Governor Brown signs bill to help keep state parks open

Yesterday was a very exciting day in the CLCV office. Not only did Governor Brown give a great welcome back present to our Communications Director and first-time mom Jenesse Miller (who just returned from maternity leave) by signing AB 1319 banning BPA in baby bottles, he also signed AB 42 to protect state parks.

Authored by Assemblymember Jared Huffman, AB 42 will allow California State Parks to enter into agreements for the operation, improvement, restoration, maintenance, or administration of state parks with nonprofit organizations.

This bill is so important because unfortunately, our state parks have landed on the chopping block once again. Due to budget cuts, 70 state parks are scheduled to shut their doors -- that's a quarter of our entire state parks system!

Growing up in the suburbs of Los Angeles, my dad often took me hiking and camping in the many nearby state parks. On these trips I developed a love for nature at an early age, which later developed into a desire to protect nature and our environment. It's hard to imagine a California without these parks; a California where dads like mine couldn't easily take their children out of the hustle and bustle of urban and suburban life to enjoy wild open spaces.

That's why I'm so grateful that the governor signed AB 42. While this bill won't keep all of those parks open, it's a huge step in the right direction. Now the State can allow nonprofits to operate or improve these parks.

Protecting parks was just one of CLCV's major legislative priorities this year. There's only a few days left until Governor Brown's October 9th signing deadline, but there are still several of our priority bills awaiting action by him. Here's a recap of what he's signed and vetoed, and what he will take action on in the next few days:

Signed

• AB 42 (Huffman): Helping Keep State Parks Open
• AB 1150 (V. Manuel Pérez) Self-Generation Incentive Program
• AB 1319 (Butler): Product Safety: Bisphenol A
• SB 2X (Simitian): Renewable energy

Vetoed

• AB 650 (Blumenfield): Blue Ribbon Task Force on Public Transportation
• SB 582 (Yee): Commuter benefit policies

On the Governor's Desk

• AB 341 (Chesbro): Solid Waste: Diversion
• AB 359 (Huffman): Groundwater Management Plans
• AB 376 (Fong, Huffman): Shark Fins
• AB 703 (Gordon): Preserving Tax Incentives for Open-Space and Parks
• AB 1112 (Huffman): Oil Spill Prevention and Administration Fee
• AB 1221 (Alejo): State Water Quality Control Fund: State Water Pollution Cleanup and Abatement Account
• SB 244 (Wolk): Land use: general plan: disadvantaged unincorporated communities
• SB 397 (Yee): Online Voter Registration (CLCV supports, not a Green CA priority bill)
• SB 436 (Kehoe): Mitigation Lands for Non-Profits
• SB 454 (Pavley): Energy Efficiency Standards Enforcement
• SB 833 (Vargas): Water Quality Protection in San Diego County

Take action today

Governor Brown has until October 9th to sign these priority environmental bills, and we need your help to ensure he does so.

Please call him at 916-445-2841 to urge him to sign these important bills.