BILL NUMBER: SB 1712	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER   713
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   SEPTEMBER 22, 1998
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR   SEPTEMBER 21, 1998
	PASSED THE SENATE   AUGUST 28, 1998
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 27, 1998
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 24, 1998
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   JUNE 18, 1998
	AMENDED IN SENATE   MAY 26, 1998
	AMENDED IN SENATE   APRIL 29, 1998
	AMENDED IN SENATE   APRIL 13, 1998

INTRODUCED BY   Senator McPherson and Assembly Member Keeley
   (Coauthors:  Senators O'Connell and Thompson)
   (Coauthors:  Assembly Members Migden, Shelley, and Woods)

                        FEBRUARY 17, 1998

   An act relating to forest resources.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1712, McPherson.  Forest resources:  pitch canker control.
   Prior budget acts have appropriated funds to be expended for
specified purposes relating to forest improvement and conservation.
   This bill would provide for the allocation of any funds
appropriated to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
pursuant to the Budget Act of 1998 to develop and implement specified
measures designed to control the fungus known as "pitch canker," and
to perform control work on state and private lands within zones of
infestation, as designated by the State Board of Forestry.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  If two million one hundred thousand dollars
($2,100,000) is appropriated to the Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection pursuant to Item 3540-001-0928 of Section 2 of the Budget
Act of 1998 to develop and implement measures designed to control the
fungus known as "pitch canker" and to perform control work on state
and private lands within zones of pitch canker infestation, as
designated by the State Board of Forestry, those funds shall be
allocated for expenditure by the department in accordance with the
following schedule:
   (1) On or after January 1, 1999, the sum of three hundred fifty
thousand dollars ($350,000) for the 1998-99 fiscal year.
   (2) On or after July 1, 1999, the sum of three hundred fifty
thousand dollars ($350,000) for the 1999-2000 fiscal year.
   (3) On or after July 1, 2000, the sum of three hundred fifty
thousand dollars ($350,000) for the 2000-01 fiscal year.
   (4) On or after July 1, 2001, the sum of three hundred fifty
thousand dollars ($350,000) for the 2001-02 fiscal year.
   (5) On or after July 1, 2002, the sum of three hundred fifty
thousand dollars ($350,000) for the 2002-03 fiscal year.
   (6) On or after July 1, 2003, the sum of three hundred fifty
thousand dollars ($350,000) for the 2003-04 fiscal year.
   If the amount of funds appropriated by Item 3540-001-0928 of
Section 2 of the Budget Act of 1998 is reduced or eliminated pursuant
to Section 10 of Article IV of the California Constitution, the
amounts allocated pursuant to paragraphs (1) to (6), inclusive, shall
be reduced proportionately in relation to the amount of the
reduction or elimination.
   (b) The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection may use any
funds allocated pursuant to subdivision (a) to take various actions
to control the pitch canker fungus, including, but not limited to,
all of the following:
   (1) Prevent transportation of infected plant material from
infested areas to uninfested areas.  For purposes of this paragraph,
infected material includes, but is not limited to, nursery stock,
firewood, logs, wood chips, foliage, cones, and seeds that contain
evidence of pitch canker infestation.
   (2) Establish permanent monitoring plots and develop a
Geographical Information System (GIS) data base to assess the present
and future distribution and impacts of pitch canker in California.
   (3) Incorporate relevant information about pitch canker into
landscape, resource management, and conservation plans that are, or
will be, developed for native Monterey pine stands and other coastal
forest stands throughout California.
   (4) Utilize local, native seed when regenerating Monterey pine
within native stands.
   (5) Develop a broad-based public education program to increase the
awareness of the general public about pitch canker, and the
potential biological and other impacts of the fungus, which does all
the following:
   (A) Sets out management guidelines, disease distribution and
research updates, wood disposal recommendations, and recognition aids
that may be provided to urban and rural foresters, arborists,
nurserymen, Christmas tree growers, and other professionals involved
in forest preservation and management activities.
   (B) Provides information on the importance of controlling pitch
canker that may be distributed to city, county, state, and federal
representatives and officials.
   (C) Recommends actions that may be taken to develop a research
program identifying the disease resistance of selected Monterey pine
types, and studies on the survival of the pitch canker fungus and its
potential insect vectors in wood chips, dead and live branches, and
on seed.