Bill Text: CA AB966 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Enrolled

California Assembly Bill 966

Bill Title: Division of Boating and Waterways: report to the Legislature: shoreline erosion control and public beach programs.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Vetoed) 2024-01-25 - Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file. [AB966 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB966-Enrolled.html

Enrolled September 18, 2023

Passed IN Senate September 12, 2023

Passed IN Assembly September 13, 2023

Amended IN Senate July 05, 2023

Amended IN Assembly March 02, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 966

Introduced by Assembly Member Davies

February 14, 2023

An act to add and repeal Section 67.5 of the Harbors and Navigation Code, relating to shoreline erosion control.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 966, Davies. Division of Boating and Waterways: report to the Legislature: shoreline erosion control and public beach programs.

Existing law establishes the Division of Boating and Waterways within the Department of Parks and Recreation to, among other things, study and monitor beach erosion and means for the stabilization of beaches and shoreline areas.

Existing law generally authorizes the division to cooperate with all relevant agencies of government for purposes of beach erosion control and stabilization of beaches and shoreline areas. Existing law, subject to funding availability, including the division’s management of any federal funds, requires the division to prepare plans for and construct erosion control or stabilization projects as its studies and investigations indicate to be necessary for beach erosion control or stabilization of beaches and shoreline areas, and specifically authorizes several projects.

This bill would require the division to, no later than January 1, 2025, and in cooperation with the State Coastal Conservancy, prepare and submit a joint report to the Legislature on shoreline erosion control and public beach restoration programs, as specified. The bill would require the report, among other things, to detail and discuss existing programs, evaluate the need for continued projects and program application requirements, and identify the beaches of the state that contain a critically eroded shoreline, as this bill would require the division to define the term.

This bill would repeal its provisions on January 1, 2026.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 67.5 is added to the Harbors and Navigation Code, to read:

67.5.

(a) The division shall, in cooperation with the State Coastal Conservancy and pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code, prepare and submit a joint report to the Legislature no later than January 1, 2025, on shoreline erosion control and public beach restoration programs that does all of the following:

(1) Details the restoration, nourishment, and enhancement activities undertaken through these programs.

(2) Discusses and evaluates the need for continued shoreline erosion and public beach restoration projects.

(3) Reports on the effectiveness of these programs in addressing that need.

(4) Discusses ways to increase natural sediment supply in order to decrease the need to nourish the state’s beaches, including, but not limited to, an analysis of specific locations where structures may be removed or modified.

(5) Evaluates if application requirements for the programs need to be altered to allow for more applicants.

(6) Identifies the beaches of the state that contain a critically eroded shoreline.

(b) For the purposes of this section, the division shall adopt a definition for “critically eroded shoreline” and include that definition in the report to the Legislature pursuant to subdivision (a).