Bill Text: CA SB700 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Natural resources: parks: carryout bags.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-03 - Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [SB700 Detail]

Download: California-2013-SB700-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: SB 700	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 15, 2013
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 2, 2013

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Wolk
   (Principal coauthor: Senator Evans)

                        FEBRUARY 22, 2013

   An act to add Chapter 1.21 (commencing with Section 5081) to
Division 5 of, and to add Chapter 5.2 (commencing with Section 42280)
to Part 3 of Division 30 of, the Public Resources Code, relating to
natural resources.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 700, as amended, Wolk. Natural resources: parks: carryout bags.

   (1) Existing law requires an operator of a store, as defined, to
establish an at-store recycling program that provides to customers
the opportunity to return clean plastic carryout bags to that store.
This requirement is repealed on January 1, 2013. Existing law
prohibits a city, county, or other local public agency from taking
specified regulatory actions with regard to the recycling of plastic
carryout bags. Existing law provides for the enforcement of those
provisions by local agencies and by the state and requires the civil
penalties collected by the state to be expended by the Attorney
General, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to implement these
requirements.
   This bill would require a retail establishment, as defined, to
collect a charge of $0.05 for each single-use carryout bag provided
to a customer. The bill would require the retail establishment to
retain $0.005 of that charge and would allow a retail establishment
to retain an additional $0.005 if the retail establishment credits
the consumer no less than $0.05 for each carryout bag provided by the
consumer for packaging his or her purchases, and meets other
requirements.
   The bill would require the retail establishment to remit the
collected charges to the State Board of Equalization, which would be
required to collect the charges pursuant to the Fee Collection
Procedures Law. Since certain violations of that law are a crime, the
bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
    The bill would allow the governing body of a city or county to
adopt an ordinance that provides that the charge does not apply in
that city or county.
   The bill would require the collected charges to be deposited in
the Local Environmental Enhancement Fund, which this bill would
create in the State Treasury. The bill would provide that the money
deposited in the fund is available for expenditure by the Natural
Resources Agency, upon appropriation by the Legislature. The bill
would require the agency, after retaining no more than 5% of the
moneys for the implementation of the bill, to allocate the remaining
revenues in the fund to issue grants to a city or county for local
parks and for local programs aimed at reducing and cleaning up
litter. The bill would allow a city or county to apply for grants up
to an amount that does not exceed the total amount of revenues
generated by the city or county in which the park or program is
located, except as specified with regard to administrative costs.
 The bill would require cities and counties eligible to receive
grants from the Natural Resources Agency to develop, through a public
process, criteria for determining eligibility to receive  
and for awarding local grants. The bill would require the Natural
Resources Agency to annually post on a publicly accessible Internet
Web site a list of cities and counties receiving funding and the
amounts received, and would require the cities and counties receiving
grant funding to annually post on a publicly accessible Internet Web
site a list of the projects receiving local grants and the amounts
received. The bill would require the Bureau of State Audits and
Evaluations to review the Natural Resources Agency grants to the
cities and counties and the local grant programs administered by the
cities and counties. 
   This bill would constitute a change in state statute that would
result in a taxpayer paying a higher tax within the meaning of
Section 3 of Article XIII A of the California Constitution, and thus
would require for passage the approval of 2/3 of the membership of
each house of the Legislature.
   (2) 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 
    This  bill would provide that no reimbursement is
required by this act for a specified reason.
   Vote: 2/3. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


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

  SECTION 1.  Chapter 1.21 (commencing with Section 5081) is added to
Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, to read:
      CHAPTER 1.21.  LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ENHANCEMENT ACT


   5081.  There is hereby established the Local Environmental
Enhancement Fund in the State Treasury. All moneys deposited in the
fund are available for expenditure by the Natural Resources Agency,
upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of this
chapter. After retaining no more than 5 percent of the moneys
annually deposited in the Local Environmental Enhancement Fund for
the implementation of this chapter, the Natural Resources Agency
shall allocate the remaining revenues in the fund to issue grants to
cities and counties for local parks and for local programs aimed at
reducing and cleaning up  litter, which shall include
  litter. A city or county receiving funds pursuant to
this chapter shall provide local  grants  to eligible
applicants consistent with these goals  for any of the following
purposes:
   (a)  (1)    Operating and maintenance costs 
at local parks  , including  , but not limited to, 
repair costs, for facilities, visitor centers, restrooms, campsites,
and ranger stations  , with priority for the expenditure of
the grant by private nonprofit organizations that have taken over
operations of a state park  . 
   (2) (A) Local state parks operated by nonprofit organizations or
public-private nonprofit organization partnerships shall receive
priority in receiving grants funds pursuant to this chapter. 

   (B) For the purposes of this paragraph, "private nonprofit
organization" is an organization that is exempt from taxation
pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 
   (b)  Acquisitions,   (1)   
 Property acquisitions,  with priority for  local 
parks in disadvantaged communities with few park resources. 
   (2) Property acquisition from a willing seller made pursuant to
paragraph (1) shall not be at a price exceeding the fair market value
as determined by an independent and impartial appraisal meeting all
of the following requirements:  
   (A) The appraisal meets all applicable requirements of state and
local laws and policies and shall conform with the Uniformed
Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.  
   (B) The appraisal does not involve a fee based upon a percentage
of the property's appraised value.  
   (C) The appraiser performing the appraisal does not have a
financial interest in the property being appraised, including, but
not limited to, being the seller or donor, a party to the seller's
acquisition of the property, or employed by, or related to, the
seller, donor, or a party to the seller's acquisition.  
   (D) The appraiser selected by the acquisition agency or project
partner that contracts for the appraisal is qualified to appraise the
specific property based upon verifiable education, experience, and
knowledge of appropriate methodologies, techniques, and the real
estate market relevant to the specific property and any significant
property-specific specialty interest, if applicable.  
   (3) The landowner may contribute to the costs of the appraisal,
but shall not be named as a coclient of the appraiser or firm
preparing the appraisal.  
   (4) A property acquisition shall not be approved without an
assessment of the ability to fund ongoing operations and maintenance
costs for the property. 
   (c) Expansion of access to  local  parks and
recreation-related programming, including public outreach and
education, improved transportation access, safety, and security.
   (d) Local park improvement or rehabilitation projects that enhance
the overall condition or recreational experience of a park unit.
   (e) Protecting and restoring  local  park cultural and
historical resources.
   (f) Expansion and improvements of nonmotorized trail systems and
networks for commuter and recreational benefits.
   (g)  Litter   Local   litter 
abatement and cleanup programs, including beach cleanup programs.
   5082.  (a) A  local  grant shall not be issued pursuant
to this chapter if the park or program is located within a
jurisdiction that has adopted an ordinance pursuant to Section 42285.

   (b) (1) A city or county may apply for a grant pursuant to Section
5081 in an amount that does not exceed the total amount of revenues
generated by retail establishments located in that city or county
pursuant to Chapter 5.2 (commencing with Section 42280) of Part 3 of
Division 30, less the administrative costs authorized by this chapter
and subdivision (d) of Section 42282.
   (2) In those cases in which a city or county shares open-space,
recreation, and park-related responsibilities with a special
district, or the city's or county's open-space, recreation, and
park-related responsibilities are provided by a special district,
including a regional park district, the city or county may, and is
encouraged to,  establish a   place a high
priority in its local  grant program to allocate
  allocating  funding to any project that addresses
the most pressing open-space, recreation, and park-related needs of
that jurisdiction or the population it serves.
   (c) The  department   Natural Resources
Agency  shall approve an application for a grant  to a city
or county  if the grant complies with the requirements of
Section 5081. 
   (d) A city or county eligible to receive grants from the Natural
Resources Agency pursuant to Section 5081 shall develop, through a
public process with the opportunity for public input, criteria for
determining eligibility to receive and for awarding the local grants.
 
   (e) To promote transparency, the Natural Resources Agency shall
annually post on its publicly accessible Internet Web site a list of
the cities and counties receiving funds pursuant to this chapter and
the amount received. The cities and counties shall also annually post
on their publicly accessible Internet Web sites a list of projects
receiving local grants and the amounts received.  
   (f) The Bureau of State Audits and Evaluation shall review the
Natural Resources Agency's grants to cities and counties and the
local grant programs administered by the cities and counties. 
  SEC. 2.  Chapter 5.2 (commencing with Section 42280) is added to
Part 3 of Division 30 of the Public Resources Code, to read:
      CHAPTER 5.2.  SINGLE-USE CARRYOUT BAGS


   42280.  For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms
shall apply:
   (a) "Retail establishment" means a retail establishment that sells
food for consumption on or off the premises or that is issued a Type
20 or Type 21 license by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage
Control.
   (b) "Reusable grocery bag" means a bag made of cloth or other
machine washable fabric that has handles or a durable plastic bag
with handles that is at least 2.25 mils thick, contains at least 20
percent postconsumer recycled material, and is specifically designed
for multiple uses.
   (c) "Single-use carryout bag" means a bag made of plastic, paper,
or other material that is provided by a store to a customer at the
point of sale and that is not a reusable grocery bag.
   42281.  (a) There is hereby imposed on each customer making a
purchase from a retail establishment a charge of five cents ($0.05)
for each single-use carryout bag.
   (b) A customer shall pay the charge specified in subdivision (a)
to the retailer at the time of the purchase.
   (c) A retail establishment shall indicate on the consumer
transaction receipt the number of single-use carryout bags provided
and the total amount of the charge.
   (d) (1) A retail establishment shall retain five mills ($0.005) of
each five-cent ($0.05) charge paid pursuant to subdivision (a).
   (2) A retail establishment may retain an additional five mills
($0.005) of each five-cent ($0.05) charge paid pursuant to
subdivision (a) if the retail establishment does all of the
following:
   (A) Credits the consumer no less than five cents ($0.05) for each
carryout bag provided by a consumer for packaging the consumer's
purchases, regardless of whether that bag is paper, plastic, or
reusable.
   (B) Prominently advertises the credit specified in subparagraph
(A) at each checkout register.
   (C) Reflects the total credit amount on the consumer transaction
receipt.
   (e) Notwithstanding Section 6011 of the Revenue and Taxation Code,
"sales price" shall not include the charge imposed pursuant to this
section.
   42282.  (a) A retail establishment subject to this chapter shall
remit the charges collected pursuant to Section 42281 to the State
Board of Equalization.
   (b) The State Board of Equalization shall collect the charges
pursuant to the Fee Collection Procedures Law (Part 30 (commencing
with Section 55001) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code).
For the purposes of this section, the reference in the Fee Collection
Procedures Law to "feepayer" shall include a consumer or a retail
establishment.
   (c) The State Board of Equalization shall adopt regulations for
the frequency and method for reporting and transmitting the charges
collected pursuant to this section.
   (d) The State Board of Equalization may retain and expend, upon
appropriation by the Legislature, not more than 5 percent of the
charges annually collected pursuant to this chapter for purposes of
administering the fee collection provisions of this chapter.
   42283.  (a) Except as provided in Section 42281, all charges
collected pursuant to this chapter shall be deposited in the Local
Environmental Enhancement Fund, for expenditure pursuant to Chapter
1.21 (commencing with Section 5081) of Division 5.
   (b) The State Board of Equalization shall establish a procedure
for tracking all revenues deposited in the Local Environmental
Enhancement Fund based on the city or county where the retail
establishment is located.
   42284.  (a) This chapter does not preempt or prohibit the
adoption, implementation, or enforcement of any local ordinance,
resolution, regulation, or rule governing single-use carryout bags,
including, but not limited to, the imposition of a charge or fee with
regard to the sale or distribution of single-use carryout bags.
   (b) This chapter does not prohibit the adoption, implementation,
or enforcement of any local ordinance, resolution, regulation, or
rule governing curbside or dropoff recycling programs operated by, or
pursuant to a contract with, a city, county, or other public agency,
including any action relating to fees or charges for these programs.

   (c) This chapter does not affect any contract, franchise, permit,
license, or other arrangement regarding the collection or recycling
of solid waste or household hazardous waste.
   42285.  The governing body of a city or county may adopt an
ordinance that provides that the charge imposed pursuant to this
chapter does not apply in that city or county.
  SEC. 3.  No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.