(a) There is in the Transportation Agency a High-Speed Rail Authority.
(b) (1) The authority is composed of 11 members as follows:
(A) Five members appointed by the Governor.
(B) Two members appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules.
(C) Two members appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.
(D) One Member of the Senate appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and one Member of the Assembly appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly shall be ex officio members without vote and shall
participate in the activities of the authority to the extent that participation is not incompatible with their positions as Members of the Legislature.
(2) For the purposes of making appointments to the authority pursuant to subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1), the Governor, the Senate Committee on Rules, and the Speaker of the Assembly shall take into consideration geographical diversity to ensure that all regions of the state are adequately represented.
(c) Except as provided in subdivision (d), and until their successors are appointed, members of the authority, other than members appointed pursuant to subparagraphs (C) and (D) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b),
shall hold office for terms of four years. A vacancy shall be filled by the appointing power making the original appointment, by appointing a member to serve the remainder of the term or, in the case of a member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, at the pleasure of the Speaker of the Assembly.
(d) (1) In order to provide for evenly staggered terms, persons appointed or reappointed to the authority by the Governor and the Senate Committee on Rules after January 1, 2001, shall be appointed to initial terms to expire as follows:
(A) Of the five persons appointed by the Governor, one shall be appointed to a term that expires on December 31, 2002, one shall be appointed to a term that expires on December 31, 2003, one shall be appointed to a term that expires on December 31, 2004, and two shall be appointed to terms that expire on December 31, 2005.
(B) Of the two persons appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, one shall be appointed to a term that expires on December 31, 2002, and one shall be appointed to a term that expires on December 31, 2004.
(2) Following expiration of each of the initial terms provided for in this subdivision, the term shall expire every four years thereafter on December 31.
(e) Members of the authority are subject to the Political Reform Act of 1974 (Title 9 (commencing with Section 81000) of the Government Code).
(f) From among its voting members, the authority shall elect a chairperson, who shall preside at all meetings of the authority, and a vice chairperson to preside in the absence of the chairperson. The chairperson shall serve a term of one year.
(g) Five voting members of the authority constitute a quorum for taking any action by the authority.
(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 43, Sec. 5. (AB 1831) Effective June 27, 2018.)
(a) Each voting member of the authority shall receive compensation of one hundred dollars ($100) for each day that the member is attending to the business of the authority, but shall not receive more than five hundred dollars ($500) in any calendar month.
(b) Voting members of the authority shall be reimbursed for their actual travel expenses incurred in attending to the business of the
authority.
(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 117, Sec. 2. (AB 1813) Effective January 1, 2017.)
(a) The authority shall appoint an executive director, exempt from civil service, who shall serve at the pleasure of the authority, to administer the affairs of the authority as directed by the authority.
(b) For purposes of managing and administering the ongoing work of the authority in implementing the high-speed train project, the Governor, upon the recommendation of the executive director, may appoint up to six additional individuals, exempt from civil service, who shall serve at the pleasure of the executive director. Pursuant to this subdivision, the Governor may appoint persons only for the following positions:
(1) Chief program manager.
(2) Up to three regional directors.
(3) Chief financial officer.
(4) Director of risk management and project controls.
(c) The compensation of the executive director and the additional persons authorized by subdivision (b) shall be established by the authority, and approved by the Department of Human Resources, in an amount that is reasonably necessary, in the discretion of the authority, to attract and hold a person of superior qualifications. The authority shall cause to be conducted, through the use of independent outside advisers, a salary survey to determine the compensation for the positions under this subdivision. The Department of Human Resources may, in its discretion, accept a previously completed salary survey that meets the requirements of this
subdivision, and shall review the methodology used in the survey. The salary survey shall consider both of the following:
(1) Other state, regional, and local transportation agencies that are most comparable to the authority and its responsibilities.
(2) Other relevant labor pools.
The compensation set by the authority shall not exceed the highest comparable compensation for a position of that type, as determined by the salary survey. Based on the salary survey, these positions shall be paid a salary established by the authority and approved by the Department of Human Resources.
(d) The executive director may, as authorized by the authority, appoint necessary staff to carry out the provisions of this part.
(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 665, Sec. 188. (SB 1308) Effective January 1, 2013.)