OHV bill passing right now in California

Here is the actual bill: SB 249
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=20…

SENATE THIRD READING SB 249 (Allen) As Amended September 8, 2017 Majority vote
SENATE VOTE: 22-16
Committee Votes Ayes Noes Water 8-5 Eduardo Garcia, Chu, Friedman, Nazarian, Levine, Rubio, Thurmond, Wood Gallagher, Choi, Harper, Mathis, Salas Appropriations 11-0 Gonzalez Fletcher, Bloom, Bocanegra, Bonta, Calderon, Chau, Eggman, Friedman, Eduardo Garcia, Jones-Sawyer, Reyes

SUMMARY: This bill extends, indefinitely, the off-highway vehicle program and makes various other changes to the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Act (Act). Among other provisions, this bill:
1) Eliminates the sunset on the program.
2) Requires the Division of Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation (division) within the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to implement management and wildlife habitat protection plans for lands in, or proposed to be included in, state vehicular recreation areas (SVRAs).
3) Requires posting of all plans, reports and studies developed by the division to the DPR website, as specified.
4) Requires the division to review and update the 2008 Soil Conservation Standard and Guidelines to establish a generic and measurable soil conservation standard by December 31, 2020, and to update and review that standard periodically. The division is also required to determine whether this standard, and the objectives of wildlife habitat protection plans, are met.
5) Requires the division to protect natural, cultural, and archaeological resources within SVRAs, as specified.
6) Reverts the proposed requirements and changes to the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission (commission) to existing law.
7) Requires the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to convene, by December 31, 2018, a stakeholder process to make recommendations to the Governor and Legislature by January 1, 2020, to achieve greater diversity in the commission.
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8) Repeals the section pertaining to the commission as of January 1, 2023, unless a later statute is enacted. This does not impact the repeal of the sunset of the Off-Highway Vehicle program (previous amendments removed the sunset of the overall program).
9) Makes other minor and technical cleanup changes.
EXISTING LAW:
1) Creates, through the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Act of 2003 (Act), the Division of Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation (division) within the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). The division plans and acquires lands in state vehicular recreation areas (SVRA) which are units within the state park system. The division also implements a grants program from revenues in the Off-Highway Vehicle Trust Fund (Fund) which by law assigns specified percentages of those revenues for various purposes related to off-highway vehicles. The Fund is also used to support the division and to conduct its other activities.
2) Creates, the Off-Highway Vehicle Commission (commission) consisting of nine members, five of whom are appointed by the Governor, and two each are appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate Rules Committee. Commissioners are required to represent one or more of the following interests: off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation interests, biological or soil science, groups or associations of predominantly rural landowners, law enforcement, environmental organizations, or non-motorized recreation interests.
3) Requires that the commission supplant the State Parks and Recreation Commission for purposes of administering the Act.
4) Requires the commission to meet four times annually, and to receive public comment on development projects, as well as review and comment to the DPR director on the proposed budget of expenditures from the Fund as well as other duties including the development of strategic plans.
5) Directs the director of DPR to organize and administer the DPR. Public Resources Code Section 5090.30 exempts the division from this statute.
6) Provides that the division is headed by a deputy director who by law has no responsibilities to the DPR other than management of the division.
7) Provides that the division is charged with planning responsibilities for SVRAs, but general plans (that are used by the DPR) are not required under certain circumstances.
8) Establishes a grants program for various purposes from no more than one half of the revenues in the Off-Highway Vehicle Trust Fund, with specified percentages of these revenues available for various purposes including law enforcement and restoration. The remainder of the funds may be used for administration, acquisition, operations, and other activities of the division.
9) Declares public safety, the appropriate use of lands, and the conservation of lands as the highest priorities for management of SVRAs. The division is charged with the prompt repair of erosion sites and to anticipate future problems caused by erosion.
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10) Identifies the soil conservation standards used by the division as those developed in 1991 by federal agencies which were to be updated in 2006 to establish a generic and measurable soil conservation standard at least sufficient to allow restoration of off-highway motor vehicle areas and trails. The 1991 guidelines are grandfathered in until they are updated.
11) Requires the division to close until repaired those portions of SVRAs that are out of compliance with soil conservation standards and habitat protection standards. The division has the responsibility to inventory and monitor wildlife at SVRAs.
12) Prohibits the division from funding trail construction unless the trail is capable of complying with the conservation specifications in the soil and wildlife plans.
13) Emphasizes the importance of siting SVRAs at locations to "maximize the fullest public use of the outdoor recreational opportunities present."
14) Provides that the program sunsets on January 1, 2018.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee: Unknown increased annual DPR costs, likely in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for the implementation of the additional duties required by the bill.
COMMENTS:
Purpose and Background. In 1971, the OHMVR Program, administered by the division, was established to manage off-highway vehicle recreation in a manner that ensures the public has access to this form of recreation while also protecting California's natural and cultural resources. The division manages nine State Vehicle Recreation Areas (SVRAs) and provides state funding support for non-state off-highway vehicle (OHV) facilities through a grants program. The division is aided in implementing the program by a nine member OHV Commission, which is appointed jointly by the Governor, the Senate and the Assembly. The program is funded by fees collected from users of SVRAs, vehicle registration fees, and fuel taxes associated with off-highway motor vehicle recreation. These funds are deposited into the Off-Highway Vehicle Trust Fund. Upon appropriation by the Legislature, up to 50% of the fund may be used for a grants program and the remaining is generally available to the division for implementing the program and managing SVRAs. Without legislation to continue the program, the OHMVR Program will end this year. This bill modifies the program to more closely align it with DPR's mission to protect resources and cultural sites and extends it indefinitely. Funding. This bill extends the program, but does not extend the vehicle registration (green sticker) provisions paid by OHV owners when they register their vehicles. Those provisions are contained in SB 159 (Allen), of the current legislative session, the OHV program companion bill. Prior and Related Legislation: SB 159 (Allen) of the current legislative session. SB 159 is focused only on the "green sticker" provisions which are two fees paid by OHV owners when they register their vehicles. This bill recently passed the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee.