Wildlife grants: Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement program.

Plain English Breakdown

It is not clear what specific changes the report must evaluate.

Wildlife Grants for Shared Habitat Program

This law requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to provide grants or enter into agreements with nonprofit groups, government agencies, or other entities to support wildlife-dependent recreational activities on private land, increases financial compensation for landowners based on inflation, and mandates a report evaluating the program's impact by October 1, 2029.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to provide grants or enter into agreements with nonprofit organizations, governmental entities, or other entities when necessary for carrying out the SHARE program.
• Increases the maximum payment to private landowners from $30 per acre to $52 per acre and raises it for public participants from $50 per day to $87 per day. These amounts will be adjusted annually based on inflation.
• Authorizes the Department of Fish and Wildlife to reimburse nonprofit organizations, private landowners, or other entities for their services related to implementing the SHARE program.
• Requires a report by October 1, 2029, evaluating the effect of changes to the SHARE program.

Who It Names or Affects

• Private landowners who allow public access to their land for wildlife-related activities
• Nonprofit organizations involved in conservation efforts
• Government agencies and other entities working with the SHARE program

Terms To Know

SHARE Program

A program that encourages private landowners to let the public use their land for wildlife-related activities.

Inflation Adjustment

Increasing amounts of money each year based on how much prices have gone up.

Limits and Unknowns

• The new rules about grants and agreements, increased payments to landowners, and reimbursement for services will end on January 1, 2031.
• It is not clear what specific changes the report must evaluate.

Official Summary Text

AB 1169, as amended, Jeff Gonzalez.
Wildlife grants: Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement program.
Existing law establishes the Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) program to encourage private landowners to voluntarily make their land available to the public for wildlife-dependent recreational activities, as specified. Existing law requires a cap on financial compensation offered to a private landowner of $30 per acre, or $50 per public participant per day. Existing law authorizes the Department of Fish and Wildlife, as part of the SHARE program, to make grants to, or enter into agreements with, nonprofit organizations, governmental entities, or any other entities for purposes of carrying out the SHARE program.
This bill would require, rather than authorize, the department to make those grants to, or enter into agreements with, the above-described entities, including a nonprofit conservation organization, when the
department finds the grants or agreements are necessary for carrying out the purposes of the SHARE program. The bill would increase the required cap on financial compensation offered to private landowners pursuant to the SHARE program to $52 per acre, or $87 per public participant per day, and would require those figures to be adjusted annually for inflation, as provided. The bill would authorize the department to reimburse a nonprofit organization, a private landowner, or other entity for its services related to the implementation of the program.
The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2031.
This bill would require the Director of Fish and Wildlife, on or before October 1, 2029, to submit a written report to the Legislature that evaluates the effect of changes to
the SHARE program, as provided.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF