SB 987, as introduced, Monning. Department of Fish and Wildlife: California Sea Otter Fund.
Existing law establishes the Department of Fish and Wildlife and sets forth the duties of that department. Existing law, until January 1, 2016, establishes the California Sea Otter Fund and allows taxpayers to designate on their tax returns that a specified amount in excess of their tax liability be transferred to the fund. Existing law requires a specified portion of money in that fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be allocated to the Department of Fish and Wildlife for the purposes of establishing a sea otter fund to be used within the department’s index coding system for increased investigation, prevention, and enforcement actions.
This bill would authorize the department to take appropriate measures to encourage taxpayers to make contributions on their tax returns to the California Sea Otter Fund and would also authorize the department to disseminate information to the public about the status of California sea otters. The bill would require that costs incurred by the department in carrying out these activities be paid for with money allocated to the department from the fund.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 710.9 is added to the Fish and Game
2Code, to read:
(a) The department may take appropriate measures to
4encourage taxpayers to make contributions as a voluntary checkoff
5on a tax return to the California Sea Otter Fund established in
6Article 5.6 (commencing with Section 18754) of Chapter 3 of Part
710.2 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
8(b) The department may disseminate information to the public
9concerning the status of California sea otters.
10(c) The costs incurred by the department in carrying out the
11activities authorized by this section shall, upon appropriation by
12the Legislature, be paid for with money allocated to the department
13pursuant to Section 18754.2 of the Revenue and Taxation
Code.
Section 18754.2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code
15 is amended to read:
(a) All money transferred to the California Sea Otter
17Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall be allocated as
18follows:
19(1) To the Franchise Tax Board and the Controller for
20reimbursement of all costs incurred by the Franchise Tax Board
21and the Controller in connection with their duties under this article.
22(2) Fifty percent of the revenues remaining after allocation
23pursuant to paragraph (1), to the Department of Fish andbegin delete Gameend delete
24begin insert Wildlifeend insert for the purposes of establishing a sea otter fund to be used
25within
the department’s index coding system for increased
26investigation, prevention, and enforcementbegin delete actions.end deletebegin insert
actions and
27for the purposes of carrying out the activities authorized in Section
28710.9 of the Fish and Game Code.end insert
29(3) Fifty percent of the revenues remaining after allocation
30pursuant to paragraph (1), to the California Coastal Conservancy
31for competitive grants and contracts to public agencies and
32nonprofit organizations for research, science, protection, projects,
33or programs related to the Federal Sea Otter Recovery Plan or
34improving the nearshore ocean ecosystem, including, but not
35limited to, program activities to reduce sea otter mortality. The
36projects or programs may also address pathogens and water and
37wastewater treatment technologies.
P3 1(b) The California Coastal Conservancy shall solicit available
2federal, private, matching, and other dollars to maximize or
3leverage funds appropriated pursuant to paragraph (3) to provide
4the
greatest benefit for sea otters.
5(c) The California Coastal Conservancy may enter into
6interagency agreements with public agencies for purposes of
7paragraph (3).
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