BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 528
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Date of Hearing: May 4, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 528 (Chesbro) - As Amended: April 11, 2011
Policy Committee: Water, Parks and
Wildlife Vote: 11-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill appropriates funds from the Fish and Game Preservation
fund for steelhead trout restoration and extends the sunset on
the steelhead trout fishing report-restoration card program.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Appropriates $500,000 from steelhead trout fishing
report-restoration card revenues in the Fish and Game
Preservation Fund to the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) for
monitoring, restoring and enhancing steelhead trout resources.
2)Makes the appropriation to DFG available for encumbrance until
the end of 2014.
3)Requires DFG to report to the Legislature in 2016 on projects
undertaken with these funds.
4)Extends the sunset on the steelhead trout fishing
report-restoration card program from July 1, 2012, to July 1,
2017.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)One-time appropriation in 2011-12 of $500,000 to DFG from the
Fish and Game Preservation Fund (FGPF), available for
encumbrance until December 31, 2014.
According to the Department of Finance, the FGPF receives
about $275,000 in annual revenue from steelhead trout card
sales, which is placed into the Steelhead Trout Account within
the FGPF. Finance reports the account balance of $409,000 at
AB 528
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the beginning of 2010-11 and projects a fund balance of
$182,000 at the end of 2011-12. It therefore appears that the
FGPF could not support with steelhead trout card revenue the
$500,000 appropriation made by this bill.
2)Minor costs in 2015-16 of less than $50,000 to DFG to report
to the Legislature as required by this bill. (FGPF.)
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . The author notes California's steelhead trout
populations are listed as endangered under the federal
Endangered Species Act. The author contends it is important
to continue the steelhead trout fishing report-restoration
card program because revenues from sales of the card fund
monitoring and restoration activities for steelhead trout.
2)Background . Current law requires any person fishing steelhead
trout to carry a steelhead trout fishing report-restoration
card, issued by DFG. The fee for the card is set at an
inflation-adjusted base $5, which currently amounts to $6.48.
Revenue from the fee are deposited in the Fish and Game
Preservation Fund and used, upon appropriation, to monitor,
restore, or enhance steelhead trout resources and to
administer the steelhead card program. DFG must submit all
proposed steelhead card revenue expenditures to the Advisory
Committee on Salmon and Steelhead Trout for review and comment
prior to submitting a request for appropriation of the funds
in the annual Budget Bill. The committee was created by
legislative joint resolution and must include representatives
of commercial fisheries, recreational anglers and the public.
3)Support . This bill is supported by the Advisory Committee on
Salmon and Steelhead Trout and organizations that advocate for
fish and wildlife conservation.
4)There is no registered opposition to this bill.
Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081