SB 1089, Pavley. Wildlife Conservation Board.
The Wildlife Conservation Law of 1947 establishes the Wildlife Conservation Board in the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Under existing law, the board consists of the President of the Fish and Game Commission, the Director of Fish and Wildlife, and the Director of Finance. Existing law requires the board to investigate, study, and determine the areas in the state that are most suitable for certain wildlife-related purposes.
This bill would expand the composition of the board to include 4 public members to serve terms of 4 years each and would require one public member to be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, one public member to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, and 2 public members to be appointed by the Governor. This bill would require the public members appointed to the board to have demonstrated interest and expertise in land acquisition for conservation purposes.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 1320 of the Fish and Game Code is amended to read:
(a) There is in the department the Wildlife Conservation Board, hereafter referred to as the board. The board consists of the president of the commission, the director, the Director of Finance, and four public members appointed pursuant to subdivision (b).
(b) (1) The Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate Committee on Rules shall each appoint a public member to serve on the board and the Governor shall appoint two public members to serve on the board. The public members shall each serve a term of four years. If a vacancy occurs during the term of a public member, the appointing authority shall appoint a person to fill the vacancy for a term of four years.
(2) Each public member shall have demonstrated interest and expertise in land acquisition for conservation purposes, including, but not limited to, any of the following:
(A) Experience with activities that benefit disadvantaged communities identified pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code.
(B) Experience with a land conservation nonprofit organization, a public agency focused on land conservation, or public land management.
(C) Experience as a professional with expertise in one or more functions of the board, including conservation easements or other interests in real estate designed to further the mission of the board.
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