AB2494 - State forests: forest management.

Amended IN Senate August 20, 2026 Amended IN Senate August 13, 2026 Amended IN Senate June 24, 2026 Amended IN Assembly May 18, 2026 Amended IN Assembly March 25, 2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 2494 Introduced by Assembly Member Rogers (Coauthors: Assembly Members Connolly and Zbur) (Coauthor: Senator McGuire) February 20, 2026 An act to amend Sections 4629.6, 4629.8, 4629.9, 4639, 4647, 4651, 4652, 4656, 4660, 4661, and 4663 of, to add Sections 4635.1 and 4635.2 to, and to repeal and add Sections 4631 and 4631.5 of, the Public Resources Code, relating to state forests. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2494, as amended, Rogers. State forests: forest management. (1) Existing law authorizes the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to engage in management of state forests and defines “management” for purposes of the state forests as a means of handling forest crop and forest soil to achieve maximum sustained production of high-quality forest products while giving consideration to values relating to, among other values, recreation, watershed, and wildlife, as provided. This bill would redefine “management” for purposes of state forests as the handling of forest vegetation, water, and soils within the demonstration state forest system for public benefits, as described. described to include, among other things, watershed health and wildfire resilience. (2) Existing law declares it is in the interest of the welfare of the people of the state and their industries and other activities involving the use of wood, lumber, poles, piling, wood pulp, and other forest products that desirable cutover forest lands be made fully productive and that the holding and reforestation of such lands is a necessary measure predicated on waning supplies of original old growth timber, as provided. Existing law further declares it is in the interest of the welfare of the people of the state that the state retain the existing land base of state forests in timber production for research and demonstration. Existing law requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, in consultation with the Secretary for Environmental Protection, to, on or before January 10 of each year, submit to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee a report on the activities of all state departments, agencies, and boards relating to forest and timberland regulation. Existing law requires this report to include, among other things, the number of timber harvest plans reviewed in the most recent fiscal year, as specified, and the average time for plan review. This bill would repeal these provisions and instead declare, among other things, that the purpose of the demonstration state forest system is to acquire lands, the reforestation or restoration of which is not assured under private ownership, to manage the land for public benefit, as specified. achieve the public benefits as described in paragraph (1) through means that include, but are not limited to, multibenefit forest management. The bill would authorize the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to enter into, and would require the secretary to make good faith efforts to collaboratively develop, comanagement agreements with California Native American tribes, as defined, to incorporate local traditional ecological knowledge and local indigenous knowledge into the management direction of a forest in the demonstration state forest system, as provided. The bill would require the annual report submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee to also include the number of timber harvest plans approved in the most recent fiscal year and the median time for plan review and would make other nonsubstantive changes relating to the report. The bill would require research to be allowed on land in the demonstration state forest system that informs forest management strategies, science-based decisionmaking, biodiversity, durable onsite carbon storage or sequestration, habitat, water and soil quality, watershed health, tribal stewardship, or other goals that further healthy and resilient ecosystems. The bill would authorize timber harvesting within the demonstration state forest system if in furtherance of specified objectives. (3) Existing law requires the management of state forests and the cutting and sale of timber and other forest products from state forests to conform with regulations prepared by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection and approved by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. Existing law requires the regulations to conform with forest management practices designed to achieve maximum sustained production of high-quality forest products while giving consideration to values relating to, among other values, recreation, watershed, and wildlife, as specified. Existing law authorizes state forest lands to be used for grazing and mining purposes pursuant to regulations established by the board. Under existing law, a person who violates the rules and regulations pertaining to the state forests established by the board is guilty of a misdemeanor. The bill would instead require the management of demonstration state forests and the cutting and sale of timber and other forest products from demonstration state forests to conform with regulations prepared by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection and approved by the board. The bill would repeal the authorization for state forest lands to be used for mining purposes, except as provided. The bill would require the regulations permitting prescribed herbivory, recreation concession, and surface mining for forest-related work and restoration purposes, including, but not limited to, the construction of watercourse crossings, on state forest lands to be updated to reflect the redefinition of management. Because a violation of these regulations would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires the department to prepare a map and data relating to the forest conditions, as provided. Existing law requires the department, in preparing the map and data, to be guided by a specified report. This bill would require the department to be guided by consultation with the board instead of by the specified report. Existing law declares that it is the policy of the state to establish and preserve an intensively managed, multifaceted research forest, known as the Soquel Demonstration State Forest, which is representative of forest activities as a living forest in the County of Santa Cruz, as provided. Existing law establishes the Legislature’s intent relating to the demonstration state forest. Existing law requires that income from the demonstration state forest property sustain all costs of operation and provide income for research and educational purposes. Existing law requires the department to adopt a general plan for the demonstration state forest, as provided. This bill would instead declare that it is the policy of the state to establish and conserve the Soquel Demonstration State Forest and would revise the Legislature’s intent relating to the demonstration state forest, as provided. The bill would require that income from the demonstration state forest property to additionally provide income for recreation. The bill would require the board, instead of the department, to adopt a forest management plan for the demonstration state forest, as specified. (4) Existing law requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, in consultation with the Secretary for Environmental Protection, to submit a report to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee on the activities of all state departments, agencies, and boards relating to forest and timberland regulation, as specified. This bill would, among other changes to the report, require the report include additional information, including, among other things, any identified staffing needs, by department, and costs per position, to support a more efficient review of timber harvest plans. (5) (4) Existing law authorizes the department to collect recreational user fees for overnight camping and reserved group activities in a demonstration state forest. Existing law prohibits the department from charging a fee that exceeds the amount necessary to reimburse the department’s costs for maintenance and improvement of campground facilities, associated recreational facilities, natural environment, and access thereto. Existing law requires all user fees collected by the department to be deposited into the Forest Resources Improvement Fund and requires the fees to be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to reimburse the department’s cost of maintaining and improving the campground facilities, associated recreational facilities, natural environment, and access thereto. Under existing law, the Forest Resources Improvement Fund is the depository for all revenue derived from the receipts from the sale of forest products, as defined, from state forests to support specified operations. Existing law authorizes money in the Forest Resource Improvement Fund to only be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the cost of operations associated with management of lands held in trust by the state and operated as demonstration state forests, as specified. This bill would repeal the prohibition on the department regarding charging a fee that exceeds the amount necessary to reimburse the department’s costs for maintenance and improvement, as provided. The bill would require any other funds generated by a demonstration state forest to be deposited into the Forest Resources Improvement Fund. (5) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Sections 4629.6 and 4629.8 of the Public Resources Code proposed by AB 706 to be operative only if this bill and AB 706 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (6) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) California faces significant challenges related to biodiversity, climate change, wildfire-resilient forests, postfire recovery of forests, and public access to nature, and has set statewide strategies for addressing those challenges, including the nature-based climate solution climate targets, the California Forest Carbon Plan, the Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy, the State Air Resources Board’s Natural and Working Lands Carbon Inventory and Scoping Plan, Pathways to 30x30 biodiversity conservation targets, the Wildfire and Landscape Resilience Action Plan, and the Outdoors for All Initiative. Lands that are owned and managed by the state should make a greater contribution toward reaching these goals than privately owned lands. (b) California seeks to develop management strategies to promote science-based decisionmaking that addresses diverse goals and objectives for landowners and forest managers, while promoting healthy forests that are resilient to disturbance. (c) Demonstrating land management tools for small public, private, tribal, and nongovernmental landowners improves the ability of landowners to manage forested lands for ecosystem health. (d) The Demonstration State Forest system provides for a living laboratory to exhibit tools available to manage forests in a variety of stand conditions and to test research hypotheses that may advise management techniques or supply information on forest health. (e) It is in the interest of the state to restore ecosystem conditions and functions in demonstration state forest lands and to develop or maintain stand conditions that reduce vulnerability to disturbance. (f) Demonstration state forests are public lands and important recreation assets, and should be managed to support recreational opportunities. (g) It is the policy of the state to respect California Native American tribal sovereignty and to seek opportunities for comanagement and integration of local indigenous traditional ecological knowledge in forest management. (h) The state recognizes the value of partnerships among tribes, local communities, nonprofit stewardship organizations, educational institutions, recreation interests, and public agencies in advancing forest stewardship, ecological restoration, public access, tribal cultural resource protection, and long-term forest resilience. (i) It is the policy of the state to accept or acquire lands, the reforestation or restoration of which is not assured under private ownership, to restore those lands for resiliency to disturbance and improved ecosystem function. (j) It is the policy of the state to encourage the prudent and responsible management of California’s forest resources to meet the public’s need for forest products. (k) It is the policy of the state to protect old growth trees. (l) The creation of stand conditions that are resilient to disturbance provides for multiple cobenefits relating to carbon capture, water and soil health, species diversity, recreational opportunities, and research. SEC. 2. Section 4629.6 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read: 4629.6. Moneys deposited in the fund shall, upon appropriation by the Legislature, only be expended for the following purposes: (a) To reimburse the State Board of Equalization for its administrative costs associated with the administration, collection, audit, and issuance of refunds related to the lumber products and engineered wood assessment established pursuant to Section 4629.5. (b) To pay refunds issued pursuant to Part 30 (commencing with Section 55001) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. (c) To support the activities and costs of the department, the Department of Conservation, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the State Water Resources Control Board, and regional water quality control boards associated with the review of projects or permits necessary to conduct timber operations. On or after July 1, 2013, except for fees applicable for fire prevention or protection within state responsibility area classified lands or timber yield assessments, no currently authorized or required fees shall be charged by the agencies listed in this subdivision for activities or costs associated with the review of a project, inspection and oversight of projects, and permits necessary to conduct timber operations of those departments and boards. (d) For transfer to the department’s Forest Improvement Program for forest resources improvement grants and projects administered by the department pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 4790) and Chapter 2 (commencing with S [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]