Signed by Governor Jerry Brown, Jr.

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that appropriates funds to the State Park and Recreation Department for fiscal years 2012-2013 and 2013-2014.

Highlights:

• Appropriates $20.5 million to the Department from the State Parks and Recreation Fund to be used as follows (Sec. 4):
• $10 million for parks that are at risk of closure during the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 fiscal years;
• $10 million to match donor contributions made for the 2012-2013 fiscal year received as of July 31, 2013 and for public donation agreements made in the 2013-2014 fiscal year; and
• $500,000 for ongoing audits and investigations.

• Requires matching funds to be used for the park units specified in the original donor contribution agreements (Sec. 4).

• Prohibits the State Park and Recreation Department from closing or proposing to close any state park during fiscal years 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 (Sec. 4).

• Establishes new selection criteria for State Park and Recreation Commission members (Sec. 2).

• Appropriates $120,000 annually to the State Park and Recreation Commission to be taken from the State Parks and Recreation Fund in order to perform their authorized duties (Sec. 3).

• Requires the department to develop a long-term sustainable park funding strategy, to include a revenue generation program that assigns revenue targets to each district by October 1, 2012 (Sec. 6).

• Requires incremental revenue generated by the revenue generation program to be deposited into the State Parks and Recreation Fund (Sec. 6).

• Requires the park districts to report the use of funds generated by the revenue generation program and to provide this information on the department’s website (Sec. 6).

• Appropriates $10 million from the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality, and the Water Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006 to be available for capital outlay projects until June 30, 2015 (Sec. 5).

• Requires the State Park and Recreation Department to do the following prior to spending any part of the $10 million Bond Act appropriation (Sec. 5):
• Obtain approval from the State Public Works’ Board; and
• Provide a 30 day notice to the Joint Legislature Budget Committee and State Department of Finance.

• Establishes the California State Enterprise Fund as a working capital fund into which revenues in excess of the revenue targets, including funds received through private contributions (Sec. 6).

• Specifies that the revenue from the California State Enterprise Fund should be available to the department upon appropriation by the legislature until June 30, 2014 and for liquidation until June 30, 2016 for the following purposes: (Sec. 6)
• 50 percent of the total excess funds will go to the districts that exceeded their revenue targets;
• 50 percent of the deposited funds will go to the restoration of the park system, implementation of the Department’s revenue generation program, and creation of a revolving loan program.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that appropriates funds to the State Park and Recreation Department for fiscal years 2012-2013 and 2013-2014.

Highlights:

• Appropriates $20.5 million to the Department from the State Parks and Recreation Fund to be used as follows (Sec. 4):
• $10 million for parks that are at risk of closure during the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 fiscal years;
• $10 million to match donor contributions made for the 2012-2013 fiscal year received as of July 31, 2013 and for public donation agreements made in the 2013-2014 fiscal year; and
• $500,000 for ongoing audits and investigations.

• Requires matching funds to be used for the park units specified in the original donor contribution agreements (Sec. 4).

• Prohibits the State Park and Recreation Department from closing or proposing to close any state park during fiscal years 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 (Sec. 4).

• Establishes new selection criteria for State Park and Recreation Commission members (Sec. 2).

• Appropriates $120,000 annually to the State Park and Recreation Commission to be taken from the State Parks and Recreation Fund in order to perform their authorized duties (Sec. 3).

• Requires the department to develop a long-term sustainable park funding strategy, to include a revenue generation program that assigns revenue targets to each district by October 1, 2012 (Sec. 6).

• Requires incremental revenue generated by the revenue generation program to be deposited into the State Parks and Recreation Fund (Sec. 6).

• Requires the park districts to report the use of funds generated by the revenue generation program and to provide this information on the department’s website (Sec. 6).

• Appropriates $10 million from the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality, and the Water Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006 to be available for capital outlay projects until June 30, 2015 (Sec. 5).

• Requires the State Park and Recreation Department to do the following prior to spending any part of the $10 million Bond Act appropriation (Sec. 5):
• Obtain approval from the State Public Works’ Board; and
• Provide a 30 day notice to the Joint Legislature Budget Committee and State Department of Finance.

• Establishes the California State Enterprise Fund as a working capital fund into which revenues in excess of the revenue targets, including funds received through private contributions (Sec. 6).

• Specifies that the revenue from the California State Enterprise Fund should be available to the department upon appropriation by the legislature until June 30, 2014 and for liquidation until June 30, 2016 for the following purposes: (Sec. 6)
• 50 percent of the total excess funds will go to the districts that exceeded their revenue targets;
• 50 percent of the deposited funds will go to the restoration of the park system, implementation of the Department’s revenue generation program, and creation of a revolving loan program.

Full Bill Text