Existing law authorizes the Department of Parks and Recreation to enter into various agreements, including agreements with private, nonprofit public benefit corporations or other private entities, as may be appropriate, to assist the department in its efforts to secure long-term private funding sources for any and all units of the state park system and to ensure that they are preserved and open for public use and enjoyment. Existing law provides that the authority to enter into those agreements shall include, but not be limited to, securing donations, memberships, corporate and individual sponsorships, and marketing and licensing agreements.

This bill, until January 1, 2028, would authorize the department to enter into community access agreements with eligible entities, as defined, defined as qualified nonprofit public benefit corporations and Native American tribes, as specified, to provide interpretive services and visitor services at units of the state parks system to underserved park users, as defined. The bill would require an eligible entity that enters into a community access agreement with the department to deliver interpretive services and visitor services to underserved park users consistent with the mission of the department and the resource values of the unit or units of the state park system. The bill would authorize a community access agreement to include free or reduced-cost access to the eligible entity and members of the public participating in interpretive services and visitor services offered by the eligible entity at a unit or units of the state park system in furtherance of the agreement. The bill would require the department to, department, on or before December 31, 2027, to submit a report to the Legislature on the implementation of these provisions.