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.