Wildlife Conservation Board: Inner Coast Range Program.

Existing law, the Wildlife Conservation Law of 1947, establishes the Wildlife Conservation Board in the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Under existing law, the board consists of the president of the Fish and Game Commission, the Director of Fish and Wildlife, and the Director of Finance. Existing law prescribes the board's duties with regard to, among other things, real property acquisitions for property used for wildlife preservation and conservation purposes. This bill would establish the Inner Coast Range Program with specified goal areas and authorization related to the Inner Coast Range Region, as defined. This bill would require the board to establish an advisory board for the program consisting of one representative of each of the counties within the region and would authorize the board to invite certain legislators and representatives of state and federal agencies to participate as members on the advisory board. The bill would create the Inner Coast Range Program Fund in the State Treasury and would provide that moneys in the fund would be available, upon appropriation, for the purposes of the program. The bill would require the board to make a biannual report to the Legislature and to the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency regarding expenditures, land, management costs, and administrative costs for the purposes of the program. The bill, by January 1, 2027, would require the board, in consultation with the advisory board, to review the program and issue a report to the relevant policy committees of the Legislature about the possible creation of a state conservancy for the Inner Coast Range Region.