BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �





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          |                                                                 |
          |         SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER         |
          |                   Senator Fran Pavley, Chair                    |
          |                    2013-2014 Regular Session                    |
          |                                                                 |
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          BILL NO: SB 1075                   HEARING DATE: April 22, 2014   

          AUTHOR: Knight                     URGENCY: No  
          VERSION: April 21, 2014            CONSULTANT: Bill Craven  
          DUAL REFERRAL: No                  FISCAL: Yes  
          SUBJECT: Department of Forestry and Fire Protection: civil cost  
          recovery.  
          
          BACKGROUND AND EXISTING LAW
          In January, 2013, news outlets reported that the California  
          Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) had placed  
          perhaps $3.7 million obtained from civil liability settlements  
          related to the intentional or negligent ignition of a fire into  
          an off-budget account. The California District Attorneys  
          Association managed the account. Most of the funds were spent on  
          various activities and equipment purchased by CDF. $807,000 was  
          moved to a special account where it remains. As part of an  
          October, 2013, audit of the department, the state auditor  
          recommended that the Legislature make explicit in statute a  
          requirement that all civil cost recovery funds must be deposited  
          in the General Fund.  

          PROPOSED LAW
          This bill would codify the recommendation of the state auditor  
          and impose annual reporting requirements on CDF. The reporting  
          requirements would include information on the settled cases for  
          the prior year including the name, date, location, and total  
          costs of the fire, the value of the settlement, and related  
          information. 

          ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT
          According to the author, the bill is necessary to improve  
          transparency at CDF and to hold CDF to a high standard when  
          dealing with taxpayer dollars. 

          ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION
          None received. 
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          COMMENTS 
          The Committee may wish to know that although CDF does not have a  
          position on this legislation, it provided some technical  
          assistance to the author in amending the bill as presented to  
          the Committee on April 22, 2014.  It is possible that further  
          refinements to the language in the bill may be suggested by  
          Legislative Counsel. 

          SUPPORT
          None Received

          OPPOSITION
          None Received

































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