Bill Text: CA AB2939 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Parks: counties and cities: interpretive services.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-04-25 - From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. [AB2939 Detail]
Download: California-2023-AB2939-Introduced.html
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2939
| Introduced by Assembly Member Rendon |
February 15, 2024 |
An act to add Article 8 (commencing with Section 5385) to Chapter 2 of Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, relating to parks.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2939, as introduced, Rendon.
Parks: counties and cities: interpretive services.
Existing law authorizes the Department of Parks and Recreation, as a means of furthering its mission to expand access to state parks and outdoor recreation to all, and contingent upon the availability of its resources, to enter into community access agreements, as defined, with eligible entities, as defined, to provide interpretive services and visitor services, as defined, at units of the state parks system to underserved park users, as defined.
This bill would require that use of local parks, as defined, by eligible entities, as defined, to provide interpretative services, as defined, to 30 or fewer participating park visitors at a time be considered an allowable public use of the local park, and would require cities, counties, and cities and counties to treat this use of the local park in the same manner as general public use of the local park,
provided that no benefit is conferred by cities, counties, or cities and counties on eligible entities that is not conferred on the general public. To the extent that this bill would impose new duties on cities, counties, and cities and counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather
than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Article 8 (commencing with Section 5385) is added to Chapter 2 of Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, to read:Article 8. Interpretive Services
5385.
For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:(a) “Eligible entity” means any of the following:
(1) A qualified nonprofit public benefit corporation organized pursuant to Part 2 (commencing with Section 5110) of Division 2 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code.
(2) A federally recognized Native American tribe.
(3) A California Native American tribe listed on the California Tribal Consultation List maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission.
(b) “Interpretive services” means activities
and programs that seek to help participating park visitors to understand and connect with natural, cultural, and historic resources of a local park and are not generally offered by the local entity.
(c) “Local entity” means a city, county, or city and county that owns, maintains, or operates a local park.
(d) “Local park” means a beach or park that is owned, maintained, or operated by a local entity and that is not part of the state or federal park systems.
