BILL NUMBER: AB 880CHAPTERED BILL TEXT CHAPTER 527 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 25, 2012 PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 23, 2012 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 29, 2012 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 6, 2012 AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 22, 2012 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 10, 2011 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 25, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Members Nestande and V. Manuel Prez FEBRUARY 17, 2011 An act to add and repeal Section 1587 of the Fish and Game Code, relating to ecological reserves. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 880, Nestande. Ecological reserves: Mirage Trail. Existing law authorizes the Department of Fish and Game, with the approval of the Fish and Game Commission, to, among other things, maintain, use, and administer land suitable for the purpose of establishing ecological reserves. Existing law authorizes the Department of Fish and Game to construct facilities and conduct programs in ecological reserves to provide natural history education and recreation if those facilities and programs are compatible with the protection of the biological resources of the reserve. This bill, until January 1, 2018, would require the Mirage Trail within the Magnesia Spring Ecological Reserve to be open 9 months of the year to recreational hiking, if the commission determines that certain conditions relating to Peninsular bighorn sheep are met. The bill would require the commission to determine seasonal openings and closures of the trail that will not conflict with the use of the area by Peninsular bighorn sheep. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 1587 is added to the Fish and Game Code, to read: 1587. (a) The Mirage Trail within the Magnesia Spring Ecological Reserve shall be open nine months of the year to recreational hiking, if the commission determines that the following conditions are met: (1) Local public agencies or other entities will assume complete financial responsibility for the following as determined to be necessary by the commission: (A) Fencing to dissuade hikers from traversing beyond the trail and into sensitive Peninsular bighorn sheep habitat. (B) Signage and educational materials to educate hikers about Peninsular bighorn sheep. (2) A single entity has been designated to fulfill the financial arrangements and other terms and conditions determined by the commission to be necessary pursuant to paragraph (1). (b) The commission shall determine seasonal openings and closures of the trail that will not conflict with the use of the area by Peninsular bighorn sheep, consistent with subdivision (a). (c) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2018, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2018, deletes or extends that date.