Boating and Waterways: Harbors and Watercraft Commission.

(1) Existing law establishes the Department of Boating and Waterways in the Natural Resources Agency and charges the department with duties related to beach erosion, harbors, and recreational boat trails. Existing law establishes the Boating and Waterways Commission to provide advice to that department. The Governor's Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 2012 (GRP 2) proposes to reorganize state departments and agencies to, among other things, transfer the Department of Boating and Waterways into the Department of Parks and Recreation as a division of that department and eliminate the Boating and Waterways Commission. This bill would instead place the commission in the Department of Parks and Recreation within the Division of Boating and Waterways, and would prescribe the membership, functions, and duties of the commission. (2) Existing law establishes the State Park and Recreation Commission in the Department of Parks and Recreation comprised of 9 members appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate, and requires that the members of the commission be selected from areas distributed throughout the state and because of their interest in park, recreation, and conservation matters, as prescribed. This bill would also require that the members of the commission be selected because of their interest in boating and waterways. (3) GRP 2 is proposed to become operative on July 1, 2013, if not disapproved by the Legislature in accordance with specified procedures. This bill would become operative on July 1, 2013, but would only become operative if GRP 2 becomes effective.