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AB 721

Huron Hawk Conservancy.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Esmeralda Soria

Creates the Huron Hawk Conservancy to acquire and manage the 3,000-acre Huron Hawk area for habitat restoration and public recreation, funded by legislature-appropriated funds.

In committee: Held under submission.
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Bill Summary · AB 721

AB 721 — Huron Hawk Conservancy (Soria) — Summary

Status: In committee — Held under submission (last action: 2025-05-23)
Introduced: February 14, 2025

Purpose / Intent

AB 721 would create the Huron Hawk Conservancy as a new state conservancy within the Natural Resources Agency to revitalize and manage the San Luis Canal Westside Detention Basin (the “Huron Hawk area”) north of the City of Huron (Fresno County). The bill cites the site’s ecological, recreational, educational, and economic potential — it is described as roughly a 3,000-acre publicly owned riparian habitat in the Tulare Basin — and envisions coordinated public, local, and community efforts to restore and manage the area for multiple benefits.

Key provisions

  • Establishes a new statutory division in the Public Resources Code: the Huron Hawk Conservancy Act (Division 22.6, commencing with Section 32540).
  • Defines the “Huron Hawk area” by specific local boundary streets (north of Huron; east border: San Luis Canal; west: South Trinity Ave; south: West Marmon Ave; plus a spur along Lassen Ave).
  • Creates the Huron Hawk Conservancy as a state agency within the Natural Resources Agency with jurisdiction limited to the Huron Hawk area and with purposes that include:
    • Acquiring and managing public and open-space lands in the defined area;
    • Providing recreational and educational opportunities;
    • Restoring and protecting wildlife habitat.
  • Establishes the Huron Hawk Conservancy Fund in the State Treasury. Moneys in the fund are available for conservancy expenditures only upon appropriation by the Legislature.
  • Authorizes the conservancy to accept and deposit into the Fund revenue, grants, goods, services, and contributions from member agencies, public agencies, private entities, and individuals.
  • Sets governance by a 12‑member board with statutorily specified appointments (examples in the text include: a Fresno County Supervisor, the Mayor of Huron or designee, a county parks/after‑school director or designee, and three public members selected via processes involving the Senate Committee on Rules and local nonprofit nominations). (Full board appointment details are in the bill text; portions in the provided excerpt are truncated.)
  • States that the conservancy’s powers, duties, and limitations are prescribed in the bill.

Affected parties / impacts

  • Local: County of Fresno, City of Huron, and residents near the Huron Hawk area (site stewardship responsibilities and representation on the board).
  • State agencies: Natural Resources Agency (host), Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Parks and Recreation, Wildlife Conservation Board, State Lands Commission, Department of Finance (listed as “member agencies” in definitions).
  • Federal owners/managers: site is owned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, comanaged by the Department of Water Resources, and monitored by the U.S. EPA — coordination with federal entities will be necessary.
  • Fiscal: The conservancy requires legislative appropriation (or bond approval where applicable) to expend Fund moneys. The bill imposes new duties on local agencies and includes a state‑mandated local program clause — if the Commission on State Mandates finds costs, reimbursement procedures apply.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • The bill becomes operational only upon appropriation by the Legislature or approval of a general obligation bond as provided in the bill.
  • Legislative progress (selected): introduced 2/14/2025; amendments and committee referrals in March–April 2025; read and amended in April 2025; referred to Assembly Appropriations (suspense file) and, as of 5/23/2025, held under submission in committee.

Limitations / open items

  • The excerpted text truncates some board appointment and operational details; the bill text should be consulted for the complete membership, terms, powers, and any limits on acquisition or management authority.
  • Funding and actual implementation depend on future appropriations or bond funding and interagency/federal coordination given current federal ownership.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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