Governor Signs Huffman-Authored Bill to Help Save State Parks

Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed Assembly Bill 42, legislation authored by Assemblyman Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael that will enable some of the state parks threatened with closure due to budget cuts to remain open.

AB 42 authorizes the state Department of Parks and Recreation to enter into operating agreements with qualified nonprofit organizations to operate a state park unit if the agreement will enable the state to keep open a state park that would otherwise be subject to closure.

One such park that is out in the Valley.

“The Governor has recognized the important role that state parks play for Californians, and my bill represents a creative solution that will allow the state to secure partnerships to enable a number of the state parks on the closure list to stay open,” Huffman, who represents San Anselmo and Fairfax residents in Sacramento, said in a statement. “Particularly in these tough economic times, creative public/private partnerships are an essential tool in providing ongoing protection of, and continued access to, these treasured public assets. As we struggle to address California’s state budget deficit, I will continue to work to protect funding for state parks.”

Brown has recognized that nonprofit organizations are essential partners to state parks, particularly as 70 parks are set to close, said Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation.

“These are difficult times ahead for all Californians who support, visit and appreciate their state parks,” Goldstein said, “and AB 42 is a creative option to try to lessen the blow from park closures. (The foundation) will continue to work with nonprofit groups across the states that are stepping forward to help protect our parks, and the passage of AB 42 will encourage additional groups to step up to save our state parks.”

Nonprofits that get involved in supporting state parks would be required to provide an annual report with an accounting of all revenues and expenditures that would be made publicly available. All revenues received from the park could be expended only for the benefit of the state park unit. The nonprofit could contribute additional in-kind services and funding from outside entities for support of the park.

In May, Huffman said he believed the closure of state parks would do little to improve the state’s fiscal situation in the short run and only serve to harm state and local economies in the long run by losing tourism dollars.

“We need to continue to seek stable long-term funding for state parks while at the same time work to facilitate other creative solutions, including public/private partnerships, to keep state parks open for the public’s benefit,” Huffman said at the time.

Although the closure will not become permanent until July 1, 2012, the 70 parks slated for closure are already seeing significant reductions in service and closures as part of the overall closure process. Almost 45 percent of entire statewide system of state historic parks are proposed for closure. The North Coast counties (Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte) have 22 parks on the closure list, accounting for 31 percent of the closures, including four in Marin: Olompali, Tomales Bay, Samuel P. Taylor and China Camp.

Will Huffman's bill help save the parks? What should be done to keep them open?