In a strong showing of bipartisan strength, on Wednesday members of the State Assembly voted in unanimous support of legislation authored by Assemblymember Jared Huffman that would help rescue California state parks from financial paralysis and prevent park closures.
“I’m proud to be joined by my colleagues from both parties in this effort to preserve our state parks,” said Huffman, D-San Rafael. “This bill gives the state additional tools it needs to help keep state parks open and provide for more sustainable management of parks in the future.”
Assembly Bill 1589, also known as the California State Parks Stewardship Act of 2012, proposes both long and short-term strategies for keeping open many of the state parks slated for closure as a result of funding reductions to the Department of Parks and Recreation.
The bill calls on the Department of Parks & Recreation to develop a prioritized action plan to increase revenues and collection of unpaid user fees at state parks, while maintaining the character and values of the state park system.
It also creates a State Park Enterprise Fund and states legislative intent regarding the need for a multi-disciplinary independent assessment of ways to ensure long-term management and sustainable funding options for state parks.
Additionally, it includes provisions that authorize the Department of Motor Vehicles to offer special fee-based state park license plates to support the park system and allow taxpayers to redirect portions of their tax refunds to the California State Parks Protection Fund in exchange for an annual state park day-use access pass.
“AB 1589 will end closures and make the State Parks system more self-sufficient, with a net long-term savings to the state’s general fund,” said Assemblymember Wesley Chesbro, D-North Coast, a joint author of the bill. “This legislation is also an investment in our state’s economy. Small communities throughout rural California depend on State Parks to sustain small businesses and provide jobs.”
AB 1589 also revises the factors the Department of Parks and Recreation considers when selecting state parks for future closure, requiring the Department to publicly disclose its methodology and rationale when evaluating them, and requires that park closures be considered only as a last resort after other options, including public/private partnerships, have been explored.
AB 1589 is also jointly authored by Assemblymembers Kevin Jeffries, Roger Dickinson and Mike Gatto, and coauthored by 16 other Democratic and Republican members.
The bill proceeds to the Senate for further consideration.