Assemblymember Muratsuchi’s Sea Level Rise Assessment Bill Heads to Governor’s Desk

AB 691 requires holders of public trust lands to assess the impacts of sea level rise

(Sacramento, CA) – Assembly Bill 691, authored by Assemblymember Muratsuchi (D-Torrance), passed the Assembly Floor earlier this week, concurring Senate amendments. The bill is now on the Governor’s desk.

AB 691 will help prepare California’s public trust lands for the impacts of sea level rise by requiring holders of public trust lands to assess the impacts and report the results to the State Lands Commission.

California’s coastal areas, including tidelands, are granted in trust by the Legislature to local jurisdictions for management purposes. Although the lands are managed locally, the State Lands Commission is vested with all residual jurisdiction and authority.

“I urge Governor Brown to sign AB 691,” said Muratsuchi. “This bill is critical as it would protect public trust lands from sea level rise and prevent Californians from losing these important public assets.”

An assessment of the impacts associated with sea level rise would include maps showing the areas that may be affected, impact of sea level rise on the public trust lands and an estimate of the financial cost of the impact of sea level rise on granted lands. However, a trustee would not be required to complete the assessment if they receive less than $250,000 in gross public trust revenues, or the land is not subject to sea level rise by 2100, or the cost of the report would outweigh the potential impacts from sea level rise.

Governor Brown has until October 13 to sign the bill into law.

www.assembly.ca.gov/muratsuchi