Bill Text: CA AB2320 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Wildlife Connectivity and Climate Adaptation Act of 2024: wildlife corridors: fish passage.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)
Status: (Engrossed) 2024-07-01 - In committee: Referred to suspense file. [AB2320 Detail]
Download: California-2023-AB2320-Amended.html
Amended
IN
Senate
June 19, 2024 |
Amended
IN
Assembly
May 16, 2024 |
Amended
IN
Assembly
April 24, 2024 |
Amended
IN
Assembly
April 10, 2024 |
Introduced by Assembly Member Irwin (Coauthors: Assembly Members Boerner, Bryan, Friedman, Kalra, and Pellerin) |
February 12, 2024 |
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NOBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Wildlife Connectivity and Climate Adaptation Act of 2024.SEC. 2.
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:SEC. 3.
Section 1301 of the Fish and Game Code is amended to read:1301.
(a) The preservation, protection, and restoration of wildlife within the state is an inseparable part of providing adequate recreation for our people in the interest of public welfare; and it is the policy of the state to acquire and restore to the highest possible level, and maintain in a state of high productivity, those areas that can be most successfully used to sustain wildlife and that will provide adequate and suitable recreation. It is the policy of the state to preserve, protect, and restore wildlife habitats and biodiversity through the acquisition and restoration of large blocks of habitat and natural lands that are connected by wildlife corridors and the infrastructure that supports wildlife corridors. To carry out these purposes, a single and coordinated program for the acquisition of lands and facilities for suitable recreational purposes, and adaptable for conservation, propagation, and utilization of the fish and(b)As used in this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)“Fish passage” means the ability of an anadromous fish to access appropriate habitat at all points in its life cycle, including spawning and rearing.
(2)“Wildlife corridor” means a habitat linkage that joins two or more areas of wildlife habitat, allowing for fish passage or the movement of wildlife from one area to another.
(c)“Acquire” and “acquisition” do not refer to the use of eminent domain for lands identified by the state as having mineral resources used in the construction of infrastructure that is funded in whole or in part by any government entity.
SEC. 4.
Section 1346.5 is added to the Fish and Game Code, to read:1346.5.
(a) The board shall identify priority projects for the acquisition, development, rehabilitation, restoration, protection, and expansion of wildlife corridors and open space, including projects to improve connectivity and reduce barriers between habitat areas. The board may give priority to projects that protect wildlife corridors, including wildlife corridors threatened by urban development. Such projects may include construction, repair, modification, or removal of transportation or water resources infrastructure to improve wildlife or fish passage.(b)As used in this section, “wildlife corridor” means a habitat linkage that joins two or more areas of wildlife habitat, allowing for fish passage or the movement of wildlife from one area to
another.
SEC. 5.
Section 1930.2 of the Fish and Game Code is amended to read:1930.2.
For purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:(a)
(b)