BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 594
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Date of Hearing: May 8, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
AB 594 (Rendon) - As Amended: April 10, 2013
Policy Committee: Water, Parks and
Wildlife Vote: 15-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill clarifies the Department of Parks & Recreation's
(DPR's) authority to enter into operating agreements with
nonprofit organizations during the two-year moratorium on state
park closures. This bill also modifies existing law relating to
the process required for any future proposed park closures.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Clarifies that the two-year moratorium on state park closures
enacted in 2012 does not limit DPR's authority to enter into
operating agreements with qualified nonprofit organizations
and local governments.
2)Requires DPR, to document and publicly disclose the
methodology, rationale and scoring system used to evaluate and
select parks for proposed closure.
3)Requires DPR to provide an analysis of the impact the closure
may have on the respective local economy.
4)Requires the State Park & Recreation Commission to hold a
public hearing on any proposed park closure .
5)Clarifies legislative intent that park closures be considered
only as a last option after other feasible alternatives,
including but not limited to, operating agreements with
qualified nonprofits and local governments, are analyzed.
FISCAL EFFECT
AB 594
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Increased potential costs to DPR in the range of $100,000 per
park closure for public hearings, economic impact analysis and
other new requirements.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale. According to the California State Parks
Foundation, parks throughout the state have been on the brink
of closure over the last several years. This bill furthers
the authority for DPR to enter into operating agreements with
nonprofit organizations and local government to avoid
closures.
This bill is intended to ensure that any future considerations
of park closures will be made only after alternatives are
explored and within the context of public transparency and
thorough information. Several operating agreements are
currently under negotiation.
2)Previous Legislation. In 2011, AB 42 (Huffman) authorized DPR
to enter into operating agreements with nonprofits and local
governments in order to keep parks open to the public.
After the Department of Finance (DOF) discovered DPR reported
fund balances of at least $20 million less to DOF than
reported to the State Controller's Office (SCO), AB 1478
(Blumenfield, 2012) placed a two-year moratorium on all park
closures.
Analysis Prepared by : Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081