Bill Text: CA SB367 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Senate Bill 367 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: State Coastal Conservancy: grants: educational projects and programs.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-10-09 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 701, Statutes of 2019. [SB367 Detail]

Download: California-2019-SB367-Chaptered.html

Senate Bill No. 367

CHAPTER 701

An act to amend Sections 31111 and 31119 of, and to add Section 31122 to, the Public Resources Code, relating to coastal resources.

[ Approved by Governor October 09, 2019. Filed with Secretary of State October 09, 2019. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 367, Hueso. State Coastal Conservancy: grants: educational projects and programs.

Existing law establishes the State Coastal Conservancy and prescribes the membership, functions, and duties of the conservancy with regard to the protection, preservation, and enhancement of specified coastal lands in the state. Existing law authorizes the conservancy to fund and undertake plans and feasibility studies and to award grants to public agencies and nonprofit organizations for these purposes.

This bill would additionally authorize the conservancy to provide technical assistance, and award grants for that purpose.

Existing law authorizes the conservancy to undertake educational projects and programs for pupils in kindergarten to grade 12, inclusive, relating to the preservation, protection, enhancement, and maintenance of coastal resources, and to award grants to nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and public agencies for those purposes, subject to certain limitations, and requires an educational grant program established pursuant to these provisions to comply with certain requirements.

This bill would instead authorize the conservancy to undertake educational projects and programs for adults and for pupils in kindergarten to grade 12, inclusive, and to award grants to nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and public agencies, including federally recognized Indian tribes, for educational projects and programs related to the preservation, protection, enhancement, maintenance, and enjoyment of coastal resources and for onsite and distance learning facilities, activities, and instructional programs that support the delivery of science, history, and social science content, in accordance with prescribed requirements. The bill would also authorize the conservancy to award grants for the construction and improvement of structures and facilities used for those projects and programs. The bill would prohibit the use of General Fund moneys for grants awarded to public educational institutions, including community colleges, and would prohibit the conservancy from spending more than 10% of the funds received for grants for educational projects and programs for grant administrative costs. The bill would authorize the conservancy to award funds not otherwise restricted, on and after January 1, 2020, for funding grants to nonprofit organizations that offer scientific, educational, or heritage programs that focus on the history and stewardship of the ocean and coastal resources.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 31111 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

31111.

In implementing this division, the conservancy may fund and do all of the following:

(a) Prepare plans and feasibility studies.

(b) Provide technical assistance.

SEC. 2.

Section 31119 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

31119.

(a) (1) The conservancy may undertake educational projects and programs for adults and for pupils in kindergarten to grade 12, inclusive, and award grants to nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and public agencies, including federally recognized Indian tribes, for the purposes set forth in subdivisions (b) and (c).

(2) A nonprofit organization, educational institution, or public agency, including a federally recognized Indian tribe, that receives a grant under this subdivision shall comply with all of the following requirements:

(A) Document increased pupil participation in its educational programs.

(B) Provide outreach to low-income, underserved, and noncoastal areas of the state.

(C) Maintain any data necessary for the evaluation of a project or program funded with a grant, as determined by the conservancy.

(3) No General Fund moneys shall be used for grants awarded pursuant to this subdivision to public educational institutions, including community colleges.

(4) An educational program for pupils in kindergarten to grade 12, inclusive, shall deliver knowledge and skills that support the State Board of Education’s adopted content standards.

(b) Educational projects and programs funded and undertaken under subdivision (a) may include all of the following:

(1) Projects and programs relating to the preservation, protection, enhancement, maintenance, and enjoyment of coastal resources.

(2) Onsite and distance learning facilities pursuant to subdivision (c), activities, and instructional programs that support the delivery of science, history, and social science content, that further paragraph (1), including any of the following:

(A) Projects and programs that assist pupils in acquiring core knowledge and developing critical thinking skills.

(B) Projects and programs that encourage pupils to have direct contact with history, including programs that focus on the history and stewardship of the ocean and coastal resources.

(C) Projects and programs that link science to technology and societal impacts, including community health, population, natural resources, environmental quality, natural and human-induced hazards, and other global challenges.

(D) Projects and programs that support social-emotional learning and development, such as team-building and leadership skills.

(c) The conservancy may also award grants for the construction and improvement of structures and facilities used for the educational projects and programs described in subdivision (b).

(d) The conservancy shall not spend more than 10 percent of the funds received for grants for educational projects and programs under subdivision (a) for grant administrative costs, including any costs related to administering any of those projects and programs.

SEC. 3.

Section 31122 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:

31122.

Funds not otherwise restricted may be awarded by the conservancy, on and after January 1, 2020, for funding grants to nonprofit organizations that offer scientific, educational, or heritage programs that focus on the history and stewardship of the ocean and coastal resources.