ARTICLE 1. Generally [700. - 715.]

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC 1.

in effect

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 700. Section 700.

(a) There is in the Natural Resources Agency a Department of Fish and Wildlife administered through the director. (b) The Department of Fish and Wildlife shall succeed to, and is vested with, all the duties, powers, purposes, responsibilities, property, and jurisdiction previously vested in the Department of Fish and Game. (c) Whenever the term “Department of Fish and Game” appears in a law, the term means the “Department of Fish and Wildlife.” (d) No existing supplies, forms, insignias, signs, logos, uniforms, or emblems shall be destroyed or changed as a result of changing the name of the Department of Fish and Game to the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and those materials shall continue to be used until exhausted or unserviceable.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 701. Section 701.

The director shall be appointed by the Governor, and receive the annual salary provided for by Chapter 6 (commencing at Section 11550) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 701.3. Section 701.3.

There shall be one deputy director of the department who shall be a civil executive officer and shall be appointed by the Governor and serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The compensation of the deputy director shall be fixed by the director pursuant to law. The deputy director shall have such duties as shall be assigned, from time to time, by the director, and shall be responsible to the director for the performance thereof.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 701.5. Section 701.5.

The director or one or more of his designees may accept the office of director or alternate director of an entity established by a joint powers agreement providing for the establishment and conduct of an areawide waste management planning process in accordance with the provisions of Section 208 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Such office of director or alternate director of a joint powers entity is deemed compatible with the office of director and the office or employment of such persons as the director may so designate to serve such an entity established by a joint powers agreement.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 702. Section 702.

This code shall be administered and enforced through regulations adopted only by the department, except as otherwise specifically provided by this code or where this code requires the commission to adopt regulations.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 702.1. Section 702.1.

(a) The department, on or before January 1, 2016, shall prepare and submit to the relevant policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature a feasibility study report on an electronic system to manage citations issued by fish and game wardens, exchange information on citations with the courts, and transfer data on court dispositions to the Automated License Data System. (b) (1) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the requirement for submitting a report pursuant to subdivision (a) shall become inoperative on January 1, 2017. (2) A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 703. Section 703.

(a) General policies for the conduct of the department shall be formulated by the commission. The director shall be guided by those policies and shall be responsible to the commission for the administration of the department in accordance with those policies. (b) The department shall respond to requests from the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, acting as the lead agency for the review of timber harvesting plans, within the time period required under Section 4582.6 of the Public Resources Code, unless additional time is granted by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The department shall include specific comments or recommendations, or both, on any significant environmental issues raised by the proposed timber harvesting plan in its area of jurisdiction, including any proposed mitigation measures. The department shall also identify its statutory authority for any requests or recommendations for mitigation that it may determine to be necessary. If the department has no comment to make on the proposed timber harvesting plan, it is not required to submit a response.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 703.3. Section 703.3.

It is the policy of the state that the department and commission use ecosystem-based management informed by credible science in all resource management decisions to the extent feasible. It is further the policy of the state that scientific professionals at the department and commission, and all resource management decisions of the department and commission, be governed by a scientific quality assurance and integrity policy, and follow well-established standard protocols of the scientific profession, including, but not limited to, the use of peer review, publication, and science review panels where appropriate. Resource management decisions of the department and commission should also incorporate adaptive management to the extent possible.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 703.5. Section 703.5.

It is the policy of the state as follows: (a) That the department and the commission seek to create, foster, and actively participate in effective partnerships and collaborations with other agencies and stakeholders to achieve shared goals and to better integrate fish and wildlife resource conservation and management with the natural resource management responsibilities of other agencies. (b) That the department and commission participate in interagency coordination processes that facilitate consistency and efficiency in review of projects requiring multiple permits, including, but not necessarily limited to, joint state, federal, and local permit review teams that enable early consultation with project applicants, and provide improved sharing of data, information, tools, and science to achieve better alignment of planning, policies, and regulations across agencies.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 704. Section 704.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the director is the appointing power of all employees within the department, and all employees in the department are responsible to the director for the proper carrying out of the duties and responsibilities of their respective positions. (b) The changes made to subdivision (a) during the 2001–02 Regular Session of the Legislature are declaratory of existing law.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 705. Section 705.

(a) For purposes of this section, “eligible renewable energy resources” has the same meaning as in the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program (Article 16 (commencing with Section 399.11) of Chapter 2.3 of Part 1 of Division 1 of the Public Utilities Code). (b) The department shall establish an internal division with the primary purpose of performing comprehensive planning and environmental compliance services with priority given to projects involving the building of eligible renewable energy resources. (c) The internal division shall ensure the timely completion of plans pursuant to the Natural Community Conservation Planning Act (Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 2800) of Division 3).

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 706. Section 706.

The provisions of Chapter 2 (commencing at Section 11150) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code shall govern and apply to the conduct of the department in every respect. Whenever in that chapter the term “head of the department” or similar designation occurs, for the purposes of this section it shall mean the director.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 707. Section 707.

It is the duty of the attorney for the department to act as counsel in defense of any officer or deputy of the department in any suit for damages brought against the officer or deputy on account of injuries to persons or property alleged to have been received as a result of the negligence or misconduct of the officer or deputy occurring while the officer or deputy was performing his official duties.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 709. Section 709.

A nonprofit organization designated by the department to assist in the sale of deer, elk, antelope, or bighorn sheep fundraising tags that are sold on behalf of the department for the purpose of raising funds for specified programs and projects, pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 331, subdivision (d) of Section 332, subdivision (a) of Section 4334, or subdivision (d) of Section 4902, is authorized to retain 5 percent of the amount of the sale price of the tag as a reasonable vendor fee.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 710. Section 710.

The Legislature finds and declares that the department has in the past not been adequately funded to meet its mandates. The principal causes have been the fixed nature of the department’s revenues in contrast with the rising costs resulting from inflation, the increased burden on the department to carry out its public trust responsibilities, and additional responsibilities placed on the department by the Legislature. This lack of funding has prevented proper planning and manpower allocation. The lack of funding has required the department to restrict warden enforcement and to defer essential management of lands acquired for wildlife conservation. The lack of funding for fish and wildlife conservation activities other than sport and commercial fishing and hunting activities has resulted in inadequate wildlife and habitat conservation and wildlife protection programs.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 710.5. Section 710.5.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that the department continues to be inadequately funded to meet its mandates. While revenues have been declining, the department’s responsibilities have increased in order to protect public trust resources in the face of increasing population and resource management demands. The department’s revenues have been limited due to a failure to maximize user fees and inadequate non-fee-related funding. The limited department revenues have resulted in the inability of the department to effectively provide all of the programs and activities required under this code and to manage the wildlife resources held in trust by the department for the people of the state. (b) The Legislature further finds and declares that the department has been largely supported by fees paid by those who utilize the resources held in trust by the department. It is the intent of the Legislature that, to the extent feasible, the department should continue to be funded by user fees. All fees collected by the department, including, but not limited to, recreational hunting and fishing licenses, landing fees, commercial licenses, permits and entitlements, and other fees for use of the resources regulated or managed by the department, are user fees. To the extent that these fees are appropriated through the Budget Act for the purposes for which they are collected to provide services to the people of the State of California, these user fees are not subject to Article XIII B of the California Constitution. (c) The Legislature further finds and declares that user fees are not sufficient to fund all of the department’s mandates. To fulfill its mandates, the department must secure a significant increase in reliable funding, in addition to user fees.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 710.7. Section 710.7.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) The department continues to face serious funding instability due to revenue declines from traditional user fees and taxes and the addition of new and expanded program responsibilities. (2) Historically, the recreational and commercial fishing industry has funded much of the department’s marine fisheries activities. (3) As the state’s population grows and development changes historic land uses, fish and wildlife continue to be depleted, necessitating a significant portion of the department’s activities to be directed toward protecting fish and wildlife for the benefit of the people of the state. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to extend the current user-based funding system by allocating a portion of the marine resource protection costs to those who use and benefit from recreational and commercial use of the marine resources. (c) It is the Legislature’s intent that, notwithstanding Section 711, the department shall cooperate with the Legislature, recreational users, conservation organizations, the commercial fishing industry, and other interested parties to identify and propose new alternative sources of revenue to fund the department’s necessary marine conservation, restoration, and resources management, and protection responsibilities. (d) It is further the intent of the Legislature to identify new funding sources and to secure those sources to adequately fund the department’s activities directed at protecting and managing wildlife for the people of the state.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 711. Section 711.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to ensure adequate funding from appropriate sources for the department. To this end, the Legislature finds and declares that: (1) The costs of nongame fish and wildlife programs shall be provided annually in the Budget Act by appropriating money from the General Fund, through nongame user fees, and sources other than the Fish and Game Preservation Fund to the department for these purposes. (2) The costs of commercial fishing programs shall be provided out of revenues from commercial fishing landing fees, license fees, and other revenues, from reimbursements and federal funds received for commercial fishing programs, and other funds appropriated by the Legislature for this purpose. (3) The costs of hunting and sportfishing programs shall be provided out of hunting and sportfishing revenues and reimbursements and federal funds received for hunting and sportfishing programs, and other funds appropriated by the Legislature for this purpose. These revenues, reimbursements, and federal funds shall not be used to support commercial fishing programs, free hunting and fishing license programs, or nongame fish and wildlife programs. (4) The costs of managing lands managed by the department and the costs of wildlife management programs shall be supplemented out of revenues in the Native Species Conservation and Enhancement Account in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund. (5) Hunting, sportfishing, and sport ocean fishing license fees shall be adjusted annually to an amount equal to that computed pursuant to Section 713. However, a substantial increase in the aggregate of hunting and sportfishing programs shall be reflected by appropriate amendments to the sections of this code that establish the base sport license fee levels. The inflationary index provided in Section 713 shall not be used to accommodate a substantial increase in the aggregate of hunting and sportfishing programs. (6) The costs of a conservation and mitigation banking program, including, but not limited to, costs incurred by the department during its adoption of guidelines for, and the review, approval, establishment, monitoring, and oversight of, banks, shall be reimbursed from revenues of conservation and mitigation bank application fees imposed pursuant to Sections 1798.5, 1798.6, and 1799. (b) The director and the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, with the department’s annual budget submittal to the Legislature, shall submit a report on the fund condition, including the expenditures and revenue, for all accounts and subaccounts within the Fish and Game Preservation Fund. The department shall also update its cost allocation plan to reflect the costs of program activities. (c) For purposes of this section, “substantial increase” means an increase in excess of 5 percent of the Fish and Game Preservation Fund portion of the department’s current year support budget, excluding cost-of-living increases provided for salaries, staff benefits, and operating expenses.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 711.1. Section 711.1.

(a) The expenditure of all federal grant moneys made available to the state pursuant to the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. Sec. 669 et seq.) shall be consistent with that act. (b) In applying for federal grant moneys available pursuant to the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, the department shall give priority to projects that fulfill one or more of the following purposes: (1) Management of the department’s wildlife areas or other lands open to the public for hunting and other public priority uses listed in paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 1745. (2) Conservation of, or scientific research concerning, wildlife or wildlife habitat. (3) Support of the department’s hunting-related programs, including hunter education, public access, and target shooting. (c) The department shall post a brief description of projects or programs funded by moneys received pursuant to the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act on its Internet Web site. The description shall include information about the budget of each project or program. (d) The department shall consult with any of the advisory committees established pursuant to Sections 3684, 3702.1, and 3953 regarding all projects funded by the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act that are relevant to the committee or committees.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 711.2. Section 711.2.

(a) For purposes of this code, unless the context otherwise requires, “project” has the same meaning as defined in Section 21065 of the Public Resources Code. (b) For purposes of this article, “person” includes any individual, firm, association, organization, partnership, business, trust, corporation, limited liability company, company, district, city, county, city and county, town, the state, and any of the agencies of those entities.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 711.4. Section 711.4.

(a) The department shall impose and collect a filing fee in the amount prescribed in subdivision (d) to defray the costs of managing and protecting fish and wildlife trust resources, including, but not limited to, consulting with other public agencies, reviewing environmental documents, recommending mitigation measures, developing monitoring requirements for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code), consulting pursuant to Section 21104.2 of the Public Resources Code, and other activities protecting those trust resources identified in the review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act. (b) The filing fees shall be proportional to the cost incurred by the department and shall be annually reviewed and adjustments recommended to the Legislature in an amount necessary to pay the full costs of department programs as specified. The department shall annually adjust the fees pursuant to Section 713. (c) (1) All project applicants and public agencies subject to the California Environmental Quality Act shall pay a filing fee for each proposed project, as specified in subdivision (d). (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a filing fee shall not be paid pursuant to this section if any of the following conditions exist: (A) The project has no effect on fish and wildlife. (B) The project is being undertaken by the department. (C) The project costs are payable by the department from any of the following sources that are held by the department: (i) The Public Resources Account in the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Surtax Fund. (ii) The California Wildlife, Coastal, and Park Land Conservation Fund of 1988. (iii) The Habitat Conservation Fund. (iv) The Fisheries Restoration Account in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund. (v) The Commercial Salmon Stamp Dedicated Subaccount in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund. (vi) The California Ocean Resource Enhancement Account. (D) The project is implemented by the department through a contract with either a nonprofit entity or a local government agency. (3) Filing fees shall be paid at the time and in the amount specified in subdivision (d). Notwithstanding Sections 21080.5 and 21081 of the Public Resources Code, a project shall not be operative, vested, or final, and local government permits for the project shall not be valid, until the filing fees required pursuant to this section are paid. (d) The fees shall be in the following amounts: (1) For a project that is statutorily or categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act, including those certified regulatory programs that incorporate statutory and categorical exemptions, a filing fee shall not be paid. (2) For a project for which a negative declaration is prepared pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 21080 of the Public Resources Code, the filing fee is one thousand eight hundred dollars ($1,800). A local agency collecting the filing fee shall remit the fee to the county clerk at the time of filing a notice of determination pursuant to Section 21152 of the Public Resources Code. A state agency collecting the filing fee shall remit the fee to the Office of Planning and Research at the time of filing a notice of determination pursuant to Section 21108 of the Public Resources Code. (3) For a project with an environmental impact report prepared pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, the filing fee is two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500). A local agency collecting the filing fee shall remit the fee to the county clerk at the time of filing a notice of determination pursuant to Section 21152 of the Public Resources Code. A state agency collecting the filing fee shall remit the fee to the Office of Planning and Research at the time of filing a notice of determination pursuant to Section 21108 of the Public Resources Code. (4) For a project that is subject to a certified regulatory program pursuant to Section 21080.5 of the Public Resources Code, the filing fee is eight hundred fifty dollars ($850). The filing fee shall be paid to the department before the filing of the notice of determination pursuant to Section 21080.5 of the Public Resources Code. (e) The county clerk may charge a documentary handling fee of fifty dollars ($50) per filing in addition to the filing fee specified in subdivision (d). (1) The county clerk of each county and the Office of Planning and Research shall maintain a record electronically, and may maintain the record on paper, of all environmental documents received. The record shall include, for each environmental document received, the name of each applicant or lead agency, the document filing number, the project name as approved by the lead agency, and the filing date. The record shall be made available for examination or audit by authorized personnel of the department during normal business hours. (2) The filing fee imposed and collected pursuant to subdivision (d) shall be remitted monthly to the department within 30 days after the end of each month. The remittance shall be accompanied with the information required pursuant to paragraph (1). The amount of fees due shall be reported on forms prescribed and provided by the department. (3) The department shall assess a penalty of 10 percent of the amount of fees due for a failure to remit the amount payable when due. The department may pursue collection of delinquent fees through the Controller’s office pursuant to Section 12419.5 of the Government Code. (f) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 12000, failure to pay the fee under subdivision (d) is not a misdemeanor. All unpaid fees are a statutory assessment subject to collection under procedures as provided in the Revenue and Taxation Code. (g) Only one filing fee shall be paid for each project unless the project is tiered or phased, or separate environmental documents are required. (h) This section does not preclude or modify the duty of the department to recommend, require, permit, or engage in mitigation activities pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act. (i) The permit process of the California Coastal Commission, as certified by the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, is exempt from the payment of the filing fees prescribed by paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) insofar as the permits are issued under any of the following regulations: (1) Subchapter 4 (commencing with Section 13136) of Chapter 5 of Division 5.5 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. (2) Subchapter 1 (commencing with Section 13200), Subchapter 3 (commencing with Section 13213), Subchapter 4 (commencing with Section 13215), Subchapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 13238), Subchapter 5 (commencing with Section 13240), Subchapter 6 (commencing with Section 13250), and Subchapter 8 (commencing with Section 13255.0) of Chapter 6 of Division 5.5 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 711.7. Section 711.7.

(a) The fish and wildlife resources are held in trust for the people of the state by and through the department. (1) Insofar as state wildlife trust resources exist and depend upon federal proprietary lands or federal land and water adjacent to or affecting state trust resources, all persons engaging in projects or activities under federal license, contract, or permit, to the extent permitted by federal law, shall be governed by this article and shall pay project filing fees unless the payment of state filing and permit fees is explicitly preempted by the authority of the federal agency permitting the use or modification of state trust resources. (2) Insofar as state wildlife trust resources exist and depend upon federal proprietary lands or federal lands and waters adjacent to or affecting state trust resources, all federal agencies acting in their proprietary capacity, to the extent permitted by federal law, shall be governed by this article and Sections 10005 and 21089 of the Public Resources Code, unless the payment of state filing and permit fees is explicitly preempted by the authority of a particular federal agency. (b) If a court of competent jurisdiction finds that any provision of this section or the application thereof to any federal agency, person, or circumstances is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the section which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this section are severable.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 712. Section 712.

It is the intent of the Legislature that the Department of Finance shall include in the Governor’s Budget sufficient moneys from the General Fund and sources other than the Fish and Game Preservation Fund to pay the costs of the department’s nongame programs, including those necessary for the protection and enhancement of California’s nongame fish and wildlife and their habitat, the free hunting and fishing license programs, and special repairs and capital outlay. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Department of Finance shall not include in the Governor’s Budget any appropriation from the Fish and Game Preservation Fund for any program or project which is not expressly found to be an activity relating to the protection or propagation of fish and game, except to the extent that moneys have been deposited in that fund from collections under a law which is not related to the protection or propagation of fish and game. Any study relating to funding of programs administered or conducted by the department shall include express findings of whether the program is related to the protection or propagation of fish and game and shall describe the relationship.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 712.1. Section 712.1.

(a) (1) The department’s mission is to manage California’s diverse fish, wildlife, and plant resources, and the habitats upon which they depend, for their ecological values and for their use and enjoyment of the public. (2) The department’s core programs are the following: (A) Management of departmental lands and facilities. (B) Biodiversity conservation. (C) Hunting, fishing, and public use. (D) Enforcement. (E) Spill prevention and response. (F) Communication, education, and outreach. (3) The department, as a part of a service-based budget review, shall identify strategic goals that reflect the core programs identified in paragraph (2) and support the department’s mission and statutory requirements. (b) (1) The department shall contract with an independent entity to conduct a comprehensive service-based budget review and to consult on the development of a service-based budget tracking system. The selected contractor shall have experience conducting similar reviews and consulting on similar systems for a comparably sized state agency or department. (2) The service-based budget review shall study and report on all of the following topics: (A) For each strategic goal identified pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a), a definition of the service standards and essential activities required for the department to meet its mission and statutory requirements. (B) Detailed cost estimates and staffing requirements for meeting the service standards and requirements identified pursuant to subparagraph (A), including applicable administrative costs. (C) An analysis of how current service levels, activities, expenditures, and staffing levels compare with the service standards and costs identified pursuant to subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively. The analysis shall explicitly identify instances and associated costs where the department is not currently meeting its mission or statutory requirements, as well as where it may be conducting activities outside its mission and statutory requirements. (D) An analysis of the department’s existing revenue structure and program activities supported by those fund sources. The analysis shall identify any instances where the nature of the activity suggests a different funding source, such as user fees or the General Fund, or a different revenue structure that could be allowable or more appropriate to support the activity, or both allowable and more appropriate to support the activity. (E) The service-based budget review conducted pursuant to this section shall build upon the California Fish and Wildlife Strategic Vision: Recommendations for Enhancing the State’s Fish and Wildlife Management Agencies, issued in April 2012, and the Supporting Healthy Fish and Wildlife Populations in California and Getting People Outdoors: An Expenditure Concept to Invest in Our Natural Heritage for All Californians, issued on November 2, 2017. (3) (A) The service-based budget tracking system shall incorporate data collected for the review pursuant to paragraph (2), including the costs and staffing levels associated with both existing service levels and the service level standards developed pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2). (B) The service-based budget tracking system shall allow the department to continuously analyze service levels across its programs and the degree to which service standards are being met. (C) The service-based budget tracking system shall be developed as a tool to inform ongoing and future fiscal decisionmaking processes. (D) The service-based budget tracking system shall be the property of the state even if it is developed using nonstate funding provided pursuant to subdivision (d). (4) To meet the goals of this subdivision, the department shall collect information necessary to inform service-based budgeting. (c) In conducting the service-based budget review and developing the service-based budget tracking system pursuant to subdivision (b), the department shall meet all of the following deadlines: (1) By December 15, 2018, the department shall do all of the following: (A) Enter into a contract with the independent entity to complete the service-based budget review. (B) Form an internal leadership team within the department to oversee and manage the service-based budget review. (C) Form an external advisory committee to advise the department and independent entity on conducting the service-based budget review. (D) Submit a report to the relevant budget and policy committees of the Legislature and the Legislative Analyst’s Office summarizing the status of these activities. (2) By April 15, 2020, the department shall report in its legislative oversight hearings regarding the status of the service-based budget review. (3) By January 15, 2021, the department shall submit the final service-based budget review report to the relevant budget and policy committees of the Legislature and the Legislative Analyst’s Office. (4) By April 15, 2021, the department shall report in its legislative oversight hearings how the findings of the service-based budget review have been incorporated into the department’s operations and budget and any changes the department proposed to its operations or budget resulting from the service-based budget review. (d) (1) The department may enter into one or more agreements to accept funds from any person, nonprofit organization, or other public or private entity for purposes of this section. (2) Funding provided pursuant to this subdivision may be used by the department for department staff, development of information technology systems, or other costs associated with the service-based budget review and the service-based budget tracking system. (3) The Department of Finance may authorize expenditure of the funds provided pursuant to this subdivision no sooner than 30 days after providing notification of the expenditure to the chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 713. Section 713.

(a) The changes in the Implicit Price Deflator for State and Local Government Purchases of Goods and Services, as published by the United States Department of Commerce, shall be used as the index to determine an annual rate of increase or decrease in the fees for licenses, stamps, permits, tags, or other entitlements issued by the department. (b) (1) The department shall determine the change in the Implicit Price Deflator for State and Local Government Purchases of Goods and Services, as published by the United States Department of Commerce, for the quarter ending March 31 of the current year compared to the quarter ending March 31 of the previous year. The relative amount of the change shall be multiplied by the current fee for each license, stamp, permit, tag, or other entitlement issued by the department. (2) The product shall be rounded to the nearest twenty-five cents ($0.25), and the resulting amount shall be added to the fee for the current year. The resulting amount shall be the fee for the license year beginning on or after January 1 of the next succeeding calendar year for the license, stamp, permit, tag, or other entitlement that is adjusted under this section. (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the department may recalculate the current fees charged for each license, stamp, permit, tag, or other entitlement issued by the department, to determine that all appropriate indexing has been included in the current fees. This section shall apply to all licenses, stamps, permits, tags, or other entitlements, that have not been increased each year since the base year of the 1985–86 fiscal year. (d) The commission, with respect to any license, stamp, permit, tag, or other entitlement issued by the commission shall comply with subdivisions (a) to (c), inclusive. (e) The calculations provided for in this section shall be reported to the Legislature with the Governor’s Budget Bill. (f) The Legislature finds that all revenues generated by fees for licenses, stamps, permits, tags, and other entitlements, computed under this section and used for the purposes for which they were imposed, are not subject to Article XIII B of the California Constitution. (g) The department and the commission, at least every five years, shall analyze all fees for licenses, stamps, permits, tags, and other entitlements issued by it to ensure the appropriate fee amount is charged. Where appropriate, the department shall recommend to the Legislature or the commission that fees established by the commission or the Legislature be adjusted to ensure that those fees are appropriate.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 715. Section 715.

(a) The director, in consultation with the Natural Resources Agency, shall establish a formal program, which may be called the Science Institute, to assist the department and commission in obtaining independent scientific review, and recommendations to help inform the scientific work of the department and the commission. The program shall include one or more ad hoc independent scientific committees consisting of independent scientists who are scientific experts in their fields with expertise in biological sciences and with a range of multidisciplinary expertise pertinent to the work of the department and the commission, and which may be convened pursuant to this section. The purpose of the program shall be to assist the department and the commission in obtaining and establishing an independent and objective view of the scientific issues underlying important policy decisions. (b) The objectives of the program shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following: (1) Providing independent scientific guidance of the scientific research, monitoring, and assessment programs that support the department’s and the commission’s work with fish and wildlife species and their habitats. (2) Providing the best available independent scientific information and advice to guide and inform department and commission decisions. (3) Promoting and facilitating independent scientific peer review. (4) Promoting science-based adaptive management. (5) Ensuring scientific integrity and transparency in decisionmaking. (c) The department may consult with members of the ad hoc scientific committees to assist the department in identifying other independent scientific experts with specialized expertise as needed for independent peer review of department reports, including, but not limited to, status review reports prepared for purposes of informing decisions on petitions for listing of species under the California Endangered Species Act (Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 2050) of Division 3). (d) The department shall consult with independent scientific advisors to develop and revise as necessary a scientific integrity policy to guide the work of the department and the commission. The scientific integrity policy may include, but is not necessarily limited to, an ethical code of conduct for department scientists, standards for independent peer review, and other best practices for ensuring scientific integrity and public confidence in department and commission work products and decisions. (e) For marine fisheries and other marine resources, the department may utilize the California Ocean Science Trust for the purposes of this section.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026