BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1767
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 1767 (Holden)
As Amended July 2, 2014
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |55-18|(May 5, 2014) |SENATE: |25-6 |(August 13, |
| | | | | |2014) |
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Original Committee Reference: NAT. RES.
SUMMARY : Increases the maximum fines imposed for illegal
dumping or injuring, defacing, or destroying property on lands
owned or managed by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
(Conservancy) from $1,000 to $1,500.
The Senate amendments :
1)Delete language that would have increased the fines for
violating posted conditions of use on any property owned or
managed by the Conservancy.
2)Delete language that would have allowed the Conservancy to use
fine revenues for grants and property repairs and cleanup.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes the Conservancy within the Natural Resources
Agency to acquire and protect lands within the Santa Monica
Mountains Zone, which is an area of approximately 650,000
acres, generally encompassing the mountain areas of eastern
Ventura County, western Los Angeles County, and the mountain
areas surrounding the San Fernando, La Crescenta, and Santa
Clarita Valleys.
2)Creates a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than
$1,000, or imprisonment in the county jail for not more than
six months, or both that fine and imprisonment for
unauthorized dumping on property owned or managed by the
Conservancy.
3)Creates a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than
$1,000, or imprisonment in the county jail for not more than
six months, or both that fine and imprisonment for injuring,
AB 1767
Page 2
defacing, or destroying any property owned or managed by the
Conservancy.
4)Creates a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county
jail not exceeding 90 days, or by a fine not exceeding $1,000,
or by both that fine and imprisonment for violation of the
posted conditions of use on any property owned or managed by
the Conservancy. Authorizes the judge, in considering the
recommendation of the prosecuting attorney, to reduce the
charged offense from a misdemeanor to an infraction.
Requires any person convicted of the offense after such a
reduction to be punished by a fine of not less $100, nor more
than $500.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS : The Conservancy was established by the California
State Legislature in 1980. Since that time, it has helped to
preserve over 69,000 acres of parkland in both wilderness and
urban settings, and improved more than 114 public recreational
facilities throughout southern California. Additionally, it has
given grants to nonprofit organizations for educational and
interpretation programs that have served hundreds of thousands
of children and other park visitors.
In 1984, the Legislature established criminal penalties specific
to Conservancy property to address issues with dumping, property
damage, and violating posted rules. The maximum fine for each
penalty was $500. Eighteen years later, in 2002, the
Legislature increased the maximum fines to $1,000.
Analysis Prepared by : Mario DeBernardo / NAT. RES. / (916)
319-2092
FN: 0004453