BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 633
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 633 (Pavley)
As Amended August 4, 2014
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :Vote not relevant
NATURAL RESOURCES APPROPRIATIONS 13-0
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| | (vote not |Ayes:|Gatto, Bocanegra, |
| |relevant) | |Bradford, |
| | | |Ian Calderon, Campos, |
| | | |Eggman, Gomez, Holden, |
| | | |Linder, Pan, Quirk, |
| | | |Ridley-Thomas, Weber |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Enacts several programmatic changes designed to reduce
energy costs, increase revenue generation, and enhance visitor
services at state parks, and requires separate tracking of the
budget of the State Parks and Recreation Commission (Commission).
Specifically, this bill :
1)States legislative findings and declarations regarding recent and
ongoing efforts to secure the financial base of the Department of
Parks and Recreation (DPR), and clarifying that provisions of this
bill regarding pilot projects for sales of park passes through
vendors, creation of additional regional passes, and for mobile
food and beverage concessions, are based on existing authority of
DPR.
2)Requires the Commission's costs to be reflected separately in the
Governor's annual proposed budget to increase transparency.
3)States legislative intent that the Commission and DPR cooperate to
increase public support and participation in the voluntary tax
check-off contribution program for state parks by soliciting
public input into how the contributions should be spent. Requires
the Commission and DPR to create one or more projects per year to
be funded by the voluntary tax-deductible contributions. Requires
that the projects funded be selected through a process involving
public input, including one or more public hearings to be held by
the Commission, and requires that DPR post information about the
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selection process and chosen projects on its Internet Web site.
Provides that the projects may include, but are not limited to,
the repair, preservation, restoration, or rehabilitation of
natural or cultural resources, and programs that facilitate
increased park visitation by underserved communities.
4)Requires DPR to report to the Legislature on or before July 1,
2015, on its energy costs, projects that could reduce those costs
and potential energy-related infrastructure projects that may be
eligible for funding from revenues that may be generated through a
market-based compliance mechanism adopted by the Air Resources
Board (commonly known as cap and trade). Provides that this
section shall sunset on January 1, 2020.
5)States legislative intent to increase opportunities for DPR to
sell park passes through vendors. Clarifies that DPR has
authority to increase opportunities to sell park passes through
vendor contracts, and requires DPR to report to the Legislature on
or before July 1, 2016, on its activities to increase such
opportunities. Provides that this section shall sunset on January
1, 2020.
6)Requires DPR on or before December 31, 2015, from available
appropriated funds, to establish a minimum of two additional
regional park passes that are available for purchase through DPR's
Internet Web site, park offices, or other designated vendors.
States legislative findings and declarations that regional passes
in the Big Sur-Monterey Bay region, the Lake Tahoe region, north
coast beaches, or other appropriate regions may be determined by
DPR to be suitable for additional regional passes. States
legislative intent that DPR create regional passes to serve
visitors interested in state parks with a shared theme or within a
region and to simplify and facilitate fee collection from frequent
park visitors. States that the Surf Explorer Vehicle Day Use
annual pass, the Historian Passport Day Use Admissions annual
pass, and the California Park Experience Vehicle Day Use annual
pass may serve as useful models for future regional passes.
7)Adds to the conditions upon which DPR may renegotiate a
concessions contract, if the services provided pursuant to the
contract will have minimal impacts on state park resources, are
inherently mobile or transitory in nature, and do not occupy a
state-owned structure. Provides that such services may include
but are not limited to mobile food and beverage services.
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8)Requires DPR until January 1, 2018, and from available
appropriated funds, to establish a pilot program for mobile food
and beverage services in multiple state parks, as feasible.
Requires DPR to submit a report to the Legislature on the results
of the pilot program on or before January 1, 2018. Sunsets this
section effective January 1, 2019. States legislative intent that
DPR in implementing this section not compete with existing
concession contracts that provide comparable food and beverage
services to the public.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes the California State Park system and vests DPR with
control of the state park system and responsibility for
administering, protecting, developing, and interpreting state
parks for the use and enjoyment of the public. Requires DPR to
protect the state park system from damage and to preserve the
peace therein.
2)Authorizes DPR to collect fees, rents, and other returns for the
use of state parks with amounts to be determined by DPR, to sell
annual and regional passes, and to enter into concession
contracts, subject to specified conditions.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee,
additional General Fund costs to DPR to establish mobile food and
beverage pilot projects of up to $170,000 annually for three years.
All other costs are minor and absorbable.
COMMENTS : The purpose of this bill is to encourage and strengthen
ongoing efforts by DPR, the Commission, and the Parks Forward
Commission, to develop a broader financial base for state parks,
consistent with the mission of parks. Specifically, this bill calls
for a pilot program and other initiatives to be implemented by DPR,
including the following: 1) a report to the Legislature on DPR's
energy costs, projects that would reduce those costs, and potential
energy-related infrastructure projects that may be eligible for
funding from cap and trade revenues; 2) a report to the Legislature
on activities undertaken by DPR to increase the sale of park passes
through private vendors; 3) creation of at least two additional
regional park pass options available for purchase by the public; 4)
a pilot program for mobile food and beverage services in multiple
state parks; and 5) a joint project with the Commission to solicit
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public input on projects to be funded with revenues received from
voluntary contributions to the tax return check-off program for
state parks.
In 2013, the Parks Forward Commission was appointed to conduct a
year-long process to make recommendations to address the financial,
operational, and cultural challenges necessary for long-term
sustainability of California's state park system. A second draft of
the report was released on July 30th and a final report is
anticipated by November of 2014.
The California State Park and Recreation Commission was created in
1927. The Commission has specific authorities and responsibilities,
which include the approval of general plans for park units,
classifying and naming park units, establishing general policies for
the administration, protection and development of the state park
system, providing input on deferred maintenance priorities,
providing opportunities for public input, and recommending a
comprehensive recreation policy for the state.
As a component of the California State Park Stewardship Act of 2012
(AB 1589 (Huffman), Chapter 533), the California State Parks
Protection Fund was established to provide California taxpayers the
opportunity to purchase a California State Parks pass via their
state income tax return and to designate a portion of their state
tax refund for a voluntary contribution to support the preservation
of state parks. Taxpayers can make a charitable contribution
deduction to state parks for any amount in excess of the price of
the State Park Annual Pass received, for the year in which the
voluntary contribution is made. This program generated $396,921 in
2013 and $287,547 in 2014.
This bill would encourage greater public participation in the tax
return check-off program by allowing public input into the selection
process for projects to be funded from the contributions. Projects
eligible for funding would include projects to preserve or restore
natural and cultural state park resources, and to facilitate
increased park visitation by underserved communities.
The creation and marketing of additional regional park passes, sales
of park passes through retail vendors, and the addition of mobile
food and beverage concessions are all among the recommendations
proposed by the Parks Forward Commission in its draft report as
means of enhancing revenue generation and improving public services
and visitation in state parks.
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Energy costs are a significant cost of operations and maintenance at
state parks. This bill would require DPR to do an analysis of ways
to reduce energy costs, including energy saving infrastructure
projects that could potentially be eligible for funding with cap and
trade revenues. Such projects could have multiple benefits by
reducing park operating costs, conserving energy, and potentially
leading to reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Natural resources
protected by state parks, such as forests, help sequester carbon,
but can also be a source of carbon emissions in the event of forest
fires. Examples of deferred maintenance projects at state parks
might include energy conserving structural retrofits, as well as
forest management projects to reduce fuel loading and the risk of
catastrophic forest fires.
This bill was substantially amended in the Assembly to change it
from a bill that previously dealt with the California Environmental
Quality Act, as passed by the Senate, to the current version which
relates to state parks.
Analysis Prepared by : Diane Colborn / W., P. & W. / (916)
319-2096
FN: 0004761