BILL NUMBER: SB 987 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 3, 2014
AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 24, 2014
INTRODUCED BY Senator Monning
( Coauthor: Assembly Member
Stone )
FEBRUARY 12, 2014
An act to add Section 710.9 to the Fish and Game Code, to
add Section 31122 to the Public Resources Code, and to amend
Section 18754.2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, relating to
wildlife.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 987, as amended, Monning. Department of Fish and
Wildlife: California Sea Otter Fund.
Fund: Department of Fish and Wildlife: State Coastal
Conservancy.
Existing law establishes the Department of Fish and Wildlife and
sets forth the duties of that department. Existing law,
law establishes the State Coastal Conservancy with
prescribed powers and responsibilities for implementing a program of
agricultural land protection, area restoration, and resource
enhancement within the coastal zone, as defined.
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, to 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.
fund, as prescribed, and to the State Coastal
Conservancy for competitive grants and contracts for research,
projects, and programs related to the Federal Sea Otter
Recovery Plan or improving the nearshore ocean ecosystem.
This bill would authorize require
the department and the conservancy 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 and the conservancy to disseminate information
to the public about the status of California sea otters. The bill
would require that costs incurred by the department and the
conservancy in carrying out these activities be paid for ,
upon appropriation, with money allocated to the department
and the conservancy 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 1. Section 710.9 is added to the Fish and Game Code, to
read:
710.9. (a) The department may shall
take appropriate measures, including, but not limited to, public
outreach activities, to encourage taxpayers to make contributions by
voluntary checkoff on a tax return to the California Sea Otter Fund
established in Article 5.6 (commencing with Section 18754) of Chapter
3 of Part 10.2 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(b) The department may disseminate information to the public
concerning the status of California sea otters.
(c) The costs incurred by the department in carrying out the
activities required an d authorized by this
section shall, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be paid for
with money allocated to the department pursuant to Section 18754.2 of
the Revenue and Taxation Code.
SEC. 2. Section 31122 is added to the
Public Resources Code , to read:
31122. (a) The conservancy shall take appropriate measures,
including, but not limited to, public outreach activities, to
encourage taxpayers to make contributions by voluntary checkoff on a
tax return to the California Sea Otter Fund established in Article
5.6 (commencing with Section 18754) of Chapter 3 of Part 10.2 of
Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
(b) The conservancy may disseminate information to the public
concerning the status of California sea otters.
(c) The costs incurred by the conservancy in carrying out the
activities required and authorized by this section shall, upon
appropriation by the Legislature, be paid for with money allocated to
the conservancy pursuant to Section 18754.2 of the Revenue and
Taxation Code.
SEC. 2. SEC. 3. Section 18754.2 of
the Revenue and Taxation Code is amended to read:
18754.2. (a) All money transferred to the California Sea Otter
Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall be allocated as
follows:
(1) To the Franchise Tax Board and the Controller for
reimbursement of all costs incurred by the Franchise Tax Board and
the Controller in connection with their duties under this article.
(2) Fifty percent of the revenues remaining after allocation
pursuant to paragraph (1), 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 sea
otter conservation, including, but not limited to, for
increased investigation, prevention, and enforcement actions
related to sea otter mortality and for the purposes of carrying
out the activities required and authorized in Section
710.9 of the Fish and Game Code.
(3) Fifty percent of the revenues remaining after allocation
pursuant to paragraph (1), to the State Coastal Conservancy for
competitive grants and contracts to public agencies and nonprofit
organizations for research, science, protection, projects, or
programs related to the Federal Sea Otter Recovery Plan or improving
the nearshore ocean ecosystem, including, but not limited to, program
activities to reduce sea otter mortality.
mortality and for the purposes of carrying out the activities
required and authorized in Section 31122 of the Public Resources
Code. The projects or programs may also address pathogens and
water and wastewater treatment technologies.
(b) The State Coastal Conservancy shall solicit available federal,
private, matching, and other dollars to maximize or leverage funds
appropriated pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) to provide
the greatest benefit for sea otters.
(c) The State Coastal Conservancy may enter into interagency
agreements with public agencies for purposes of paragraph (3) of
subdivision (a).