BILL NUMBER: SB 1434INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Wolk FEBRUARY 21, 2014 An act to add Section 711.1 to the Fish and Game Code, relating to fish and wildlife. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1434, as introduced, Wolk. Funding of fish and wildlife programs. Existing federal law imposes a sales tax on the sale of bows and arrows, ammunition, and certain firearms. Existing federal law, the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, makes certain revenues collected from those taxes available to the states by requiring the Secretary of the Interior to apportion an amount available to each state according to a specified formula. The federal act authorizes a state, through its fish and wildlife department, to submit programs or projects for wildlife restoration and hunter safety education to the Secretary of the Interior for funding of up to 75% of the cost of those programs or projects from the amount apportioned to the state. Existing law establishes the Department of Fish and Wildlife in the Natural Resources Agency, administered through the Director of Fish and Wildlife. Existing law requires the department, with approval of the Fish and Game Commission, to perform acts as may be necessary to the conduct and establishment of cooperative wildlife-restoration projects, in compliance with the federal act and regulations adopted pursuant to the federal act. Under existing law, the Legislature has made findings that the costs of hunting programs shall be provided out of hunting revenues, reimbursements, and federal funds received for hunting programs, and from other funds appropriated by the Legislature for this purpose. The Legislature has also made findings that these revenues, reimbursements, and federal funds shall not be used to support commercial fishing programs, free hunting and fishing license programs, or nongame fish and wildlife programs. This bill would require the department to only apply for grant funds available to the state under the federal act to fund eligible projects that are consistent with the legislative findings described above and that fulfill one or more specified purposes. The bill would require the department to post a brief description of projects funded by moneys received from the federal act on its Internet Web site. The bill would require the department to consult with specified hunting advisory committees regarding any project funded by the federal act. The bill would prohibit any executive action from limiting statutory or other applicable authorizations for which the department receives funding exclusively from non-General Fund sources. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 711.1 is added to the Fish and Game Code, to read: 711.1. (a) The department shall only apply for grant funds available to the state pursuant to the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 669 et seq.) to fund eligible projects under the act that are consistent with the legislative finding expressed in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 711 and that fulfill one or more of the following purposes: (1) Management of the department's wildlife areas or other lands open to the public for hunting, or both. (2) Conservation of game species. (3) Support of the department's hunting-related programs, including hunter education and target shooting. (b) The department shall post a brief description of projects or programs funded by moneys received pursuant to the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act on its Internet Web site. The description shall include information about the budget of each project or program. (c) The department shall consult with the advisory committees established pursuant to Sections 3684 and 3953 regarding any project funded by the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act. (d) No executive action shall limit statutory and other applicable authorizations for which the department receives funding exclusively from non-General Fund sources.