BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 238
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SENATE THIRD READING
SB 238 (Liu)
As Introduced August 6, 2013
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :26-9
NATURAL RESOURCES 5-3 APPROPRIATIONS 12-5
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|Ayes:|Chesbro, Garcia, |Ayes:|Gatto, Bocanegra, |
| |Muratsuchi, Skinner, | |Bradford, |
| |Stone | |Ian Calderon, Campos, |
| | | |Eggman, Gomez, Hall, |
| | | |Holden, Pan, Quirk, Weber |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Grove, Bigelow, Patterson |Nays:|Harkey, Bigelow, |
| | | |Donnelly, Linder, Wagner |
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SUMMARY : Authorizes the Supervisor of the Angeles National
Forest (normally an ex officio, nonvoting member of the Santa
Monica Mountains Conservancy (Conservancy)) to vote on matters
relating to projects located within, adjacent to, or
substantially affecting, the Angeles National Forest.
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)Established nine voting members on the Conservancy, three ex
officio members, and six legislative members.
3)Requires the three ex officio members to be a representative
from the California Coastal Commission (CCC), a representative
from the State Coastal Conservancy, and the Supervisor of the
Angeles National Forest.
SB 238
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4)Authorizes the ex officio members from the CCC to vote on
matters pertaining to a project undertaken within the coastal
zone portion of the Santa Monica Mountains Zone.
5)Does not authorize the Supervisor of the Angeles National
Forest to vote on matters before the Conservancy.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, 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.
The voting rights of the Supervisor of the Angeles National
Forest were apparently never a discussed topic when the Santa
Monica Mountains Conservancy was established. With the special
resource study of the area known as the "Rim of the Valley," the
Conservancy agrees that Supervisor of the Angeles National
Forest should be included in the discussion as a voting member.
The purpose of this study is to determine if any portion of the
Valley Corridor is eligible to be considered a unit of the
national park system, or added to an existing national park.
The Valley Corridor is the area that generally includes the
mountains encircling the San Fernando, La Crescenta, Santa
Clarita, Simi and Conejo Valleys of Los Angeles and Ventura
Counties in southern California. The study will also explore
other ways that private or governmental entities can protect
resources and provide more outdoor recreation opportunities.
By allowing the Supervisor of the Angeles National Forest to
vote on matters that affect the Angeles National Forest, this
bill will allow the Supervisor to have a similar role played by
the CCC on Conservancy projects related to the coastal zone.
Analysis Prepared by : Mario DeBernardo / NAT. RES. / (916)
319-2092
SB 238
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FN: 0001557