SB 322

  • California Senate Bill
  • 2021-2022 Regular Session
  • Introduced in Senate Feb 05, 2021
  • Senate
  • Assembly
  • Governor

Grazing land: California Conservation Ranching Incentive Program.

Abstract

Existing law establishes the California Farmland Conservancy Program Act, to be administered generally by the Department of Conservation, and provides that it is the intent of the act to, among other things, encourage voluntary, long-term private stewardship of agricultural lands by offering landowners financial incentives, encourage local land use planning for orderly and efficient urban growth and conservation of agricultural land, and encourage improvements to enhance long-term sustainable agricultural uses. The act establishes the California Farmland Conservancy Program Fund and requires, except as provided, moneys in the fund, upon appropriation, to be used for the purposes of the California Farmland Conservancy Program, which include, among other things, the purchase of agricultural conservation easements, fee title acquisition grants, and land improvement and planning grants. This bill would establish the California Conservation Ranching Incentive Program as a separate component of the California Farmland Conservancy Program. The bill would authorize the Director of Conservation to, subject to appropriation, enter into contracts for an initial term of 3 years with nonpublic entities that are owners of record or lessees of productive rangelands, grazing lands, or grasslands that are determined by the director to be important for the conservation of grassland birds, soil health, and biodiversity. The bill would require these contracts to include an agreement by the owner and any lessee to restore, enhance, and protect the grassland habitat character of the land subject to the contract and to require the Department of Conservation to pay a specified amount to the owner or lessee for undertaking conservation obligations under the contract. The bill would create the California Conservation Ranching Incentive Program Account in the California Farmland Conservancy Program Fund and would make funds deposited in the account available for expenditure, upon appropriation, to the department for purposes of the program. The bill would authorize the department to use up to 30% of the funds to provide grants to nonprofit organizations, regional conservancies, or resource conservation districts for specified purposes relating to the program, including assisting owners or lessees with enrollment or implementation of the program or preparation of management plans, as specified.

Bill Sponsors (5)

Votes


Actions


Feb 01, 2022

Senate

Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

May 20, 2021

Senate

May 20 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

May 14, 2021

Senate

Set for hearing May 20.

Mar 22, 2021

Senate

March 22 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.

Mar 17, 2021

Senate

Set for hearing March 22.

Mar 16, 2021

Senate

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0. Page 519.) (March 16). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  • Committee-Passage
  • Committee-Passage-Favorable
  • Referral-Committee
Com. on APPR.

Mar 07, 2021

Senate

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.

  • Amendment-Passage
  • Committee-Passage
  • Reading-1
  • Reading-2
  • Referral-Committee
Com. on N.R. & W.

Feb 23, 2021

Senate

Set for hearing March 16.

Feb 22, 2021

Senate

Art. IV. Sec. 8(a) of the Constitution dispensed with.

Senate

Joint Rule 55 suspended. (Ayes 32. Noes 4. Page 272.)

Senate

(Ayes 32. Noes 4.)

Feb 17, 2021

Senate

Referred to Com. on N.R. & W.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on N.R. & W.

Feb 08, 2021

Senate

Read first time.

Senate

From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 10.

Feb 05, 2021

Senate

Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Bill Text

Bill Text Versions Format
SB322 HTML
02/05/21 - Introduced PDF
03/07/21 - Amended Senate PDF

Related Documents

Document Format
03/11/21- Senate Natural Resources and Water PDF
03/19/21- Senate Appropriations PDF

Sources

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