(1) Existing law, until December 1, 2015, creates the Sonoma County Regional Climate Protection Authority (authority). Existing law provides for the authority to be governed by the same board as that governing the Sonoma County Transportation Authority and imposes certain duties on the authority. Existing law authorizes the authority to perform coordination and implementation activities within the boundaries of the County of Sonoma, in cooperation with local agencies, as defined, that elect to participate, to assist those agencies in meeting their greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. Existing law authorizes the authority to develop, coordinate, and implement programs and policies to comply with the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 and other federal or state mandates and programs designed to respond to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

This bill would instead make the above provisions inoperative on December 1, 2019, and would repeal them as of January 1, 2020. By extending the addition of new duties on local governments participating in the Sonoma County Regional Climate Protection Authority, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

(2)This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Sonoma.

(3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.