BILL NUMBER: AB 2376	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Huffman

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2010

   An act to add Section 12805.3 to the Government Code, relating to
fish and wildlife.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2376, as introduced, Huffman. Fish and wildlife: strategic
vision.
   The California Constitution establishes the Fish and Game
Commission and provides for the delegation to the commission of
powers relating to the protection and propagation of fish and game.
Existing statutory law delegates to the commission the power to
regulate the taking or possession of birds, mammals, fish,
amphibians, and reptiles in accordance with prescribed laws. Existing
law establishes the Department of Fish and Game in the Natural
Resources Agency, and generally charges the department with the
administration and enforcement of the Fish and Game Code.
   This bill would require the Secretary of the Natural Resources
Agency to convene a committee, with membership as prescribed, to
develop and submit to the Governor and Legislature, before January 1,
2012, a strategic vision for the department and the commission that
addresses specified matters relating to state fish and wildlife
resource management.
   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.  Section 12805.3 is added to the Government Code, to
read:
   12805.3.  (a) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency shall
convene a committee to develop and submit to the Governor and the
Legislature, before January 1, 2012, a strategic vision for the
Department of Fish and Game and the Fish and Game Commission.
   (b) The committee members shall include all of the following:
   (1) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency.
   (2) The Director of Fish and Game.
   (3) The president of the Fish and Game Commission.
   (4) The chair of the State Energy Resources Conservation and
Development Commission.
   (5) A representative of the University of California.
   (6) Representatives of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
and the National Marine Fisheries Service.
   (c) The strategic vision shall address all of the following
matters:
   (1) Comprehensive biodiversity management, including conservation
planning and monitoring.
   (2) Sustainable ecosystem functions, including terrestrial,
freshwater, and marine habitat.
   (3) Permitting and regulatory functions.
   (4) Science capacity and academic relationships.
   (5) Reforms necessary to take on the challenges of the 21st
century, including, but not limited to:
   (A) Climate change and adaptation.
   (B) The future of energy.
   (C) The restoration of the state's native fish species.
   (D) Implementing and updating the state's Wildlife Action Plan.
   (6) The development and deployment of technology to meet the
department's mission.
   (7) Budget and fiscal development, accounting, and management.
   (8) Coordination among state agencies.
   (9) Recommendations for institutional or governance changes.
   (10) Strategies for identifying stable funding options to fulfill
the mission of the department while reducing dependency on the
General Fund.
   (11) Other recommendations deemed desirable by the committee.
   (d) The committee shall seek input from elected officials,
governmental agencies, and interested parties.
   (e) For the purposes of carrying out this section, the committee
may also seek input from other policy and resource leaders.
   (f) (1) The committee, its members, and state agencies represented
on the committee may contract for consultants to assist in the
preparation of the strategic vision.
   (2) Contracts entered into pursuant to paragraph (1) shall
terminate no later than December 31, 2011.
   (3) Contracts entered into pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be
exempt from Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of
the Public Contract Code.
   (g) The Governor or the committee may appoint a "blue ribbon" or
citizen commission, advisory committee, task force, or any other
group or groups that the Governor or the committee deems necessary or
desirable to assist in carrying out this section.
   (h) For the purposes of carrying out this section, the committee
shall seek funding from nonstate entities to minimize the use of
General Fund moneys.