Bill Text: CA AB1729 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Local government: agricultural land: subvention payments.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-24 - Re-referred to Com. on APPR. [AB1729 Detail]

Download: California-2013-AB1729-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 1729	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 20, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Logue

                        FEBRUARY 14, 2014

    An act to amend Section 51240 of the Government Code,
relating to local government.   An act to amend Section
16148 of the Government Code, relating to local government, and
making an appropriation therefor. 


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1729, as amended, Logue.  Local government:
agricultural land.   Local government: agricultural
land: subvention payments.  
   The Williamson Act authorizes a city or county to enter into
10-year contracts with owners of land devoted to agricultural use,
whereby the owners agree to continue using the property for that
purpose, and the city or county agrees to value the land accordingly
for purposes of property taxation. Other existing law sets forth
procedures for payments to reimburse cities and counties for property
tax revenues not received as a result of these contracts.  

   This bill would appropriate $40,000,000 to the Controller from the
General Fund for the 2014-15 fiscal year to make subvention payments
to counties to reimburse counties for property tax revenues not
received as a result of these contracts. The bill would make
legislative findings and declarations related to the preservation of
agricultural land.  
   Existing law establishes the California Land Conservation Act of
1965, otherwise known as the Williamson Act, for purposes of
preserving agricultural land within the state. Existing law
authorizes a city or a county, for this purpose, to contract with a
landowner to limit the use of agricultural land located in an
agricultural preserve designated by the city or county. 

   This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to the
authorization provisions. 
   Vote:  majority   2/3  . Appropriation:
 no   yes  . Fiscal committee:  no
  yes  . State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    The Legislature finds and declares all
of the following:  
   (a) The preservation of our limited supply of agricultural land
helps to protect the state's economic resources, not only for the
maintenance of the agricultural economy of the state, but also for
the assurance of the adequate, healthful, and nutritious food for
future residents of this state and nation.  
   (b) The discouragement of premature and unnecessary conversion of
agricultural land to urban uses is a matter of public interest and
benefits to urban residents because it discourages noncontiguous
urban development patterns that increase the cost of community
services and vehicle miles traveled.  
   (c) The preservation of agricultural lands as open space is also a
public benefit, and the agricultural production on such lands
constitutes an important physical, social, aesthetic, and economic
asset to existing future residents of the state.  
   (d) The preservation of agricultural land within scenic highway
corridors and wildlife habitat areas is also of great value to the
state because of its scenic beauty and as habitat for wildlife that
contributes to biological diversity.  
   (e) Recent research found that an acre of urban land emits 70
times more greenhouse gas emissions than an acre of irrigated
cropland. The Williamson Act helps to keep farmland and open space
from converting to urban use.  
   (f) The open-space subvention program is crucial not only to
counties' continued participation in the program, but also to the
state's continued role in overseeing California's most important land
conservation program. 
   SEC. 2.    Section 16148 of the   Government
Code   is amended to read: 
   16148.   Zero dollars ($0)   Forty million
dollars ($40,000,000)  is appropriated for the  2010-11
 2014-15  fiscal year from the General Fund to the
Controller to make subvention payments to counties pursuant to
Section 16140 in proportion to the losses incurred by those counties
by reason of the reduction of assessed property taxes. 
  SECTION 1.    Section 51240 of the Government Code
is amended to read:
   51240.  A city or county may by contract limit the use of
agricultural land to preserve the land pursuant to the conditions set
forth in the contract and in this chapter. A contract may provide
for restrictions, terms, and conditions, including payments and fees,
more restrictive than or in addition to those required by this
chapter.