AJR 34

AJR34:v99#DOCUMENT

Bill Start

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Joint Resolution

No. 34

Relative to public lands.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AJR 34, as introduced, Rogers. Public lands.

This measure would declare support for maintaining national public lands under the stewardship of the United States government and federal land management agencies and for foundational public processes designed to guide the sustainable use of these lands. The measure would declare opposition to all efforts that directly or indirectly diminish the public’s voice, access, and recourse in the use and management of national public lands. The measure would call upon members of California’s congressional delegation, the Governor, and the Attorney General to take all necessary actions to defend the public processes and statutory safeguards that ensure public lands are retained under federal stewardship in trust for the American people and managed for the broadest possible public benefit.

Digest Key

Fiscal Committee: NO

Bill Text

WHEREAS, Public lands are found in every part of the state, near every population center, and include the Mojave Desert, the Great Basin Desert, the forests, mountains, and lakes of the Sierra Nevada, the wetlands of the central valley, the lava caves and bubbling fumaroles of volcano county, the dramatic sea cliffs and sandy beaches of the coastal region, the tallest redwood trees, giant sequoias, bristlecone pine forests, rivers, watersheds, lakes, and streams; and

WHEREAS, These places inspire awe and wonder, provide opportunity for spiritual reflection and religious observance, and hold cultural and sacred significance for many individuals, faith communities, and indigenous peoples; and

WHEREAS, Californian’s share a profound love for these public lands for the essential services and benefits they provide to everyone; and

WHEREAS, Our national public lands, including national parks, national forests, national monuments, national wildlife refuges, and federal Bureau of Land Management lands, are foundational to Californian’s freedom and way of life; and

WHEREAS, The public lands of the United States were set aside and retained under federal law for the benefit of all Americans. These lands constitute a shared national heritage and are held in trust for present and future generations; and

WHEREAS, California is home to millions of acres, comprising nearly one-half of the state, of federally managed land that include critical habitat, public recreation areas, culturally significant landscapes, and open space vital to the state’s wildlife, clean air, and clean water that are fundamental to our quality of life; and

WHEREAS, Public lands provide critical opportunities for outdoor recreation, including hiking, camping, wildlife viewing, mountain biking, hunting, fishing, white water paddling, motorized and nonmotorized recreation, sightseeing, scientific research and educational discovery, and other activities that contribute to public health, quality of life, and cultural traditions; and

WHEREAS, Forests, rangelands, wetlands, and other ecosystems on federal lands store carbon, reduce wildfire risks, when properly managed, filter and store water, and provide other natural benefits for both local communities and the broader public; and

WHEREAS, Federal public lands contain sacred sites, archaeological resources, historic landscapes, and areas of cultural importance to Native American tribes and local communities; and

WHEREAS, Public lands are vital for local communities by supporting a robust outdoor recreation economy and sustainable natural resource management, which creates jobs, attracts tourism, and bolsters rural economies; and

WHEREAS, California has a substantial interest in ensuring that federal public lands are retained and managed in a manner that protects environmental resources, supports local economies, respects tribal sovereignty, and preserves public access; and

WHEREAS, Californians have consistently demonstrated strong support for keeping national public lands in public ownership and ensuring that they remain accessible for recreation, conservation, and sustainable use, demonstrated in part through the state’s commitment to protect 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030 and through 50 years of protections from the California Coastal Act of 1976 (Division 20 (commencing with Section 30000) of the Public Resources Code); and

WHEREAS, Large-scale disposal or privatization of federal public lands is contrary to the long-term environmental, economic, cultural, scenic, and recreational interests of the state and its residents; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature declares its support for maintaining our national public lands under the stewardship of the United States government and federal land management agencies; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature declares its support for the foundational public processes designed to guide the sustainable use of these lands; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature opposes all efforts, whether legislative or administrative, that directly or indirectly diminish the public’s voice, access, and recourse in the use and management of national public lands; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature calls upon the members of California’s congressional delegation, the Governor, and the Attorney General to take all necessary actions to defend the public processes and statutory safeguards that ensure public lands are retained under federal stewardship in trust for the American people and managed for the broadest possible public benefit; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States, and to the author for appropriate distribution.