Bill Text: CA AB2346 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Outdoor recreation: Outdoors for All Program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-05-19 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB2346 Detail]
Download: California-2021-AB2346-Amended.html
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Amended
IN
Assembly
April 19, 2022 |
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Amended
IN
Assembly
March 17, 2022 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2346
| Introduced by Assembly Member Gabriel (Coauthor: Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia) |
February 16, 2022 |
An act to add Chapter 1.26.5 (commencing with Section 5090.90) to Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, relating to outdoor recreation.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2346, as amended, Gabriel.
Outdoor recreation: Equitable Access Grant Outdoors for All Program.
Existing law establishes the Natural Resources Agency, which consists of various departments, including the Department of Parks and Recreation. Existing law requires the Director of Parks and Recreation to establish the Outdoor Equity Grants Program to increase the ability of underserved and at-risk populations to participate in outdoor environmental educational experiences at state parks and other public lands where outdoor environmental education programs take place.
This bill would require establish in the Natural Resources Agency to develop the Equitable Access Grants Program to provide financial and technical assistance to local governments and nonprofit organizations to implement community access projects, as defined, that improve the use, equitable admittance, and engagement with the public in stewardship of outdoor recreation areas or facilities
located within the state. the Outdoors for All Program to support access to natural or cultural resources for at-risk youth, outdoor environmental educational experiences for underserved and at-risk populations, and equitable access to parks and outdoor spaces for all Californians. This program would encompass the existing Outdoor Equity Grants Program and Youth Community Access Program, as well as the Californians Outside Program, established by this bill, to provide grants to an eligible entity, as defined, for projects that provide transportation to outdoor spaces, outdoor-related recreation, outdoor physical activity programming, outdoor education, natural resources workforce development, and communications related to water, parks, climate, coastal protection, and other outdoor pursuits.
The bill would establish the Equitable
Outdoor Access for All Fund in the State Treasury, to be administered by the agency. The bill would authorize require moneys in the fund to be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of implementing the Equitable Access Grants Outdoors for All Program, including administrative costs. costs, to support the Californians Outside Program and, after the exhaustion of any moneys appropriated by the Legislature,
the Outdoor Equity Grants Program.
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.
The Legislature finds and declares that access to public lands is not equitable for all Californians, especially in underserved areas. A lack of transportation options, safe and Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible entry, community-specific programming, and interpretation and multilingual translation services all serve as common and real barriers preventing residents from taking advantage of the benefits of parks and open spaces.SECTION 1.SEC. 2.
Chapter 1.26.5 (commencing with Section 5090.90) is added to Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, to read:
CHAPTER
1.26.5. Equitable Access Grant Outdoors for All Program
5090.90.
It is the intent of the Legislature that this chapter do all of the following:(a)Improve outdoor recreation areas and facilities located within the state, including, but not limited to, parklands, natural and cultural resources, working lands, and open space, by enhancing the appeal, appreciation, enjoyment, or general use of those outdoor recreation areas and facilities.
(b)Increase the stewardship, mission fulfilment, relevancy, and long-term needs of outdoor recreation areas and facilities located within the state.
(c)Maximize admittance, especially for
low-income communities, to outdoor recreation areas and facilities located within the state.
(a) Improve natural resources, working lands, open space, cultural resources, and other areas and facilities, by enhancing the appeal, appreciation, enjoyment, or general use of properties and facilities to increase stewardship, mission fulfilment, and relevancy, and to ensure that properties and facilities are meeting the long-term needs of California.
(b) Create an overarching program under the agency to house, support, and expand community access and ensure that these resources serve all Californians.
(c) Establish a new grant program within the agency to operate alongside the Outdoor Equity Grant Program and the Youth Community Access Program to support projects that provide resources for transportation to outdoor spaces, outdoor-related recreation, outdoor physical activity programming, outdoor education, natural resources workforce development, and communications related to water, parks, climate, coastal protection, and other outdoor pursuits.
5090.91.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:(a) “Agency” means the Natural Resources Agency.
(b) “Community access project” access” means engagement programs, technical assistance, or facilities that maximize the safe and equitable admittance, especially for low-income communities, to outdoor recreation areas and facilities, including, but not limited to,
natural or cultural resources, community education, and other recreational amenities.
(c)“Local government” means a special district, city, county, city and county, or California Native
American tribe, as defined in Section 21073, or any division thereof.
(d)“Outdoor recreation areas and facilities” includes, but is not limited, to, municipal, county, regional, or state parks, cultural preserves, natural preserves, beaches, wilderness areas, historic monuments, marine resources, recreation areas, natural reserves, open space, and green space.
(c) “Eligible entity” includes, but is not limited to, a nonprofit organization, special district, joint powers authority, state conservancy, local agency, or tribal government that is eligible to apply for and receive funding pursuant to the program guidelines.
(e)
(d) “Program” means the Equitable Access Grant Outdoors for All Program established by Section 5090.92.
(a)The Equitable Access Grant
5090.92.
(a) (1) The Outdoors for All Program is hereby established(2) The program shall consist of all of the following:
(A) The Outdoor Equity Grants Program.
(B) The Youth Community Access Program.
(C) The Californians Outside Program, which is hereby established and shall be administered by the agency to provide grants to an eligible entity for projects that provide transportation to outdoor spaces, outdoor-related recreation, outdoor physical activity programming, outdoor education, natural resources workforce development, and communications related to water, parks, climate, coastal protection, and other
outdoor pursuits.
(3) The program shall serve to fulfill three primary priorities related to community access, improved use, and increased public stewardship of eligible state facilities. The program shall support access to natural or cultural resources for at-risk youth, outdoor environmental educational experiences for underserved and at-risk populations, and equitable access to parks and outdoor spaces for all Californians.
(b) (1) Before awarding funds under the program, the council agency shall develop guidelines and selection criteria for the implementation of the program.
(2)
Before adopting guidelines and selection criteria, the agency shall develop draft guidelines and selection criteria and conduct public outreach to receive and review public comment from, including, but not limited to, all of the following groups:
(A) Low-income communities.
(B) Conservation and local park advocates.
(C) Environmental justice organizations.
(c) The guidelines and selection criteria shall prioritize projects or programs that do any of following:
(1) Offer resources over multiple years to maximize the amount of individuals who benefit from the project or program.
(2) Include one or more of any of the following elements:
(A) Transportation.
(B) Physical activity programming.
(C) Resource interpretation.
(D) Multilingual translation.
(E) Natural science.
(F) Workforce development and career pathways.
(G) Education.
(H) Communication related to water, parks, climate, coastal protection, and other outdoor
pursuits.
(3) Are led by local governments or nonprofit organizations that have a history of success running programs and projects that serve schools or disadvantaged communities, or provide for youth, senior, or veteran leadership opportunities.
an eligible entity with demonstrated past success in running programs and projects that serve schools or disadvantaged communities, or provided for youth, senior, or veteran leadership opportunities.
5090.93.
(a) The(b) Money may be deposited into the fund from gifts, donations, funds appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of this article, the federal government, chapter, or from federal grants or other sources.
