BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 1058|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
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CONSENT
Bill No: SB 1058
Author: Harman (R), et al
Amended: 4/20/10
Vote: 21
SENATE NATURAL RES. & WATER COMMITTEE : 9-0, 3/23/10
AYES: Pavley, Cogdill, Hollingsworth, Huff, Kehoe,
Lowenthal, Padilla, Simitian, Wolk
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
SUBJECT : Game hunting
SOURCE : California Outdoor Heritage Alliance
DIGEST : This bill creates the Big Game Management
Account and the Upland Game Bird Account within the Fish
and Game Preservation Fund.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1. Requires all money collected under the provisions of the
Fish and Game Code, including money received as a result
of the sale of licenses issued under the provisions of
the code, to be deposited into the Fish and Game
Preservation Fund (Fund), unless otherwise provided.
2. Grants authority to the Department of Fish and Game
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(DFG) to issue tags, stamps, and licenses for the
hunting of antelope, elk, upland game birds, deer, wild
pigs, bears, and bighorn sheep upon payment of a fee, to
be deposited into the Fund.
3. Requires DFG to operate public shooting grounds, state
marine recreational management areas, and wildlife
management areas on a nonprofit basis.
4. Declares that multiple recreational use of wildlife
management areas is desirable and requires the Fish and
Game Commission to encourage that use.
This bill:
1. Deposits proceeds from the sale of antelope, elk, deer,
wild pig, bear, and bighorn sheep tags into the Big Game
Management Account.
2. Deposits proceeds from the sale of upland game bird
hunting validations and bird stamps into the Upland Game
Bird Account.
3. Restricts uses of the Big Game Management Account, upon
appropriation by the Legislature, to acquire land and
conduct programs and projects that benefit antelope,
elk, deer, wild pigs, bears, and bighorn sheep and
expand public hunting opportunities.
4. Restricts uses of the Upland Game Bird Account, upon
appropriation by the Legislature, to acquire land and
conduct projects and programs to benefit upland game
bird species, expand public hunting opportunities, and
related public outreach including, but not limited to,
trapping and relocating upland game birds, establishing
food plots, and enhancing upland game bird habitats.
5. Allows DFG to make grants from the Big Game Management
Account and the Upland Game Bird Account to, and enter
into contracts with, nonprofits to carry out the
purposes of the Account.
6. Establishes an advisory committee for each the Big Game
Management Account and for the Upland Game Bird Account
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to review and comment on all proposed spending from the
Account.
7. Requires DFG to post budget information and information
on projects funded by the Big Game Management Account
and the Upland Game Bird Account on its Web site.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 4/20/10)
California Outdoor Heritage Alliance (source)
California Bow Hunters/State Archery Association
California Chapters of Safari Club International
California Council of Land Trusts
California Houndsmen for Conservation
California Rifle and Pistol Association
Cougar Mountain Archers
Foundation for North American Wild Sheep
Lodi Bowmen
Lower Sherman Island Duck Hunters Association
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Safari Club International Golden Gate Chapter
The California Sportsman's Lobby
The Outdoor Sportsmen's Coalition of California
U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : In support of the bill, the
California Outdoor Heritage Alliance, points to past
problems with the usage of revenues from bear, elk, sheep,
antelope, pig, and upland bird tags/stamps. Specifically,
they site a 2006 Legislative Analyst's Office report that
found that DFG shifted funds within the Fish and Game
Preservation Fund that resulted in revenues dedicated by
statute for specific uses being used for unauthorized
purposes. The California Outdoor Heritage Alliance also
cites DFG data that show that only 62 percent of deer tag
revenue, 64 percent of wild pig tag revenue, and 48 percent
of wild sheep auction tag revenue was used for related
conservation work.
The California Outdoor Heritage Alliance states, "To more
fully address these problems over the long-term, SB 1058
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would require that user fee revenues from bear, elk, wild
sheep, antelope, wild pig, deer and upland game bird
tags/stamps be used for game species conservation purposes.
The bill would also require DFG to consult with nonprofit
conservation groups on proposed conservation projects
funded from the fees, while facilitating the cost-effective
assistance of the nonprofits with the projects. SB 1058
also consolidates various existing big game species fiscal
accounts into a single account (a practice recommended by
the LAO in its "2009-10 Budget Analysis Series" (RES-60)),
which further improves efficiencies in the use of the
monies and gives DFG greater flexibility to benefit all big
game species."
CTW:mw 4/20/10 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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