BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 1077|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 1077
Author: Carter (D), et al.
Amended: 7/6/11 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER COMM : 6-3, 06/28/11
AYES: Pavley, Evans, Kehoe, Padilla, Simitian, Wolk
NOES: La Malfa, Cannella, Fuller
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 47-25, 06/02/11 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : State parks: Colonel Allensworth State
Historic Park
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill requires the Department of Parks and
Recreation (DPR) to notify the State Park and Recreation
Commission of any proposed development that may
substantially impact the historical, cultural, or
recreational significance of the Colonel Allensworth State
Historic Park, and requires the commission, upon receipt of
that notification to hold a duly noticed public hearing to
receive public input regarding the potential impacts of the
proposed development on the park.
ANALYSIS : Existing law:
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AB 1077
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1.Provides for the California state park system, of which
the Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park is a unit.
DPR is responsible for administering, protecting,
developing and interpreting the property of the state
park system for the use and enjoyment of the public.
2.States that the purpose of state parks is to preserve
outstanding natural, scenic and cultural values,
indigenous aquatic and terrestrial fauna and flora, and
the most significant examples of ecological regions of
California. Each state park is required to be managed as
a whole to restore, protect, and maintain its native
environmental complexes to the extent compatible with the
primary purpose for which the park was established.
This bill:
1.Requires DPR to notify the State Park and Recreation
Commission of any proposed development that may
substantially impact the historical, cultural, or
recreational significance of the Colonel Allensworth
State Historic Park.
2.Requires the Commission, upon receipt of that
notification to hold a duly noticed public hearing to
receive public input regarding the potential impacts of
the proposed development on the park.
3.Requires the Commission, following the public hearing, to
submit, in writing, to the department a summary of its
conclusions on the potential park impacts that may be
caused by the proposed development for transmission by
the department to the appropriate local government
entities.
4.Requires DPR, in consultation with the State Office of
Historic Preservation, to study the feasibility of
recommending that the park be considered for designation
as a National Historic Landmark.
5.Makes legislative findings as to the necessity of a
special statute.
Background
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The Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park was established
in 1976 to preserve and honor a unique part of California's
history at the town of Allensworth.
Allensworth is the only California town founded, financed
and governed by African Americans. The small farming
community was founded in 1908 by Colonel Allen Allensworth
and others as a place where African Americans could escape
discrimination and live and thrive without persecution.
After only a few years, the town grew to over 200
inhabitants and became a voting precinct and a judicial
district in 1914. Eventually, uncontrollable
circumstances, including a drop in the area's water table,
the onset of the Great Depression, and arsenic
contamination of groundwater wells, led to the town's
decline. However, with continuing restoration and special
events, the town is coming back to life as a state historic
park. A yearly rededication ceremony reaffirms the vision
of the pioneers. Recently, the state has invested millions
in capital improvements to the park that were completed in
time for the park's centennial celebration in 2008. The
park has a visitor center, video and audio presentations,
historic buildings, a picnic area, and year-round camping
facilities.
The park is located north of Bakersfield, and is 20 miles
north of Wasco on Hwy 43.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/15/11)
Allensworth Development Group
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church
California Black Chamber of Commerce
California Black Media
California League of Park Associations
California Legislative Black Caucus
California State Conference of the National Association for
the
Advancement of Colored People
Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment
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Claesson Edwards Audio, LLC
Congress of Racial Equity of California
Crankin'Time Cycling
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Elk Grove Alumnae Chapter
Downs United Methodist Men's Club
Friends of Allensworth
Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce
Inland Empire Section, National Council of Negro Women,
Inc.
National Pan-Hellenic Council
The Black Group
The Los Banos Buffalo Soldiers Association
The Observer Newspapers - Publishers of America's Premier
Black
Newspapers
Westside Action Group
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : The California Legislative Black
Caucus, in support of the bill states, "Assembly Bill 1077
supports growth and economic development around Colonel
Allensworth State Historic Park while also providing
protection of this unique historical and cultural resources
as well as the environmental and geological condition of
the area from incompatible use. More than 30 years ago,
Governor Reagan designated the colony area as a state park
and in 2008, Allensworth State Park celebrated its
centennial. However, its very existence has been threatened
in the past and continues to be threatened by the potential
establishment of dairies, chicken farms, and other
incompatiable use development. The preservation of
Allensworth is essential to the accurate and historical
representation of not only African Americans in California,
but of all Californians."
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 47-25, 06/02/11
AYES: Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall, Block,
Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford, Brownley, Buchanan,
Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos, Carter, Cedillo, Davis,
Dickinson, Eng, Feuer, Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Gatto,
Gordon, Hayashi, Roger Hernández, Hill, Hueso, Huffman,
Lara, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza, Mitchell, Monning,
Pan, Perea, V. Manuel Pérez, Skinner, Solorio, Swanson,
Torres, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada, John A. Pérez
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NOES: Achadjian, Bill Berryhill, Conway, Donnelly,
Fletcher, Beth Gaines, Garrick, Grove, Hagman, Halderman,
Harkey, Jones, Knight, Logue, Mansoor, Miller, Morrell,
Nestande, Nielsen, Norby, Olsen, Silva, Smyth, Valadao,
Wagner
NO VOTE RECORDED: Chesbro, Cook, Galgiani, Gorell, Hall,
Huber, Jeffries, Portantino
CTW:nl 8/16/11 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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