BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                    AB 2555


                                                                    Page  1





          Date of Hearing:  April 20, 2016


                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS


                               Lorena Gonzalez, Chair


          AB  
          2555 (Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife) - As Introduced  
          February 19, 2016


           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
          |Policy       |Water, Parks and Wildlife      |Vote:|13 - 1       |
          |Committee:   |                               |     |             |
          |             |                               |     |             |
          |             |                               |     |             |
          |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------|
          |             |                               |     |             |
          |             |                               |     |             |
          |             |                               |     |             |
          |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------|
          |             |                               |     |             |
          |             |                               |     |             |
          |             |                               |     |             |
           ----------------------------------------------------------------- 


          Urgency:  No  State Mandated Local Program:  YesReimbursable:   
          No


          SUMMARY:


          This omnibus committee bill extends the operative date on  
          several Fish and Game Code sections that will otherwise sunset  








                                                                    AB 2555


                                                                    Page  2





          at the end of this year. Specifically, this bill:


          1)Extends provisions, until January 1, 2020, authorizing the  
            Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) to develop and implement  
            a recovery strategy pilot program for coho salmon.  


          2)Extends provisions, until January 1, 2020, authorizing DFW to  
            conduct inspections and take other necessary actions to  
            prevent the spread of invasive dreissenid mussels in state  
            waters.


          3)Repeals the sunset date on certain procedural provisions of  
            the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) enacted in 2013.


          FISCAL EFFECT:


          Any costs are absorbable within existing resources.   


          COMMENTS:


          Purpose and Background.  This noncontroversial committee bill  
          extends the sunset date on several sections of the Fish and Game  
          Code and repeals the sunset date on procedural provisions of  
          CESA.


          Coho salmon are listed under CESA and continue to be threatened  
          with extinction, thus the need for continued recovery  
          strategies.  This bill continues DFW's authority to develop and  
          implement recovery strategies.










                                                                    AB 2555


                                                                    Page  3





          Dreissenid mussels are commonly referred to as Quagga and zebra  
          mussels and are highly invasive.  Because these mussels  
          reproduce rapidly and feed on plankton, native fish are deprived  
          from their food source. Additionally, the mussels promote the  
          spread of toxic algae blooms.  This bill extends DFW's existing  
          authority to conduct inspections and take other actions to  
          prevent the spread of this highly invasive species.  





          SB 749 (Wolk), Chapter 387, Statutes of 2013 made several  
          changes to clarify administrative procedural processes under  
          CESA.  Although the changes were noncontroversial, a sunset  
          clause to ensure there were no unintended consequences.  This  
          bill repeals the sunset.


          Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081