Plain English Breakdown
The official text shows conflicting dates (January vs. July) and years (2028 vs. 2029), but the final amended version appears to use July 1, 2028 for identification and July 1, 2029 for model policies based on context clues in the digest.
Coastal Monarch Butterfly Habitat Protection
This law requires state agencies and local governments in coastal areas to identify, plan for, and protect places where monarch butterflies rest during winter.
What This Bill Does
- Requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the California Coastal Commission to list known monarch butterfly overwintering sites by July 1, 2028.
- Asks these agencies to review current local plans for managing monarch habitats in coastal areas by that same date.
- Directs state agencies to create model policies for protecting and restoring monarch habitats by July 1, 2029.
- Requires local governments with identified sites to write and enforce their own protection rules by July 1, 2031.
Who It Names or Affects
- The Department of Fish and Wildlife
- The California Coastal Commission
- Local governments in the coastal zone that have monarch butterfly overwintering sites
Terms To Know
- Overwintering habitat
- A place where monarch butterflies rest and survive during the winter months.
- Coastal zone
- The area along the coast that is regulated by the California Coastal Act of 1976.
- State-mandated local program
- A new duty required by state law that a local government must perform, which may qualify for cost reimbursement.
Limits and Unknowns
- The bill does not specify the exact number of sites or locations until agencies complete their identification work.
- Reimbursement to local governments depends on whether the Commission on State Mandates determines that costs are required by this law.
- Local government policies must be developed only after state guidance is finalized, which may affect timing.