SB 1249 Summary

• Authorizes the Department of Fish and Game to contract with nonprofit conservation groups and resource conservation districts to manage and operate department-managed lands, including public shooting grounds, state marine recreational management areas, ecological reserves, and wildlife management areas.

• Establishes hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, wildlife photography, conservation education, and fish and wildlife research as priority uses for department-managed lands, and allows the department to authorize other public uses by regulation, which may require special use permits.

• Requires the department to implement entry permits for nonconsumptive uses of department-managed lands beginning January 1, 2015, if determined practical and cost-effective; exempts holders of valid hunting, sport fishing, or trapping licenses from the permit requirement.

• Deposits permit fee revenues into the Native Species Conservation and Enhancement Account within the Fish and Game Preservation Fund for land management and operation, with at least 35 percent of identified fee revenues directed back to the originating department-managed lands.

• Requires county boards of supervisors or designated county fish and game commissions to review all proposed expenditures from county fish and wildlife propagation funds at regular meetings to ensure compliance with statutory purposes.