the proposed elimination of the game refuges, and to provide information on DFG's website regarding the boundaries of state game refuges, maps, and Internet website contact information. Authorizes DFG to conduct regional workshops about the potential closures. 3)Requires DFG on or before January 1, 2011 to report to the Legislature, including information on the public education and outreach provided, and a summary of public comments on the potential closure of the state game refuges. 4)Authorizes law enforcement officers to enter state game refuges in the performance of their duties. EXISTING LAW : 1)Requires all state game refuges, for the purposes of protecting birds, mammals, fish or amphibia, to be under the control and management of DFG, and authorizes officers and employees of DFG and all game wardens to enter the refuges in the performance of their duties. SB 1166 Page 2 2)Establishes some 21 to 22 state game refuges, where it is unlawful to take or possess any bird or mammal without a special permit or authorization, with specified exceptions. Also establishes a number of fish and game refuges, fish refuges, waterfowl refuges, quail refuges and marine life refuges. Requires notification to DFG if an individual will be traveling through a game refuge with a firearm or with a bird or mammal lawfully taken outside the boundaries of the refuge. 3)Authorizes the Fish and Game Commission to acquire land for state game refuges. FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations Committee analysis, less than $150,000. COMMENTS : The author's office indicates that the purpose of this bill is to examine whether or not 19 of the 21 designated game refuges currently in statute are effective in their purpose of providing a steady supply of game animals for hunting. The California Sea Otter Game Refuge and the Farallon Islands Game Refuge would not be affected by this bill. According to the author's office wildlife biologists at DFG contend that the game refuge system no longer serves a purpose and should be abolished. However, there are some who believe that the refuges have value. The author's office indicates that this bill provides a forum where both sides can be heard, and based upon the report due at the end of 2010, the Legislature can take action on which refuges to abolish and which ones to retain. Most of the existing state game refuges were established in 1957, though one was established in the 1960s and another in the 1980s. Some of the boundaries of the refuges have been revised. In some cases, given changes in adjacent land uses over the past 50 years, the sites may no longer be suitable for a game refuge, but it is unclear whether that is the case with regard to all of the refuges. The author indicates that the refuges were established for the purpose of providing a steady supply of game animals for hunting, however, it is unclear from the legislative history that that was the only or specific purpose of the refuges. The stated statutory purpose of the refuges is for propagating, feeding and protecting birds, mammals, fish and SB 1166 Page 3 amphibia (Fish and Game Code Sections 10503 and 10514). In addition to hunting, reasons to protect wildlife through a refuge system may include ensuring that wildlife species are part of California's heritage, not only for hunting, but also for scientific study and for passive forms of recreation, such as bird watching, photography or nature study, and to preserve species' biological roles within a sustainable ecosystem. Statutorily designated game refuges include Fish and Game District 1C (Modoc County), 1F (Lassen County), 1G (Tehama County), 1H (Plumas County), 1I (Placer County), 1J (Amador County), 1K (Johnsville Game Refuge in Plumas County), 1N (Siskiyou County), 1P (Plumas County), 1R (Tuolumne County), 1S (Lassen County), 1V (Plumas County), 2A (Mendocino, Lake and Glenn Counties), 2B (Mount Tamalpais Game Refuge), 3F (Contra Costa Counties), 3G (San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties), 4D (Riverside County), and 4G (Strawberry Creek/San Jacinto watersheds), the California Sea Otter Game Refuge, the Preston School of Industry Game Refuge (Amador County), and the Farallon Islands Game Refuge. The San Francisco Fish and Game Refuge (in San Mateo County) is also classified as a game refuge (which brings the total number of game refuges to 22). In addition to the above game refuges, there are also sixteen other statutorily established marine life refuges, the San Leandro Waterfowl Refuge, and the Bolinas Quail Refuge. These other refuges are presumably unaffected by this bill. This bill, in addition to requiring that DFG provide opportunity for public comment on the game refuges, requires that DFG make information on game refuge boundaries and maps available on DFG's website. REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION : Support California Outdoor Heritage Alliance (to previous version) Opposition None on file. SB 1166 Page 4 Analysis Prepared by : Diane Colborn / W., P. & W. / (916) 319-2096