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AB-2135 GO-BIZ: trade and investment office: Japan.(2019-2020)

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Date Published: 02/10/2020 09:00 PM
AB2135:v99#DOCUMENT


CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 2135

Introduced by Assembly Member Muratsuchi

February 10, 2020

An act to add Section 13996.45 to the Government Code, relating to economic development.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2135, as introduced, Muratsuchi. GO-BIZ: trade and investment office: Japan.
The Economic Revitalization Act establishes the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, also known as “GO-Biz,” to, among other duties, serve the Governor as the lead entity for economic strategy and the marketing of California on issues relating to business development, private sector investment, and economic growth. Existing law requires the director of GO-Biz to develop an International Trade and Investment Program for the state and authorizes the director to establish and terminate international trade and investment offices outside of the United States as the director determines is appropriate, if specific requirements are met.
This bill, no later than January 1, 2023, upon appropriation of sufficient funds for this purpose, would require the office to establish under its jurisdiction an international trade and investment office in Tokyo, Japan. The bill would require the trade and investment office to have those powers and duties prescribed by the director to promote and facilitate the state’s international trade activities and would require the trade and investment office to, among other things, promote the export of California goods and services into Japan.
Existing law requires the director of GO-Biz to prepare and submit an annual budget and strategy and business plan for the International Trade and Investment Program that includes, among other things, a separately stated budget for each international trade and investment office. Existing law requires that budget and strategy and business plan to be submitted to specified legislative committees.
The bill would require the director of GO-Biz to include information regarding the Japan trade and investment office in that budget and strategy and business plan for the International Trade and Investment Program.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) California continues to be one of the top exporting states to Japan, accounting for over 17 percent of total Unites States exports.
(b) Japan has remained California’s fourth largest export market since 2010.
(c) California exports to Japan totaled $13,000,000,000 in 2018.
(d) Japan ranks first in all aspects of direct foreign investments to southern California.
(e) California is currently the top importing state in the United States for products from Japan. In addition, California buys more products from Japan than any other country besides China and Mexico.

SEC. 2.

 Section 13996.45 is added to the Government Code, to read:

13996.45.
 (a) No later than January 1, 2023, upon appropriation of sufficient funds for this purpose, the office shall establish under its jurisdiction an international trade and investment office in Tokyo, Japan. The trade and investment office shall have those powers and duties prescribed by the director to promote and facilitate the state’s international trade activities.
(b) The Japan trade and investment office established pursuant to this section shall do all of the following:
(1) Facilitate access to educational exchange programs between California and Japan.
(2) Promote the export of California goods and services into Japan.
(3) Encourage and facilitate capital investment from Japan into California.
(c) The director shall include information regarding the Japan trade and investment office in the reports prepared and transmitted pursuant to Section 13996.65.