Existing law establishes the San Joaquin River Conservancy in the Natural Resources Agency to acquire and manage public lands within the San Joaquin River Parkway, which consists of the San Joaquin River and specified lands on both sides of the San Joaquin River. Existing law requires that the governing board of the conservancy consist of 15 voting members, as prescribed, including, among others, the Chairpersons of the Board of Directors of the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District and the Madera Irrigation District, or their designees, and one resident of Fresno County and one resident of Madera County appointed by the Governor from a list of candidates provided by the boards of supervisors of these counties, respectively. Existing law requires the boards of supervisors of these counties to develop their lists from a list submitted by environmental organizations and property owners of their counties pursuant to a rotating appointment qualification requirement, as specified. Existing law requires the office of the chairperson of the governing board of the conservancy to rotate every 2 years among the Mayor or designated council member of the City of Fresno, the member of the Board of Supervisors of Madera County, and the member of the Board of Supervisors of Fresno County. Existing law subjects the meetings of the governing board of the conservancy to the Ralph M. Brown Act.

This bill instead would require the governing board of the conservancy to consist of 16 voting members, including one new member of a California Native American tribe appointed by the Governor from a list submitted by local tribal organizations and one new youth member appointed by the Governor from lists submitted by youth-serving nonprofit organizations that have a presence within, or by institutions of higher education within, Fresno County or Madera County, who is a resident of Fresno County or Madera County and 18 to 26 years of age, inclusive, and is not an elected official. The bill would instead require the Chairpersons of the Board of Directors of the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District and the Madera Irrigation District to rotate appointments, with each chairperson serving for one 2-year term before rotating to the other chairperson. The bill instead would require the resident of Fresno County to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and the resident of Madera County to be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly from a list of 2 or more individuals provided by the Boards of Supervisors of Fresno and Madera County, respectively, developed from a list submitted by nonprofit organizations that have a presence within their counties, respectively, and that support outdoor recreation, conservation, environmental justice, or social justice issues. The bill instead would require the voting members of the governing board of the conservancy to annually elect from among the voting members of the board a chairperson and a vice chairperson, as provided, and would prohibit a person from serving as chairperson for more than 2 consecutive terms. The bill instead would subject the meetings of the governing board of the conservancy to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act. To the extent this bill would impose new duties on the Boards of Supervisors of Fresno and Madera County, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

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.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.