California Wildlife Coexistence Act., the official text

An act to add Chapter 14 (commencing with Section 2960) to Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code, relating to wildlife.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

Existing law establishes the Department of Fish and Wildlife in the Natural Resources Agency. Under existing law, the department has jurisdiction over the conservation, protection, and management of fish, wildlife, native plants, and habitat necessary for biologically sustainable populations of those species.
This bill would require the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to establish the Wildlife Coexistence Program to manage and promote wildlife coexistence by conducting specified activities, including maintaining a statewide wildlife incident reporting tool. The bill would rename the Wolf-Livestock Compensation Pilot Program to the Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program and would require the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to establish the program to provide resources to eligible participants for purposes relating to wolves and livestock. The bill would authorize the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, including the cost for implementation, to provide resources to wildlife coexistence partners, as defined, to support efforts required for the Wildlife Coexistence Program and the Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program. The bill would require the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to establish the Wildlife Coexistence Technical Advisory Committee to provide technical guidance, public input, and programmatic recommendations related to the department’s wildlife coexistence efforts. The bill would require the department, on or before July 1, 2028, to include specified information on its internet website, as provided.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Chapter 14 (commencing with Section 2960) is added to Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code, to read:
14.
California Wildlife Coexistence Act1.
General Provisions2960.
This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the California Wildlife Coexistence Act.

2961.
It is the policy of the state that the management of wildlife shall include an emphasis on the coexistence of humans and wildlife through department-led efforts to reduce, minimize, and mitigate conflicts. These efforts shall also seek to align with the state’s conservation, public safety, environmental planning, and climate adaptation goals and to be accomplished through coordination and cooperation between the department and wildlife coexistence partners.

2962.
For purposes of this chapter, “wildlife coexistence partners” means local, state, and federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, federally recognized tribes, non-federally recognized California Native American tribes included on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission, other entities, and academic programs.

2.
The Wildlife Coexistence Program2963.
Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the department shall establish the Wildlife Coexistence Program to manage and promote wildlife coexistence by conducting all of the following activities:
(a) Managing, tracking, and responding to wildlife conflict calls, reports, and incident responses.
(b) Avoiding, minimizing, and mitigating conflicts between humans and wildlife by proactively and continuously implementing best practices that emphasize effective and ecologically appropriate nonlethal conflict resolution solutions developed using best available science and indigenous knowledge.
(c) Investigating, documenting, and analyzing reported human-wildlife incidents, including, but not limited to, depredation, perceived or actual human-wildlife conflicts, and wildlife health issues.
(d) Maintaining a statewide wildlife incident reporting tool.
(e) Consistent with existing law, supporting community-based efforts in coordination with wildlife coexistence partners and providing technical assistance, resources, and recommendations.
(f) Conducting ongoing public outreach and education.
(g) Implementing the provisions of this chapter.

2964.
Upon appropriation by the Legislature, including the cost for implementation, the department may provide resources to wildlife coexistence partners to support efforts required for the Wildlife Coexistence Program pursuant to Section 2963 and the Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program pursuant to Section 2966.

2965.
On or before July 1, 2028, the department shall include on its internet website, accessible to the public, all of the following:
(a) The annual number, general locations, and species involved in reported human-wildlife conflicts and department responses pursuant to Section 2963.
(b) An inventory of known types of proactive wildlife coexistence activities within each region and statewide, including community-based and tribal efforts.
(c) Descriptions of resources provided pursuant to Section 2964, including recipients, regions, and dollar amounts.
(d) Depredation permits issued by species and regions.
(e) The outcomes of the Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program pursuant to Section 2966, including a list of any resources funded by activity, county, and wolf pack.

3.
The Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program2966.
(a) The Wolf-Livestock Compensation Pilot Program established pursuant to the annual Budget Act of 2021 shall be renamed the Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program.
(b) Upon appropriation by the Legislature, including the cost for implementation, the department shall establish the Wolf-Livestock Coexistence and Compensation Program to provide resources to eligible participants for all of the following:
(1) Providing equipment, information, and resources for practices used to proactively and nonlethally deter wolf attacks on livestock.
(2) Compensation for confirmed or probable losses of livestock verified by the department to have been caused by wolves.
(3) Compensation for indirect impacts on livestock from the presence of wolves.
(c) (1) At least 50 percent of the funds appropriated to the program shall be used for purposes of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).
(2) If the balance of funds for the program falls below one million dollars ($1,000,000), at least 25 percent of the funds appropriated to the program shall be used for purposes of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).
(3) If the balance falls below one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), funds appropriated to the program are not required to, but may, be used for purposes of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).
(d) (1) To be eligible for any resources from the program for the purposes of paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (b), a participant within an area defined by the department as pack territory or an area of wolf activity shall have adopted, implemented, and documented, as practicable, proper and ongoing deployment of proactive, nonlethal conflict reduction measures approved by the department.
(2) Outside an area identified by the department as pack territory or an area of wolf activity, a participant is eligible for program resources for up to two confirmed or probable losses within any 12-month period. Eligibility for compensation for subsequent losses is contingent upon the participant adopting, implementing, and documenting, as practicable, proper and ongoing deployment of proactive, nonlethal conflict reduction measures approved by the department.
(e) In determining eligibility for the program for purposes of subdivision (d), the department shall consider all relevant factors relating to the practicability of adopting, implementing, and documenting proper and ongoing deployment of proactive, nonlethal conflict reduction measures approved by the department, including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) The availability of funds appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b).
(2) The costs to a participant of implementing proactive, nonlethal conflict reduction measures.
(3) The extent that routine agricultural practices and animal husbandry practices, or alterations in those practices undertaken in response to the presence of wolves, may represent adequate proactive, nonlethal conflict reduction measures.
(4) The extent that a permittee or lessee is contractually approved to implement certain proactive, nonlethal conflict reduction measures.
(5) The extent that a participant had sufficient time to implement proactive, nonlethal conflict reduction measures before suffering additional losses.
(6) Whether terrain conditions exist that would impede the effectiveness of proactive, nonlethal conflict reduction measures.

4.
The Wildlife Coexistence Technical Advisory Committee2967.
(a) Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the department shall establish the Wildlife Coexistence Technical Advisory Committee to provide technical guidance, public input, and programmatic recommendations related to the department’s wildlife coexistence efforts.
(b) The advisory committee shall advise the department on all of the following:
(1) Best available science, indigenous knowledge, and management practices for reducing human-wildlife conflict.
(2) Development, implementation, and evaluation of coexistence programs.
(3) Program metrics, data collection standards, and reporting practices.
(4) Equity and geographic balance in program design and funding distribution.
(5) Opportunities for coordination with wildlife coexistence partners.
(c) The advisory committee shall consist of no fewer than 11 and no more than 15 members, appointed by the director, representing expertise or experience in one or more of the following areas, with no more than two people from each category:
(1) Wildlife biology or ecology.
(2) Human-wildlife conflict mitigation or coexistence practices.
(3) Tribal natural resource management.
(4) Conservation or environmental science.
(5) Rural community.
(6) Agricultural interests.
(7) Animal behavior or veterinary science.
(8) Land management.
(9) Urban community.
(d) Members shall serve three-year terms and may be reappointed. Initial appointments may include shorter terms to ensure staggering.
(e) Members of the advisory committee shall serve without compensation.
(f) The advisory committee shall meet at least twice per year, or more frequently at the request of the department.
(g) The department shall consider, but is not required to adopt, recommendations made by the advisory committee.