Weights & Measures

AB 1623 (Yamada) – Support
As Introduced – February 8, 2012

AB 1623, by Mariko Yamada, would extend the sunset of the provision of law that allows a county board of supervisors the authority to charge fees to recover the costs associated with the duties of the county sealers from January 2013, to January 2015. County Sealers provide a valuable service to their respective communities. They help to ensure that consumers get what they pay for at the pharmacy, the grocery store and the gasoline pump, and elsewhere. This bill simply extends the fee authority granted to counties to recover their costs. This bill has not yet been set for Committee.

Parks & Recreation

SB 974 (Evans) – Request for Comments
As Introduced January 19, 2012

SB 974, by Senator Noreen Evans, seeks to address the budget reductions to Department of Parks & Recreation and closure of state parks in California. Specifically, this bill would: 

• Require the Department of Parks & Recreation (Department) to conduct a review to re-examine the list of park closures in the state announced by the Department in May 2011.
• Require the Department to develop and implement a transparent park closure review process that includes specific elements, including an economic analysis of a park’s closure on nearby communities.
• Require the Department, beginning on July 1, 2013, and annually of each year thereafter, to make a determination on the status of any park included on the May 2011 park closure list and on any other park not on that list that may be scheduled for future closure.
• Require the Department, by July 1, 2013, to present to the State Parks Commission and the Legislature a revised list of park closures, based upon the park closure review process.

This bill has been referred to the Senate Natural Resources & Water Committee. 

AB 1589 (Huffman) – Request for Comments
As Introduced February 6, 2012

AB 1589, by Assembly Member Jared Huffman, also seeks to address the budget shortfalls of California State Parks System and proposed closure of certain state parks. Specifically, this bill would: 

• Authorize the California Department of Parks & Recreation (Department) to achieve any required budget reductions by implementing efficiencies, increasing revenue collection, and closing, partially closing, or reducing services at selected parks of the state park system. Current law requires the Department to achieve budget reductions through park closures.
• Limit parks subject to full closures to no more than 25 state parks during the 2012 to 2016 calendar years.
• Revise the factors the Department is required to use as a basis for determining which state parks are to be closed, and would require the department to document and publicly disclose the methodology, rationale, and scoring system used to evaluate and select parks designated for closure.
• Enact the California State Park Stewardship Act of 2012, which would require the department to develop and implement a prioritized action plan to increase revenues and the collection of user fees at state parks. The bill would require the department to report to the Legislature and the Governor on the prioritized action plan by January 1, 2013.
• Create the California State Park Enterprise Fund in the State Treasury, and would require that moneys in the fund be held in trust and only expended for specified purposes related to state parks.
• Allow taxpayers to designate on their tax returns that a specified amount in excess of their tax liability be transferred to the California State Parks Protection Fund
• Authorize the Department of Motor Vehicles, in consultation with the Department of Parks and Recreation, to design and make available for issuance special state parks environmental license plates bearing a full-plate graphic design depicting a significant natural feature of California’s state park system, as approved by the Department of Parks and Recreation.

Energy

EPA’s State and Local Climate and Energy Program released a final version of Energy Efficiency in Local Government Operations: A Guide to Developing and Implementing Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs. This guide describes how local governments can achieve multiple benefits by improving the energy efficiency of their new, existing, and renovated facilities and their day-to-day operations. It is designed to be used by facility managers, energy and environmental staff, other local government agencies, and mayors and city councils. This document is part of the Local Government Climate and Energy Strategy Series, which is designed to help policy makers and program staff plan, implement, and evaluate cost-effective climate and energy projects that generate economic, environmental, social, and human health benefits.

Central Valley Flood Protection Plan

Several technical attachments for the draft 2012 Central Valley Flood Protection Plan have been released for public review. Organized by volume, 24 of 30 attachments are now available online. The rest are expected to be released later this month. Instructions for submitting comments are available on the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan website. The Central Valley Flood Protection Act of 2008 directed the Department of Water Resources to prepare the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan (CVFPP). The CVFPP proposes a system-wide investment approach for integrated flood management in areas currently protected by facilities of the State Plan of Flood Control (SPFC). The CVFPP will be updated every five years, with each update providing support for subsequent policy, program, and project implementation.

CSAC Agriculture & Natural Resources Policy Committee Meeting

Please save the date of Wednesday, February 15th for the next meeting of the CSAC Agriculture & Natural Resources Policy Committee. The meeting will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the 1st floor conference room of the CSAC Offices, located at 1100 K Street, Sacramento, CA 95818. The Committee will be discussing the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the Governor’s Regional Water Quality Control Board Budget Proposal and the Farm Bill Reauthorization. The Agenda packet is now available on the CSAC website.