BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                           Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair

                                           539 (Wiggins)
          
          Hearing Date:  05/26/2009           Amended: 05/05/2009
          Consultant:  Brendan McCarthy   Policy Vote: NR&W 7-4
          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____
          BILL SUMMARY: SB 539 would expand the eligible uses of the Ocean  
          Protection Trust Fund to include grants and loans to assist in  
          the restoration of salmon and steelhead trout fisheries.
          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____
                            Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

           Major Provisions         2009-10      2010-11       2011-12     Fund
           
          Reduced funding for other         Up to $4,000 over several  
          years                  Bonds *
            eligible uses                                         

          * Proposition 84.
          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____

          STAFF COMMENTS: This bill meets the criteria for referral to the  
          Suspense file. 
          
          Under current law, the Ocean Protection Council is authorized to  
          make grants and loans for a variety of projects to improve  
          coastal water quality, improve fisheries, protect ocean  
          ecosystems, and similar purposes. These projects are funded from  
          the Ocean Protection Trust Fund, which is largely supported by  
          Proposition 84. There is about $45 million remaining for  
          expenditure from Proposition 84 for these purposes.

          SB 539 would add projects to restore native salmon and steelhead  
          trout populations to the list of eligible uses of the Ocean  
          Protection Trust Fund. By adding an eligible use to the Ocean  
          Protection Trust Fund, this bill may reduce funding available  
          for currently authorized uses. If funding were made available  
          for salmon and steelhead restoration projects proportional to  
          the other allowed uses of the fund, it would reduce funding for  
          other uses by about $4 million over the next several years.











          This bill should not significantly increase grant and loan  
          making administrative costs.