California Assembly Bill AB290 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 290INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Bigelow FEBRUARY 11, 2015 An act to amend Section 3953 of the Fish and Game Code, relating to mammals. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 290, as introduced, Bigelow. Game mammals: Big Game Management Account. Existing law establishes the Big Game Management Account within the Fish and Game Preservation Fund. Existing law requires revenue from the sale of antelope, elk, deer, wild pig, bear, and sheep tags, be deposited in the Big Game Management Account, except as provided. Existing law requires funds deposited in the Big Game Management Account be expended solely for specified purposes and pursuant to specified limitations. Existing law requires an advisory committee, which includes interested nonprofit organizations that, among other requirements, have goals and objectives directly related to the management and conservation of big game species, review and provide comments to the department on all proposed projects funded from the Big Game Management Account. This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to these provisions. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 3953 of the Fish and Game Code is amended to read: 3953. (a) The Big Game Management Account is hereby established within the Fish and Game Preservation Fund. (b) Except as provided in Section 709, all revenues from the sale of antelope, elk, deer, wild pig, bear, and sheep tags, including any fundraising tags, shall be deposited in the Big Game Management Account to permit separate accountability for the receipt and expenditure of these funds. Within 30 days of the date of the sale, the selling nonprofit organization shall send the department 95 percent of the total auction sale price of the tag, with an itemized receipt showing the sale price and the 5-percent reduction retained by the nonprofit organization as a vendor's fee. (c) Funds deposited in the Big Game Management Account shall be available for expenditure upon appropriation by the Legislature to the department. These funds shall be expended solely for the purposes set forth in this section and Sections 3951 and 3952, and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 450) of Division 1, Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 4650), and Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 4900), including acquiring land, completing projects, and implementing programs to benefit antelope, elk, deer, wild pigs, bear, and sheep, and expanding public hunting opportunities and related public outreach. Any land acquired with funds from the Big Game Management Account shall be acquired in fee title or protected with a conservation easement and, to the extent possible, be open or provide access to the public for antelope, elk, deer, wild pig, bear, or sheep hunting. The department may also use funds from the Big Game Management Account to pay for administrative and enforcement costs of the programs and activities described in this section. The amount allocated from the account for administrative costs shall be limited to the reasonable costs associated with administration of the programs and activities described in this section. (d) The department may make  grants   a grant  to, reimburse, or enter into  contracts   a contract  or other  agreements   agreement  , as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 1571, with  nonprofit organizations   a nonprofit organization  for the use of the funds from the Big Game Management Account to carry out the purposes of this section, including related habitat conservation projects. (e) An advisory committee, as determined by the department, that includes interested nonprofit organizations that have goals and objectives directly related to the management and conservation of big game species and primarily represent the interests of persons licensed pursuant to Section 3031 shall review and provide comments to the department on all proposed projects funded from the Big Game Management Account to help ensure that the requirements of this section  have been   are  met. The department shall post budget information and a brief description on an Internet Web site for all projects funded from the Big Game Management Account. (f)  Big   A big  game  projects   project  authorized pursuant to this section  are   is  not subject to Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code or Article 6 (commencing with Section 999) of Chapter 6 of Division 4 of the Military and Veterans Code. (g) The department shall maintain the internal accountability necessary to ensure compliance with the collection, deposit, and expenditure of funds specified in this section.