State parks: outdoor equity programs.

Existing law requires the Director of Parks and Recreation to establish the Outdoor Equity Grants Program to increase the ability of underserved and at-risk populations to participate in outdoor environmental educational experiences at state parks and other public lands where outdoor environmental education programs take place. Existing law authorizes the Department of Parks and Recreation to enter into community access agreements with eligible entities to provide interpretive services and visitor services at units of the state parks system to underserved park users, as provided. This bill would provide that use of a state park by an eligible entity, as defined, to provide outdoor equity programs, as defined, shall be considered an allowable public use of a unit of the state park system, and would require the department or an entity managing a unit of the state park system to treat this use in the same manner as general public use of the state park, as provided. The bill would, for planning purposes, require the eligible entity to notify the department or an entity managing the unit of the state park system at least 15 calendar days in advance of the planned activity and communicate any consequential changes to the planned activity or location before the start of the outdoor equity program.