Bill Text: CA SB592 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Fish and wildlife: working group: catastrophic wildfires: reports.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2022-02-01 - Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [SB592 Detail]
Download: California-2021-SB592-Amended.html
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Amended
IN
Senate
April 20, 2021 |
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Amended
IN
Senate
March 09, 2021 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 592
| Introduced by Senator Dahle |
February 18, 2021 |
An act to add Section 702.2 to the Fish and Game Code, relating to fish and wildlife.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 592, as amended, Dahle.
Fish and wildlife: working group: catastrophic wildfires: reports.
Existing law establishes the Department of Fish and Wildlife, which is administered through the Director of Fish and Wildlife, and prescribes the functions and responsibilities of the department with regard to the implementation, administration, and enforcement of laws regulating fish and wildlife in the state. Existing law also establishes the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, which is under the control of the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection, and requires the department to implement and administer various fire prevention and suppression programs on lands under the jurisdiction of the department.
This bill would require the Director of Fish and Wildlife to establish a working group, composed of the director or the director’s representative, the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection or their representative, and a county
government representative from each county impacted by any catastrophic wildfire being studied by the workgroup, as described below. The bill would require the working group to study, investigate, and report, on or before December 31, 2022, and by December 31 each year thereafter, to the Legislature on the impacts on wildlife and wildlife habitat resulting from any catastrophic wildfire, as defined, that occurred during that calendar year, including specified information on a catastrophic wildfire’s impact on ecosystems, biodiversity, and protected species in the state. state, and would require, to the extent feasible, the department to obtain and keep current baseline data suitable for interpreting that impact. By requiring county government representatives to participate in the working group, this bill would impose a
state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 702.2 is added to the Fish and Game Code, to read:702.2.
(a) (1) The director shall establish a working group with the primary purpose of performing comprehensive planning and protecting wildlife and wildlife habitat from wildfires.(2) The working group shall be composed of all of the following persons:
(A) The director or the director’s representative.
(B) The Director of Forestry and Fire Protection or their representative.
(C) A county government representative from each county impacted by any catastrophic wildfire
being studied pursuant to subdivision (b).
(b) (1) The working group established pursuant to subdivision (a) shall study, investigate, and report, on or before December 31, 2022, and by December 31 each year thereafter, to the Legislature on the impacts on wildlife and wildlife habitat resulting from any catastrophic wildfire that occurred during that calendar year, including all of the following information:
(A) The catastrophic wildfire’s impact on ecosystems and habitat that support wildlife native to California.
(B) The catastrophic wildfire’s impact on biodiversity in the state, including, but not limited to, areas of conservation emphasis as defined in Section 1851.
(C) The catastrophic wildfire’s impact on any species protected under Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 2050) of Division 3, including any endangered species, threatened species, or candidate species.
(2) The department shall, to the extent feasible, obtain and keep current baseline data suitable for interpreting the impact of a catastrophic wildfire on the state’s biodiversity and the three areas of emphasis specified in subparagraphs (A) to (C), inclusive, of paragraph (1).
(2)
(3) A report submitted pursuant to this section shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(c) For purposes of this section, a “catastrophic wildfire” means a wildfire that has burned 10,000 acres or more of land in the state.
