As most followers are aware, earlier in February, Senator Jerry Hill (D- San Mateo), introduced a bill to establish permanent access to Martin's Beach. Senate Bill 968 requires that the State Lands Commission consult and enter negotiations with the property owner adjacent to the beach (Vinod Khosla) to purchase land required to provide permanent public access to the public beach. The bill further states that if purchase cannot be negotiated by 2016, the State Lands Commission shall acquire an access easement via eminent domain. Surfrider Foundation is grateful for the introduction of this bill and grateful that the legislature is considering a means for addressing this very important loss of access to Martin's Beach.
The bill has passed through the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water with a 7-2 vote. Senators Evans, Hueso, Jackson, Lara, Monning, Pavley, and Wolk voting to pass the bill, and Senators Cannella and Fuller voting against it. If you are a constituent, please consider hand-writing a note to any of these Senators to either thank them for their vote, or to urge them to reconsider their vote when the bill comes before them again. (Contact info can be found here. If you're not sure who your Senator is, you can find out here.)
SB 968 is to be heard today, on Earth Day, by the Senate Committee on Judiciary.