S. 1459: Protecting Unique and Beautiful Landscapes by Investing in California Lands Act

117th Congress · introduced 2021-04-29 · Public Lands and Natural Resources · Latest: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2021-04-29 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Protecting Unique and Beautiful Landscapes by Investing in California Lands Act

Plain summary

Protecting Unique and Beautiful Landscapes by Investing in California Lands Act or the PUBLIC Lands Act This bill sets forth provisions concerning the restoration, economic development, and conservation of, and recreational access to, certain public lands in California. The bill establishes the South Fork Trinity-Mad River Restoration Area, the California Public Lands Remediation Partnership, the Trinity Lake and Del Norte County visitor centers, the Horse Mountain Special Management Area, the Elk Camp Ridge Recreation Trail, the Sanhedrin Special Conservation Management Area, and the Condor National Scenic Trail. The bill designates specified federal lands as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, the North Fork Wilderness as the North Fork Eel River Wilderness, specified federal lands as potential wilderness areas, specified segments of certain rivers and creeks and of a specified river estuary as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, the Machesna Mountain and the Fox Mountain Potential Wilderness Areas, the Condor Ridge and Black Mountain Scenic Areas, and the San Gabriel National Recreation Area. Also, the bill authorizes the utilization of certain forest residues for research and development of biobased products that result in net carbon sequestration, authorizes initiatives to restore degraded redwood forest ecosystems in the Redwood National Forest and state parks, requires specified recreational studies and partnerships, and expands the boundaries of the Elkhorn Ridge Wilderness and the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Protecting Unique and Beautiful Landscapes by Investing in California Lands Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] reported raising $1.6 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Ballot initiative: A proposed law or constitutional amendment that citizens place on the ballot by gathering enough voter signatures, so voters decide it directly. About half the states allow some form of it.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-117s1459.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/117/s>

Record fed-us-cong117-s1459 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117