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AB 1052 , the Bay/Delta Enhancement Stamp Bill, heads to a Senate floor vote

by John Beuttler, CSPA Conservation Director

September 1, 2009 -- The ongoing saga in the effort to roll back the Bay-Delta Sportfishing Enhancement Stamp while keeping the Advisory Committee in place to work with the Department of Fish & Game continues following  AB 1052's passage out of the Senate Appropriations Committee. CSPA’s opposition and that of other sportfishing groups to the renewal of the stamp was necessitated by the DFG’s inability to obtain the spending authority from the State Department of Finance to spend some $7 million dollars that accumulated in the stamp fund.

 
The bill, in its present form, requires improvements in how the DFG accounts for the funds and mandates that the Stamp Advisory Committee (appointed by the Director) will work with the department to ensure stamp funds are spent on new projects and programs that assist with the recovery and restoration of the sportfisheries of the estuary.

The bill passed the Senate Appropriations Committee by an 11 to 0 vote, and is expected to pass by a large majority in the Senate. Should that happen, then the legislature will be sending a strong message to the department that it needs to work with the advisory committee to develop and spend the money on programs that help bring our fisheries back! CSPA has been advised by the DFG Legislative Office that the department is probably going to ask the governor to veto the bill if it passes in the legislature however, if the bill receives a strong affirmative vote, the governor would have a tough choice to make.

The current bill provides for a two year period to spend the money down on good projects. Should that happen to the satisfaction of the sportfishing organizations we work with, and a need for a renewal of the program be desirable, we would collectively support the renewal of stamp, but only with critical statutory requirements that require unequivocal accountability in how the money is spent!