SB630 - State parks: real property: acquisitions and leases.

Senate Bill No. 630 CHAPTER 775 An act to amend Sections 14667.1 and 15853 of, and to amend, repeal, and add Section 11005 of, the Government Code, and to amend Sections 5003.17, 5006, 5006.5, 5063, and 5069.3 of, and to amend, repeal, and add Section 5006.1 of, the Public Resources Code, relating to state parks. [ Approved by Governor October 13, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 13, 2025. ] LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 630, Allen. State parks: real property: acquisitions and leases. Existing law designates all parks, public campgrounds, monument sites, landmark sites, and sites of historical interest established or acquired by the state, or that are under its control, as the state park system, except as specified. Under existing law, the Department of Parks and Recreation controls the state park system, which is made up of units. Existing law requires the approval of the Director of General Services before the state may enter into a contract for the acquisition or hiring of real property, subject to a list of specified exceptions, as provided. Existing law requires the Department of General Services to review and approve appraisals related to the acquisition of property conducted by the Department of Parks and Recreation. This bill would authorize the director to waive the approvals as described above regarding state acquisition or hiring of real property and appraisals conducted by the Department of Parks and Recreation. The bill would, until January 1, 2033, additionally exempt from the requirement of contract approval by the Director of General Services the acquisition by the Department of Parks and Recreation of real property for park purposes under specific circumstances. Existing law authorizes the Department of Parks and Recreation to acquire title to or any interest in real property, including personal property incidental to the purchase of real property and options to purchase property, that the department deems necessary or proper for the extension, improvement, or development of the state park system. Existing law requires that all land and other real property to be acquired by or for any state agency be acquired by the State Public Works Board, except as specified. This bill would additionally exempt from this requirement, until January 1, 2033, acquisition of real property by the Department of Parks and Recreation for park purposes under specific circumstances. Existing law authorizes the Director of General Services to exempt from the director’s approval, or from the approval of the Department of General Services, any state real estate acquisition or conveyance involving not more than $150,000. This bill would expand this authorization regarding exemption of real estate acquisition or conveyance to any state real estate acquisition or conveyance involving not more than $750,000. Existing law authorizes the Department of Parks and Recreation to lease, for any use, all or any portion of any parcel of real property acquired for state park system purposes under specific circumstances, including, among others, that the lease is subject to approval by the Department of General Services. Existing law authorizes the Department of Parks and Recreation, with the consent of the Department of General Services, to lease real or personal property that the department deems necessary or proper for the extension, improvement, or development of the state park system. Existing law requires the Department of General Services to approve the lease of real property by the Department of Parks and Recreation for agricultural purposes. This bill would authorize the Department of General Services to waive its consent or approval of leases as described above regarding property leases for park purposes. Before entering into a lease contract for park and recreational areas, existing law requires lands proposed to be leased to be appraised by the Department of General Services to determine the fair market value of the lands, and requires the total amount of rent to be paid for the entire term under a lease contract to not be in excess of the fair market value of the lands, as determined by the Department of General Services, as specified. This bill would require the Department of Parks and Recreation, rather than the Department of General Services, to conduct the appraisal of the lands proposed to be leased. The bill would require the Department of General Services to review and approve the appraisal, unless review and approval is waived by the Department of General Services. The bill would require the Department of Parks and Recreation to submit a report, on or before January 1, 2028, January 1, 2030, and January 1, 2032, to the Legislature detailing the department’s use of the authority granted pursuant to the bill regarding the acquisition of real property without the approval of the Director of General Services. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 15853 of the Government Code and Section 5006.1 of the Public Resources Code proposed by AB 679 to be operative only if this bill and AB 679 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 11005 of the Government Code is amended to read: 11005. (a) (1) Unless the Legislature specifically provides that approval is not required, every gift or dedication to the state of personal property, or every gift to the state of real property in fee or in any lesser estate or interest, shall be approved by the Director of Finance. (2) Unless the Legislature specifically provides that approval is not required, every contract for the acquisition or hiring of real property in fee or in any lesser estate or interest, entered into by or on behalf of the state, shall be approved by the Director of General Services, unless the approval is waived by the director. (3) Any contract entered into in violation of this section is void. This section applies to any state agency that, by general or specific statute, is expressly or impliedly authorized to enter into transactions referred to in this section. (b) This section does not apply to any of the following: (1) Unconditional gifts of money. (2) The acquisition or hiring by the Department of Transportation of real property in fee or in any lesser estate or interest for highway purposes, but this section does apply to the hiring by that department of office space in any office building. (3) Contracts entered into under the authority of Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 11770) of Part 3 of Division 2 of the Insurance Code. (4) The receipt of donated, unencumbered personal property from private sources received in conjunction with the administration of the Federal Surplus Personal Property Program by the Department of General Services. (5) The receipt of gifts of personal property in the form of interpretive or historical objects, each valued at fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) or less, by the Department of Parks and Recreation. (6) The acceptance by the State Coastal Conservancy of offers to dedicate public accessways made pursuant to Division 20 (commencing with Section 30000) of the Public Resources Code. (7) The acquisition or hiring by the High-Speed Rail Authority of real property in fee or in any lesser estate or interest for high-speed rail purposes, but this section does apply to the hiring by that authority of office space in any office building. (8) The acquisition by the Department of Parks and Recreation of real property in fee or in any lesser estate or interest for park purposes, when the following conditions are met: (A) The acquisition is not for creating a new unit of the state park system. (B) The consideration to be paid by the Department of Parks and Recreation for the acquisition does not exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000). (C) At the time of the acquisition, the property does not require capital improvements or additional resources that cannot be absorbed within existing resources available to the Department of Parks and Recreation. (D) Public notice has been given, and a public meeting has been held, pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 5006.1 of the Public Resources Code. (c) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2033, and as of that date is repealed. SEC. 2. Section 11005 is added to the Government Code, to read: 11005. (a) (1) Unless the Legislature specifically provides that approval is not required, every gift or dedication to the state of personal property, or every gift to the state of real property in fee or in any lesser estate or interest, shall be approved by the Director of Finance. (2) Unless the Legislature specifically provides that approval is not required, every contract for the acquisition or hiring of real property in fee or in any lesser estate or interest, entered into by or on behalf of the state, shall be approved by the Director of General Services, unless the approval is waived by the director. (3) Any contract entered into in violation of this section is void. This section applies to any state agency that, by general or specific statute, is expressly or impliedly authorized to enter into transactions referred to in this section. (b) This section does not apply to any of the following: (1) Unconditional gifts of money. (2) The acquisition or hiring by the Department of Transportation of real property in fee or in any lesser estate or interest for highway purposes, but this section does apply to the hiring by that department of office space in any office building. (3) Contracts entered into under the authority of Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 11770) of Part 3 of Division 2 of the Insurance Code. (4) The receipt of donated, unencumbered personal property from private sources received in conjunction with the administration of the Federal Surplus Personal Property Program by the Department of General Services. (5) The receipt of gifts of personal property in the form of interpretive or historical objects, each valued at fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) or less, by the Department of Parks and Recreation. (6) The acceptance by the State Coastal Conservancy of offers to dedicate public accessways made pursuant to Division 20 (commencing with Section 30000) of the Public Resources Code. (7) The acquisition or hiring by the High-Speed Rail Authority of real property in fee or in any lesser estate or interest for high-speed rail purposes, but this section does apply to the hiring by that authority of office space in any office building. (c) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2033. SEC. 3. Section 14667.1 of the Government Code is amended to read: 14667.1. Notwithstanding Section 14616, the director may exempt from the director’s approval, or from the approval of the department, any state real estate acquisition or conveyance involving not more than seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) for which approval is required by statute whenever, in the director’s judgment, the state agency delegated that authority has the necessary real estate expertise and experience to complete the transaction competently and professionally while protecting the best interests of the state. Written notice of exemptions shall be given to the Controller. SEC. 4. Section 15853 of the Government Code is amended to read: 15853. (a) The board may select and acquire, in the name of and on behalf of the state, with the consent of the state agency concerned, the fee or any lesser right or interest in any real property necessary for any state purpose or function. (b) If moneys are appropriated by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act for any fiscal year or by any other act for the acquisition of land or other real property, either (1) subject to this part or (2) for any state agency for whom property is acquired by the board, the moneys and acquisitions are subject to this part and the moneys shall be expended in accordance with this part, notwithstanding any other law. (c) Notwithstanding any other law, all land and other real property to be acquired by or for any state agency, other than the Department of Transportation, the High-Speed Rail Authority, the Department of Water Resources, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Wildlife Conservation Board, the Public Employees’ Retirement System, the State Teachers’ Retirement System, the Department of Housing and Community Development, the State Lands Commission, except for property to be acquired for the State Lands Commission pursuant to an appropriation from the General Fund, the State Coastal Conservancy with respect to acceptance of offers to dedicate public accessways made pursuant to the California Coastal Act of 1976 (Division 20 (commencing with Section 30000)) of, and for the purposes of Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 31411) of Division 21 of, the Public Resources Code, and the Department of Parks and Recreation, until January 1, 2033, with respect to acquisitions set forth in paragraph (8) of subdivision (b) of Section 11005, shall be acquired by the State Public Works Board in accordance with this part. (d) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), and except as provided in subdivision (c), the board shall acquire, on behalf of and for the Department of Parks and Recreation, in accordance with this part, any interests in real property, including options to purchase, which have been appraised, selected, and settled through purchase negotiations by the Department of Parks and Recreation pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 5006 of the Public Resources Code. Out of moneys appropriated for the acquisition of options to purchase, no more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) may be expended for the acquisition of any single option unless otherwise provided by the Legislature. (2) Notwithstanding Section 15854, purchase negotiations for interests in real property for the state park system pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 5006 of the Public Resources Code shall be initiated within six months of the effective date of the act that appropriates funds for the acquisition. Purchase negotiations on all projects not proposed pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 5006 of the Public Resources Code shall be initiated within 12 months of the effective date of the act appropriating funds for the acquisition. Either title shall be conveyed or a written agreement to transfer title shall be executed within the appropriate authorization period unless the Department of Parks and Recreation formally abandons the acquisition before the conclusion of the appropriate authorization period. For purposes of this section, in order for the Department of Parks and Recreation to “formally abandon” an acquisition, it shall transmit written notification to the board of its intent not to proceed with the acquisition. [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]