Critical CA State Parks Legislation Signed by Governor
Post Updated: Sep 11, 2023
Newsom Approves Sen. Dodd’s SB 668: State Park Operating Agreements
Senate Bill 668 (Dodd), extends the ability of the CA State Parks (i.e. Dept. of Parks & Recreation) to enter into agreements with nonprofits for the purpose of operating and maintaining park facilities, improving parks, and reducing their overhead.
Support State Park Partners!
“California parks are truly remarkable places and they are supported by hundreds of volunteers and nonprofit groups who devote their time and effort into making them that way,” Sen. Dodd said. “Now we can allow these vital partnership to continue, ensuring our parks are sustainable and the best they can be for generations to come. I thank Gov. Newsom for signing this bill into law.”
Dodd, Sep 11, 2023
SB 668: Good For Parks. Good for Park Partners.
Under Sen. Dodd’s bill, CA State Parks can continue utilizing 3rd-party operating or co-management agreements for the foreseeable future. Previous law allowed the State to partner with nonprofits to improve, restore, maintain, and operate park units but this authorization was scheduled to sunset on Jan. 1, 2025.
Operating agreements allow qualified nonprofit organizations to operate or co-manage a park unit on behalf of the department. These partnerships have been vital to over sixty parks in California, including China Camp State Park, which has been operated by Friends of China Camp (FoC) since 2012. Without these agreements, China Camp and others like it would have likely closed during or after the 2011 recession. Instead, the park remained open to the public, and Friends of China Camp made critical capital investments to preserve the valuable cultural, natural, and recreational resources present there.
SB 668 passed the Assembly and Senate. On Sep 8, Governor Newsom signed the legislation into law. CAMTB and its coalition members thank Gov Newsom, as well as Sen. Dodd and his fellow legislators, for their support of bike-friendly parks and trails in California.
