Existing law authorizes the Department of Parks and Recreation, as a means of furthering its mission to expand access to state parks and outdoor recreation to all, and contingent upon the availability of its resources, to enter into community access agreements, as defined, with eligible entities, as defined, to provide interpretive services and visitor services, as defined, at units of the state parks system to underserved park users, as defined.

This bill would require that use of local parks, as defined, by eligible entities, as defined, to provide interpretative services, as defined, to 30 or fewer participating park visitors at a time be considered an allowable public use of the local park, and would require cities, counties, and cities and counties to treat this use of the local park in the same manner as general public use of the local park, except as provided, provided that no benefit is conferred by cities, counties, or cities and counties on eligible entities that is not conferred on the general public. To the extent that this bill would impose new duties on cities, counties, and cities and counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.