Each year, our team reviews thousands of bills introduced during the legislative session, looking for those that could significantly impact state parks. The bills that best align with our goals and values are included in our legislative agenda for the year, and we closely track their progress as they move through the legislative process. Some years, we act as a bill sponsor, which means we bring a particular idea to a legislator and collaborate to introduce and promote it (see AB 2440, below). For our priority bills, we engage with legislators, submit letters of support, testify at committee meetings, and build public support through petitions and sign-on letters.
It’s important to note that not every bill results in a “support” position. Sometimes, we “watch” proposals without taking a position, particularly when uncertain about the potential impact on state parks. In certain cases, we actively oppose bills we believe will negatively affect state parks.
2024 Legislative Recap
During the 2024 legislative session, we tracked 26 bills and designated six as priority proposals. Overall, 11 of the bills we tracked became law, while 12 failed to advance in various stages of the legislative process. (It’s common, especially in a bad budget year like this one, for bills to be held in the Appropriations Committee due to significant fiscal impact). Once a bill reaches his desk, Governor Newsom can sign or veto proposals; if he takes no action, bills automatically become law. This year, the Governor vetoed three of the proposals we tracked.
