California Assembly Bill AB2185 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2185AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 18, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Gonzalez FEBRUARY 18, 2016 An act to  amend Section 14400 of   add Sections 31124 and 31125 to  the Public Resources Code, relating to  conservation.   coastal resources  .  LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2185, as amended, Gonzalez.  California Conservation Corps: nonresidential programs.   State Coastal Conservancy: low-cost   accommodations.   Existing law establishes the State Coastal Conservancy with prescribed powers and responsibilities for implementing and administering various programs intended to preserve, protect, and restore the state's coastal areas.   This bill would require the conservancy to develop, subject to the availability of funding, a program to assist, by loan or grant, private low-cost coastal accommodations to meet their operation and maintenance needs in exchange for an easement or other legally binding instrument that protects the public benefit of the facility continuing to provide low-cost coastal accommodations. This bill would create the Low-Cost Accommodations Program Account in the State Coastal Conservancy Fund and provide that moneys in the fund are available upon appropriation by the Legislature to fund this program.   This bill would require the conservancy, in consultation with the California Coastal Commission, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and other relevant coastal public landholders, to develop a document containing a list of potential low-cost accommodations projects in each region of the coast and information on grant or loan programs. This bill would require the conservancy to provide the document to the commission and would require the commission to provide the document to local governments with local coastal programs. This bill would require the commission to refer to the list of potential low-cost accommodations projects, as prescribed.   Existing law establishes the California Conservation Corps in the Resources Agency with the mission to, among other things, increase awareness of our natural resources, including instilling basic skills and a healthy work ethic in California youth, building their character, self-esteem, and self-discipline, and establishing within them a strong sense of civic responsibility and an understanding of the value of a day's work for a day's wages. Existing law requires the corps to develop nonresidential programs in urban communities, and authorizes it to develop those programs in other than urban communities, that have high concentrations of ethnic-minority youths, high levels of youth unemployment, and a need for conservation work.   This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to these provisions.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Section 31124 is added to the   Public Resources Code   , to read:   31124. (a) The conservancy shall develop, subject to the availability of funding, a program to assist, by loan or grant, private low-cost coastal accommodations to meet their operation and maintenance needs in exchange for an easement or other legally binding instrument that protects the public benefit of the facility continuing to provide low-cost coastal accommodations. (b) The Low-Cost Accommodations Program Account is hereby created in the State Coastal Conservancy Fund. Moneys in the account shall accrue interest and be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to fund the program developed pursuant to this section. The conservancy may accept and deposit in the account funds from public and private sources.   SEC. 2.  Section 31125 is added to the   Public Resources Code   , to read:   31125. (a) The conservancy, in consultation with the commission, the Department of Parks and Recreation, and other relevant coastal public landholders, shall develop a document containing a list of potential low-cost accommodations projects in each region of the coast and information on grant or loan programs. The document shall include, but not be limited to, the following: (1) Specific projects that will increase low-cost accommodations at state parks in the coastal zone consistent with recommendations by the Parks Forward Commission. (2) Information on grant programs at the conservancy that assist public agencies and nonprofits in providing low-cost accommodations in the coastal zone. (3) Information on the program developed pursuant to Section 31124. (b) The conservancy shall provide the document developed pursuant to subdivision (a) to the commission. The commission shall refer to the list of potential low-cost accommodations projects as options for mitigation when considering coastal development permits that impact the availability of low-cost accommodations and when considering how to expend prior commitments of "in-lieu" public access fees. The commission shall provide the document to local governments with local coastal programs.   SECTION 1.   Section 14400 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read: 14400. The corps shall develop nonresidential programs in urban communities, and may develop those programs in other than urban communities, that have high concentrations of ethnic-minority youths, high levels of youth unemployment, and a need for conservation work. Expenditures for programs in other than urban communities shall not exceed 15 percent of total funding for programs under this section.