California Assembly Bill AB1555

California 2017-2018 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/17/17
• Failed: 2/1/18

Caption

State Lands Commission.

Impact

The proposed amendments are largely nonsubstantive, focusing on ensuring clarity in the transfer of authority to the State Lands Commission. By clarifying the commission's role, the bill seeks to streamline state land management processes, which may improve operational efficiency within the Natural Resources Agency. This could potentially enhance the management of state lands, ensuring that responsibilities are clearly defined and enabling better governance of land use and resources. However, because the changes are primarily administrative, the bill is not expected to have significant fiscal implications or initiate any new programs.

Summary

Assembly Bill 1555, introduced by Assembly Member Baker on February 17, 2017, seeks to amend Section 6102 of the Public Resources Code, which governs the State Lands Commission in California. The bill states that the State Lands Commission is the successor to the Department of Finance and other entities previously responsible for state land management. It aims to affirm the commission's authority and jurisdiction regarding the oversight of state lands, thereby consolidating the management responsibilities that were historically held by different state offices.

Contention

While AB 1555 appears to be straightforward in its intent, it may come into contention depending on the perspectives of various stakeholders involved in land use and resource management. Some advocates for local land control may view the consolidation of authority as a potential threat to local governance and concerns regarding how land use decisions may be made at the state level without adequate input from local communities. Nonetheless, since the bill does not propose substantive changes to existing rights or practices, significant opposition has not been noted.