BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  SB 356
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          Date of Hearing:   August 17, 2011

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                   SB 356 (Blakeslee) - As Amended:  June 30, 2011 

          Policy Committee:                              Water, Parks and 
          Wildlife     Vote:                            7-2

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), 
          in the event the state proposes to close a unit of the state 
          park system, to notify local government so it may consider 
          taking over park operation and maintenance.  Specifically, this 
          bill:

          1)Requires DPR to notify local governments that a park unit is 
            scheduled for closure.

          2)Requires DPR to negotiate with a local government that is 
            interested in taking over operation and maintenance of a park 
            unit scheduled for closure.

          3)Specifies that state funding shall not be provided to a local 
            government that takes over all operation and maintenance of a 
            state park unit.

          4)Subjects to approval by DPR all capital improvements and 
            changes in the use of the park unit by the local government.

          5)Sets the amount of time that an agreement that a local 
            government operate and maintain a state park unit to no less 
            than one year and no more than five years.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Minor, absorbable ongoing costs to DPR to communicate with local 
          governments.  (Special fund.)

           COMMENTS  








                                                                  SB 356
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           1)Rationale  .  This author intends this bill to prevent the 
            closure of state parks.  The author contends ensuring local 
            governments are aware of plans to close a unit of the state 
            park system will better allow them to develop a plan to avoid 
            such a closure or to minimize the closure's harm.
             
           2)Background  .  The 2011-12 Budget Act includes a $22 million 
            General Fund reduction to DPR's budget.  The administration 
            anticipates closing 70 of the 278 park units in the state park 
            system.

           3)Current law  authorizes DPR to allow a county or city to 
            operate a state park unit.  The department has done so in the 
            past and is actively seeking public and private partners to 
            operate state park units scheduled for closure.  

            Closing state park units is controversial. Closure can harm 
            local economies and is generally unpopular with nearby 
            residents.  It seems unlikely a local government would be 
            unaware that a state park unit within its jurisdiction is 
            scheduled for closure.

           4)Related Legislation.  

              a)   AB 42 (Huffman)  authorizes DPR to enter into an 
               operating agreement with a qualified nonprofit organization 
               to prevent closing of a state park unit.  The bill passed 
               the Assembly 75-1 and is pending action before the Senate 
               Appropriations Committee.

              b)   SB 386 (Harman)  requires DPR to post on its website 
               specified information prior to closing a unit of the state 
               park system.   The bill passed the Senate 33-1 and is 
               pending action before this committee.

           5)Support.   This bill is supported by several local governments 
            on the Central Coast that benefit from tourism at local units 
            of the state park system.

           6)There is no formal opposition registered to this bill.  

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081 










                                                                  SB 356
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