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SB-342 South Coast Air Quality Management District: board membership.(2021-2022)

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Date Published: 05/26/2021 09:00 PM
SB342:v96#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Senate  May 26, 2021
Amended  IN  Senate  April 22, 2021
Amended  IN  Senate  March 10, 2021

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill
No. 342


Introduced by Senators Gonzalez and Kamlager
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Cristina Garcia)

February 09, 2021


An act to amend Sections 40420 and 40424 of of, and to add Section 40429 to, the Health and Safety Code, relating to air pollution.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 342, as amended, Gonzalez. South Coast Air Quality Management District: board membership.
Existing law establishes the South Coast Air Quality Management District vested with the authority to regulate air emissions from stationary sources located in the South Coast Air Basin and establishes a district board, consisting of 13 members.
This bill would add 2 members to the district board, appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and the Speaker of the Assembly. The bill would require the 2 additional members to reside in and work directly with communities in the South Coast Air Basin that are disproportionately burdened by and vulnerable to high levels of pollution and issues of environmental justice. The bill would also require a candidate for these positions to meet other specified requirements.
Existing law continues in existence the South Coast Air Quality Management District Advisory Council, which is appointed by the district board, to advise and consult with the board.
This bill would authorize the district board to create a Labor Advisory Panel to provide feedback and input on all district permitting, rules, regulations, and planning issues that have the potential to impact the workforce in the South Coast Air Basin.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 Section 40420 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

40420.
 (a) The south coast district shall be governed by a district board consisting of 15 members appointed as follows:
(1) One member appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate.
(2) (A) Two members appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules.
(B) (i) One member appointed pursuant to this paragraph shall reside in and work directly with communities in the South Coast Air Basin that are disproportionately burdened by and vulnerable to high levels of pollution and issues of environmental justice, including, but not limited to, disadvantaged communities identified pursuant to Section 39711, communities with diverse racial and ethnic populations, and low-income communities, as defined in Section 39713.
(ii) A candidate to be appointed pursuant to clause (i) shall be well respected by the environmental justice communities, organizations, and leaders in the South Coast Air Basin and shall have a proven history of advocating for the environmental justice rights of the communities described in clause (i).
(3) (A) Two members appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.
(B) (i) One member appointed pursuant to this paragraph shall reside in and work directly with communities in the South Coast Air Basin that are disproportionately burdened by and vulnerable to high levels of pollution and issues of environmental justice, including, but not limited to, disadvantaged communities identified pursuant to Section 39711, communities with diverse racial and ethnic populations, and low-income communities, as defined in Section 39713.
(ii) A candidate to be appointed pursuant to clause (i) shall be well respected by the environmental justice communities, organizations, and leaders in the South Coast Air Basin and shall have a proven history of advocating for the environmental justice rights of the communities described in clause (i).
(4) Four members appointed by the boards of supervisors of the counties in the south coast district. Each board of supervisors shall appoint one of these members, who shall be one of the following:
(A) A member of the board of supervisors of the county making the appointment.
(B) A mayor or member of a city council from a city in the portion of the county making the appointment that is included in the south coast district.
(5) Three members appointed by cities in the south coast district. The city selection committee of Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties shall each appoint one of these members, who shall be either a mayor or a member of the city council of a city in the portion of the county included in the south coast district.
(6) A member appointed by the cities of the western region of Los Angeles County, consisting of the Cities of Agoura Hills, Artesia, Avalon, Bell, Bellflower, Bell Gardens, Beverly Hills, Calabasas, Carson, Cerritos, Commerce, Compton, Cudahy, Culver City, Downey, El Segundo, Gardena, Hawaiian Gardens, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Hidden Hills, Huntington Park, Inglewood, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Lakewood, Lawndale, Lomita, Long Beach, Lynwood, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Maywood, Montebello, Norwalk, Palos Verdes Estates, Paramount, Pico Rivera, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Santa Fe Springs, Santa Monica, Signal Hill, South Gate, Torrance, Vernon, West Hollywood, Westlake Village, and Whittier. These cities shall organize as a city selection committee for the purposes of subdivision (f), and shall be known as the city selection committee of the western region of Los Angeles County. The member appointed shall be either a mayor or a member of the city council of a city in the western region.
(7) A member appointed by the cities of the eastern region of Los Angeles County, consisting of the cities in Los Angeles County that are not listed in paragraph (6) or (8), and excluding the Cities of Lancaster, Los Angeles, and Palmdale. These cities shall organize as a city selection committee for the purposes of subdivision (f), and shall be known as the city selection committee of the eastern region of Los Angeles County. The member appointed shall be either a mayor or a member of the city council of a city in the eastern region.
(8) A member appointed by the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles from among the members of the Los Angeles City Council.
(b)  All members shall be appointed on the basis of their demonstrated interest and proven ability in the field of air pollution control and their understanding of the needs of the general public in connection with air pollution problems of the South Coast Air Basin.
(c) The member appointed by the Governor shall be either a physician who has training and experience in the health effects of air pollution, an environmental engineer, a chemist, a meteorologist, or a specialist in air pollution control.
(d) Each member shall be appointed on the basis of their ability to attend substantially all meetings of the south coast district board, to discharge all duties and responsibilities of a member of the south coast district board on a regular basis, and to participate actively in the affairs of the south coast district. A member shall not designate an alternate for any purpose or otherwise be represented by another in their capacity as a member of the south coast district board.
(e) Each appointment by a board of supervisors shall be considered and acted on at a duly noticed, regularly scheduled hearing of the board of supervisors, which shall provide an opportunity for testimony on the qualifications of the candidates for appointment.
(f) The appointments by cities in the south coast district shall be considered and acted on at a duly noticed meeting of the city selection committee, which shall meet in a government building and provide an opportunity for testimony on the qualifications of the candidates for appointment. Each appointment shall be made by not less than a majority of all the cities in the portion of the county included in the south coast district having not less than a majority of the population of all the cities in the portion of the county included in the south coast district. Population shall be determined on the basis of the most recent verifiable census data developed by the Department of Finance. Persons residing in unincorporated areas or areas of a county outside the south coast district shall not be considered for the purposes of this subdivision.
(g) The members appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and the Speaker of the Assembly shall have one or more of the qualifications specified in subdivision (c) or shall be a public member. None of those appointed members may be a locally elected official.
(h) All members shall be residents of the district.
(i) (1) The member who was serving on the district board as of June 1, 2007, who had been appointed to represent the eastern region of Los Angeles County shall be deemed on January 1, 2008, to be the member appointed to represent the western region of Los Angeles County pursuant to paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) and shall serve from January 1, 2008, until the end of the term of office for the member who had been appointed to represent the western region of Los Angeles County. At the end of that term, the city selection committee of the western region of Los Angeles County shall make an appointment pursuant to paragraph (6) of subdivision (a).
(2) The member who was serving on the district board as of June 1, 2007, who had been appointed to represent the western region of Los Angeles County shall be deemed on January 1, 2008, to be the member appointed pursuant to paragraph (8) of subdivision (a) until the end of that member’s term. At the end of that term, the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles shall make an appointment pursuant to paragraph (8) of subdivision (a).
(3) On or after January 1, 2008, the city selection committee of the eastern region of Los Angeles County shall convene promptly to make an appointment pursuant to paragraph (7) of subdivision (a).

SEC. 2.

 Section 40424 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

40424.
 (a)  Except as provided in subdivision (b), eight members of the south coast district board shall constitute a quorum, and no official action shall be taken by the south coast district board except in the presence of a quorum and upon the affirmative votes of a majority of the members of the south coast district board.
(b)  Notwithstanding subdivision (a), whenever there are two or more vacancies on the south coast district board, seven members shall constitute a quorum, and the two vacant positions shall not be counted toward the majority required for official action by the south coast district board. Thereafter, whenever at least one of those vacancies is filled, the quorum and voting requirements of subdivision (a) shall apply.

SEC. 3.

 Section 40429 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

40429.
 (a) The south coast district board may create a Labor Advisory Panel composed of six representatives whose members perform work in the South Coast Air Basin. The Labor Advisory Panel shall provide feedback and input on all district permitting, rules, regulations, and planning issues that have the potential to impact the workforce in the South Coast Air Basin.
(b) The south coast district board shall designate one member of its board to serve as the liaison to the Labor Advisory Panel. The liaison shall meet with the Labor Advisory Panel at least four times per year and report to the south coast district board as necessary to inform the board of any issues with the activities described in subdivision (a) and of any potential resolution to those issues.
(c) The south coast district board shall select the members of the Labor Advisory Panel from nominations provided by the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, the Inland Empire Labor Council, and the Orange County Labor Federation.