Public Access Bill Assembly Bill 396

[Bill in SD]

To: CWA Action Team Members


Other Interested Parties

From: Bill Gaines, Director of Government Affairs
Mark Hennelly, Deputy Director of Government Affairs

Subject: AB 396 (Harman) - Public Access to Private Lands

Date: July 24, 2003

We need your help in passing Assembly Bill 396 - legislation that would facilitate the creation of a "public access to private lands" program in California and encourage private landowners to open their properties to the public for hunting and other wildlife-dependent recreational activities.

Authored by Assemblyman Tom Harman (R-Huntington Beach), AB 396 would authorize the establishment of the Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Program - a program designed to provide significantly enhanced hunting and fishing opportunity in California. The vast majority of California's most critical wildlife habitat - including two-thirds of the state's remaining wetlands - exists on private land. Under AB 396, the SHARE Program would provide California's public with recreational access to private lands that are enrolled in the program. Further, AB 396 would encourage private landowners to enroll their lands into SHARE by offering them a small payment per acre, and by minimizing the liability concerns that currently keep most private lands closed to public use. Finally, AB 396 would call for the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) to work cooperatively with CWA and other conservation and nongovernmental organizations to establish the foundation necessary to effectively coordinate and implement a "public access to private lands" program in our State.

California Waterfowl Association (CWA) is pleased to co-sponsor AB 396 with the California Farm Bureau and the California Cattlemen's Association. California's sportsmen badly need AB 396. But, if we are to pass this bill, we need your "grassroots" support. This measure will be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee in August, so we must act quickly. Please immediately write the Committee Chair, Senator Dede Alpert, and tell her you strongly support AB 396. If possible, please also copy: 1) all other members of the Committee; and 2) your own Senate representative. To find your own Senator, enter your zip code at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html. Contact information for the Committee is provided below.

*** Thank you for helping to promote the future of hunting in California ***


Senate Appropriations Committee


Senator Dede Alpert (D), Chair
916-445-3952
916-327-2188 fax
Room 5050

Senator Jim Battin ®, Co-Chair
916-445-5581
916-327-2187 fax
Room 3076

Senator Sam Aanestad ®
916-445-3353
916-445-7750 fax
Room 3056

Senator Roy Ashburn ®
916-445-5405
661-323-0446 fax
Room 2068

Senator Debra Bowen (D)
916-445-5953
916-323-6056 fax
Room 4040

Senator John Burton (D)
916-445-1412
916-445-4722 fax
Room 205

Senator Martha Escutia (D)
916-445-3090
916-327-8755 fax
Room 5080

Senator Ross Johnson ®
916-445-4961
949-833-0696 fax
Room 3063

Senator Betty Karnette (D)
916-445-6447
916-327-9113 fax
Room 5066

Senator Michael Machado (D)
916-445-2407
916-323-2304 fax
Room 3086

Senator Kevin Murray (D)
916-445-8800
916-445-8899 fax
Room 4082

Senator Charles Poochigian ®
916-445-9600
916-327-3523 fax
Room 5087

Senator Jackie Speier (D)
916-445-0503
916-327-2186 fax
Room 2032

Address:
State Capitol Room #
Sacramento, CA 95814

 

[Guy]

This bill seems good, but we also need legislation to open up public lands owned by public agencies - like Vista Irrigation District which owns Lake Henshaw and all the habitat surrounding it....

 

[Schoettgen]

agreed. we have a number of designated game refuges on forest service land that should be opened. There is no biologically sound reason for those public areas to be closed to public hunting.

 

[cincoflatspirate]

How is this different from the PLM program DFG already has?