Grassland Ecological Area Conservancy.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not explicitly state that local agencies must help manage the conservancy, only that it creates a state-mandated local program which may imply additional responsibilities.

Grassland Ecological Area Conservancy

This law establishes a conservancy within the Natural Resources Agency to protect and restore grasslands, increase tourism opportunities, and manage funds for these purposes.

What This Bill Does

• Establishes the Grassland Ecological Area Conservancy within the Natural Resources Agency.
• Gives the conservancy responsibility over specific areas to protect resources like plants, animals, history, and culture.
• Sets up a board to govern the conservancy with members appointed by local agencies.
• Creates the Grassland Ecological Area Conservancy Fund for managing funds from donations or property sales.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who live near the Grassland Ecological Area and Focus Area
• Local agencies that appoint board members

Terms To Know

Grassland Ecological Area

A specific area of land with grasses and other plants that the conservancy will protect.

Natural Resources Agency

The state agency responsible for managing natural resources like forests, water, and wildlife.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify when the law will start.
• Local agencies may need to pay extra costs if they help manage the conservancy.
• Details about how much money will be in the fund are unclear.

Official Summary Text

SB 1108, as amended, Caballero.
Grassland Ecological Area Conservancy.
Existing law authorizes various conservancies to acquire, manage, direct the management of, and conserve lands in the state.
This bill would establish the Grassland Ecological Area Conservancy within the Natural Resources Agency, with jurisdiction over the Grassland Ecological Area and the Grassland Focus Area, as defined, for specified purposes, including to protect, conserve, and restore the physical, cultural, archaeological, historical, and living resources of the Grassland Ecological Area and the Grassland Focus Area and to provide increased opportunities for tourism and recreation. The bill would require the conservancy to be governed by a board composed of designated voting members, including certain members appointed by certain local agencies, and nonvoting liaison advisers. The bill would set forth the powers, duties, and limitations
of the governing board and the conservancy, as provided. The bill would create the Grassland Ecological Area Conservancy Fund and would make moneys in the fund available for expenditure by the conservancy, upon appropriation by the Legislature, only for the purposes of these provisions. The bill would require all funds or income received by the conservancy, including proceeds from donations or a lease, rental, sale, exchange, or transfer of an interest or option in real property, to be deposited into the fund. By imposing new duties on local agencies,
this
the
bill would create 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.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF