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Bay-Delta Stamp Legislation Stalls in State Senate

 

by John Beuttler, CSPA Conservation Director

June 25, 2009 -- Legislation that would significantly amend the Bay-Delta Sportfishing Enhancement Stamp ran into opposition amendments from the staff to the Senate Natural Resources Committee resulting in the bill being laid over until the next meeting of the committee. The bill, AB 1052, authored by Assembly member Caballero addresses the problems that have resulted in only $2 million of the $9 million raised by the stamp being spent to help restore the estuary’s fisheries.
 
In 2003 a number of angling groups supported the establishment of the stamp to help fund the Department of Fish and Game's efforts to restore the serious declines of the estuary's fisheries. Shortly after this bill went into effect, the department encountered serious budget cuts and associated problems. A report by the State Auditor found DFG had covered their deficit spending by borrowing some $14 million from accounts dedicated for other conservation purposes by the legislature. The Stamp Fund was one of those accounts and it was eventually made whole by the department.
 
After three years of a very difficult working relationship that included the departments inability to obtain the authority from the Department of Finance to spend most of the money in the fund, another audit revealed a number of expenditures inappropriately charged to the stamp account without the knowledge of the advisory committee.
 
AB 1052 attempts to address these and other long standing problems by not renewing the stamp. Instead it would renew the advisory committee and continue its role in working with the department and the legislature to ensure the remaining $7 million stamp fund would be spent to achieve the goal of benefitting the primary sportfisheries of the estuary. Once these funds are exhausted, it would be up to the stamp advisory committee to consider renewing a stamp in concert with the department and the legislature.

The bill is expected to be heard by the Committee during the next two weeks. Should you want to support this legislation, send your letters to the Committee to:
 
Senator Fran Pavley, Chair
Senate Natural Resources & Wildlife Committee
State Capitol, Room 4035
Sacramento, CA 94248-0001
 

Or call Marie Liu with the Committee staff at (916) 651-4116