BILL NUMBER: SB 668	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 25, 2011
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 25, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Evans

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2011

   An act to add and repeal Section 51257.5 of the Government Code,
relating to agricultural land.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 668, as amended, Evans. Local government: Williamson Act.
   The California Land Conservation Act of 1965, otherwise known as
the Williamson Act, authorizes cities and counties to enter into
10-year contracts with landowners whereby the landowner agrees to
restrict the use of his or her land in exchange for a reduced
property taxation rate. Under existing law, the city or county
receives a subvention for the property tax revenue lost as a result
of these contracts.
   This bill would, until January 1, 2016, authorize an open-space
district, a land-trust organization,  or  a
nonprofit entity  , or a public agency  to enter into a
contract with a landowner who has also entered into a Williamson Act
contract, upon approval of the city or county that holds the
Williamson Act contract, to keep that landowner's land in contract
under the Williamson Act, for a period of up to 10 years in exchange
for the open-space district's, land-trust organization's, or
nonprofit entity's payment of all or a portion of the foregone
property tax revenue to the county, where the state has failed to
reimburse  , or reduced the subvention to,  the city or
county for property tax revenues not received as a result of
Williamson Act contracts.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 51257.5 is added to the Government Code, to
read:
   51257.5.  (a) If the state fails to make payments to a city or
county pursuant to Section 16142 or 16142.1,  or if the state
provides a reduced subvention,  a city or county may accept
contributions from an open-space district, a land-trust organization,
 or  a nonprofit entity  , or a public agency
 for specific land under a contract within the city or county to
supplement foregone property tax revenues pursuant to this section.
   (b) (1) An open-space district, land-trust organization, 
or  nonprofit entity  , or public agency  may
contract with an owner of land currently under a contract pursuant to
this chapter, upon approval of the contract by the city or county,
for a period of up to 10 years, to keep the land owner's property
under contract with the county pursuant to this chapter, in exchange
for the contribution by the open-space district, land-trust
organization, or nonprofit entity's payment of all or a portion of
the foregone property tax revenue to the city or county.
   (2) A contract entered into pursuant to this subdivision shall be
subject to any limitation in power of an open-space district,
land-trust organization,  or  nonprofit entity 
, or public agency  .
   (3) A contract entered into pursuant to this subdivision shall not
authorize or require the conversion of land subject to the contract
into a mitigation bank site.
   (c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the city or county may use up
to 5 percent of the total amount contributed by an open-space
district, land-trust organization,  or  nonprofit
entity  , or public agency  for administrative purposes.
   (d) (1) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2016, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2016, deletes or extends
that date.
   (2) A contract entered into pursuant to this section shall remain
in force until the termination date of the contract, but may contain
a provision to authorize the mutual cancellation or renegotiation of
the contract on January 1, 2016, or upon the resuming of payments
pursuant to Section 16142 or 16142.1 by the state to the city or
county.