7095.
(a) The California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley is hereby created in state government, effective January 1, 2009.(b) The purpose of the partnership is to coordinate and improve existing state and federal efforts for the San Joaquin Valley, in concert with locally led efforts, to increase the living standards and the overall economic performance of the valley. Economic development efforts shall include consideration of the preservation or enhancement of the natural environment and natural resources of the valley. The board of directors of the partnership shall consist of all of the following:
(1) Eight elected local government members from a list of three elected officials submitted by each of the eight councils of government from the following counties: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare. There shall be no more than one elected local government member from each of these counties. The Speaker of the Assembly shall appoint one member from each of the lists from the following counties: Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus. The Senate Committee on Rules shall appoint one member from each of the lists from the following counties: Fresno, Kern, Kings, and Tulare.
(2) Eight civic leaders or private sector members, appointed by the Governor, with at least one appointed from, and residing in, each of the following counties: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare. The civic leaders or private sector members appointed pursuant to this paragraph shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
(3) The following state officials:
(A) The Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing.
(B) The Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development.
(C) The Secretary for Environmental Protection.
(D) The Secretary of Food and Agriculture.
(E) The Secretary of State and Consumer Services.
(F) The Secretary for Education.
(G) The Secretary of the Resources Agency.
(H) The Secretary of California Health and Human Services.
(4) All elected Members of the Legislature and Members of Congress who represent any part of the eight counties constituting the San Joaquin Valley shall be ex officio nonvoting members of the board of directors.
(5) (A) One representative from each of the following entities who shall reside in one of the following counties: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, or Tulare:
(i) The Federal Interagency Task Force for the Economic Development of the San Joaquin Valley.
(ii) The California Economic Strategy Panel.
(iii) The California Transportation Commission.
(iv) The State Air Resources Board.
(v) The California Workforce Investment Board.
(B) The Senate Committee on Rules shall appoint the representatives under this paragraph, and the representatives shall serve at the pleasure of the Senate Committee on Rules.
(6) (A) Up to 12 representatives nominated by the members of the board of directors appointed pursuant to paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (5). Each nominee shall be a representative of an existing public nonprofit organization or a for-profit organization that the board of directors recognizes for using existing resources more effectively and implementing portions of the San Joaquin Valley Strategic Action Plan. The board of directors may nominate representatives from regional consortia such as the council of governments, workforce investment boards, economic development corporations, higher education institutions, employers related to targeted industry clusters, and county superintendents of education. Each representative nominated under this paragraph shall reside in one of the following counties: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, or Tulare.
(B) TheGovernor shall appoint the representatives nominated by the board of directors pursuant to subparagraph (A), and those representatives shall serve on the board of directors at the pleasure of the Governor.
(7) Up to three additional representatives with specialized expertise on San Joaquin Valley issues, appointed by the Governor.
(c) The Governor shall designate one of the members of the board of directors as the chair of the board of directors for the partnership and shall designate two other members of the board of directors as deputy chairs of the board of directors for the partnership. The Governor shall designate one local elected official appointed to the board of directors pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b), one civic leader appointed to the board of directors pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), and one state official appointed to the board of directors pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) for these positions.
(d) Each member of the board of directors shall serve at the pleasure of his or her appointing entity.
(e) No member of the board of directors shall receive compensation, but may be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses related to travel by the member for purposes of partnership activities.
(f) The board of directors of the partnership shall meet at least once quarterly for the conduct of its business.
(g) A majority of the voting membership of the board of directors shall constitute a quorum for the purposes of holding meetings or otherwise conducting partnership business. Any item of partnership business requiring a vote of the membership shall be subject to a vote of two-thirds of the members of the board of the partnership who are present at the meeting and who are eligible to vote.