Laura Friedman
- Democratic
- Assemblymember
- District 43
Author
Under existing law, the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) has jurisdiction over the conservation, protection, and management of fish, wildlife, native plants, and habitat necessary for biologically sustainable populations of those species. Existing law authorizes DFW to approve compensatory mitigation credits for wildlife connectivity actions taken under specified programs. Existing law vests the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) with full possession and control of the state highway system. Existing law requires Caltrans to complete assessments of potential barriers to anadromous fish prior to commencing any project using state or federal transportation funds and requires projects to be constructed without presenting barriers to fish passage. This bill would require DFW, in coordination with Caltrans, to establish a wildlife connectivity action plan on or before January 1, 2024, and to update the plan at least once every 5 years thereafter. The bill would require the plan to include, among other things, maps that identify the locations of certain areas, including connectivity areas and natural landscape areas, as defined. The bill would require Caltrans, in consultation with DFW, to establish a wildlife connectivity project list of wildlife passage projects where the implementation of wildlife passage features would reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and enhance wildlife connectivity. The bill would require the list to be included in the wildlife connectivity action plan. The bill would require Caltrans to complete the initial list on or before January 1, 2024, and to update the list no later than January 1, 2025, and every 2 years thereafter. Before completing the initial list or an update to the list, the bill would require Caltrans to make a draft list publicly available for public comment. The bill would require Caltrans, in consultation with DFW, to prioritize the implementation of projects on the list based on specified factors, including, among others, the project's ability to enhance connectivity and permeability within a connectivity area or natural landscape area identified in the wildlife connectivity action plan. The bill would authorize Caltrans to develop a programmatic environmental review process with appropriate state and federal regulatory agencies for remediating barriers to wildlife movement that will streamline the permitting process for wildlife crossing projects. The bill would require Caltrans to complete assessments of potential barriers to wildlife movement before commencing any project that uses state or federal transportation funds and that is located in an area identified as a connectivity area or a natural landscape area in the wildlife connectivity action plan. The bill would require Caltrans to submit these assessments to DFW. The bill would also require projects to be constructed without presenting barriers to fish and wildlife movement.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (August 11).
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (June 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 20). Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 58. Noes 7. Page 4991.)
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 12. Noes 2.) (May 19).
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (April 18). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Coauthors revised.
Read second time and amended.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. (Ayes 11. Noes 2.) (April 5).
Referred to Coms. on W.,P., & W. and TRANS.
From printer. May be heard in committee March 19.
Read first time. To print.
| Bill Text Versions | Format |
|---|---|
| AB2344 | HTML |
| 02/16/22 - Introduced | |
| 04/06/22 - Amended Assembly | |
| 05/19/22 - Amended Assembly |
| Document | Format |
|---|---|
| 03/31/22- Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife | |
| 04/14/22- Assembly Transportation | |
| 05/09/22- Assembly Appropriations | |
| 05/24/22- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 06/15/22- Senate Natural Resources and Water | |
| 06/24/22- Senate Transportation | |
| 07/29/22- Senate Appropriations | |
| 08/13/22- Sen. Floor Analyses |
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