SB 987, as amended, Monning. Department of Fish and Wildlife: California Sea Otter Fund.
Existing law establishes the Department of Fish and Wildlife and sets forth the duties of that department. Existing law, until January 1, 2016, establishes the California Sea Otter Fund and allows taxpayers to designate on their tax returns that a specified amount in excess of their tax liability be transferred to the fund. Existing law requires a specified portion of money in that fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, be allocated to the Department of Fish and Wildlife for the purposes of establishing a sea otter fund to be used within the department’s index coding system for increased investigation, prevention, and enforcement actions.
This bill would authorize the department to take appropriate measures to encourage taxpayers to make contributions on their tax returns to the California Sea Otter Fund and would also authorize the department to disseminate information to the public about the status of California sea otters. The bill would require that costs incurred by the department in carrying out these activities be paid for with money allocated to the department from the fund.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 710.9 is added to the Fish and Game
2Code, to read:
(a) The department may take appropriatebegin delete measuresend delete
4begin insert measures, including, but not limited to, public outreach activities,end insert
5 to encourage taxpayers to make contributionsbegin delete as aend deletebegin insert byend insert voluntary
6checkoff on a tax return to the California Sea Otter Fund
7established in Article 5.6 (commencing with Section 18754) of
8Chapter 3 of Part 10.2 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation
9Code.
10(b) The department may disseminate information to the public
11concerning the status of California sea otters.
12(c) The costs incurred by the department in carrying out the
13activities authorized by this section shall, upon appropriation by
14the Legislature, be paid for with money allocated to the department
15pursuant to Section 18754.2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
Section 18754.2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code
17 is amended to read:
(a) All money transferred to the California Sea Otter
19Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall be allocated as
20follows:
21(1) To the Franchise Tax Board and the Controller for
22reimbursement of all costs incurred by the Franchise Tax Board
23and the Controller in connection with their duties under this article.
24(2) Fifty percent of the revenues remaining after allocation
25pursuant to paragraph (1), to the Department of Fish and Wildlife
26for the purposes of establishing a sea otter fund to be used within
27the department’s index coding system for increased investigation,
28prevention, and enforcement actions and for
the purposes of
29carrying out the activities authorized in Section 710.9 of the Fish
30and Game Code.
31(3) Fifty percent of the revenues remaining after allocation
32pursuant to paragraph (1), to thebegin delete Californiaend deletebegin insert Stateend insert Coastal
33Conservancy for competitive grants and contracts to public
34agencies and nonprofit organizations for research, science,
35protection, projects, or programs related to the Federal Sea Otter
36Recovery Plan or improving the nearshore ocean ecosystem,
37including, but not limited to, program activities to reduce sea otter
P3 1mortality. The projects or programs may also address pathogens
2and water and wastewater treatment technologies.
3(b) Thebegin delete Californiaend deletebegin insert Stateend insert Coastal Conservancy shall solicit
4available federal, private, matching, and other dollars to maximize
5or leverage funds appropriated pursuant to paragraph (3)begin insert of
6subdivision (a)end insert to provide the greatest benefit for sea otters.
7(c) Thebegin delete Californiaend deletebegin insert Stateend insert Coastal Conservancy may enter into
8interagency agreements with public agencies
for purposes of
9paragraph (3)begin insert of subdivision (a)end insert.
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