Article XV.
Miscellaneous

Section 4a.

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(1) In each biennium the Legislative Assembly shall appropriate all of the moneys in the parks subaccount of the parks and natural resources fund established under section 4 of this Article for the uses allowed in subsection (2) of this section, and to achieve all of the following:
(a) Provide additional public parks, natural areas or outdoor recreational areas to meet the needs of current and future residents of the State of Oregon;
(b) Protect natural, cultural, historic and outdoor recreational resources of state or regional significance;
(c) Manage public parks, natural areas and outdoor recreation areas to ensure their long-term ecological health and provide for the enjoyment of current and future residents of the State of Oregon; and
(d) Provide diverse and equitable opportunities for residents of the State of Oregon to experience nature and participate in outdoor recreational activities in state, regional, local or neighborhood public parks and recreation areas.
(2) The moneys in the parks subaccount shall be used only to:
(a) Maintain, construct, improve, develop, manage and operate state parks, ocean shores, public beach access areas, historic sites, natural areas and outdoor and recreation areas;
(b) Acquire real property, or interests therein, that has significant natural, scenic, cultural, historic or recreational values, for the creation or operation of state parks, ocean shores, public beach access areas, outdoor recreation areas and historic sites; and
(c) Provide grants to regional or local government entities to acquire property for public parks, natural areas or outdoor recreation areas, or to develop or improve public parks, natural areas or outdoor recreation areas.
(3) In each biennium the Legislative Assembly shall appropriate no less than twelve percent of the moneys in the parks subaccount for local and regional grants as authorized under paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of this section. However, if in any biennium the amount of net proceeds deposited in the parks and natural resources fund created under section 4 of this Article increases by more than fifty percent above the amount deposited in the 2009-2011 biennium, the Legislative Assembly shall appropriate no less than twenty-five percent of the moneys in the parks subaccount for local and regional grants as authorized under paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of this section. The grants shall be administered by a single state agency. The costs of the state agency in administering the grants shall not be paid out of the portion of the moneys in the parks subaccount appropriated for local and regional grants.

Any state agency that receives moneys from the parks and natural resources fund established under section 4 of this Article for the public purpose of financing the protection, repair, operation, creation and development of state parks, ocean shores and public beach access areas, historic sites and recreation areas shall have the authority to use the moneys for the following purposes:
(1) Maintain, construct, improve, develop, manage and operate state park and recreation facilities, programs and areas.
(2) Acquire real property, or interest therein, deemed necessary for the creation and operation of state parks, ocean shores public beach access areas, recreation and historic sites or because of natural, scenic, cultural, historic and recreational values.
(3) Operate grant programs for local government entities deemed necessary to accomplish the public purposes of the parks and natural resources fund established under section 4 of this Article.