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AB-475 GO-Biz: trade and investment desk: Japan.(2021-2022)



Current Version: 04/20/21 - Amended Assembly

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AB475:v98#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Assembly  April 20, 2021

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 475

Introduced by Assembly Member Muratsuchi
(Principal coauthor: Senator Hertzberg)
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Holden, Irwin, and Wicks)

February 08, 2021

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


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 475, as amended, Muratsuchi. GO-BIZ: GO-Biz: trade and investment office: desk: 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, 2024, upon appropriation of sufficient funds for this purpose, would require GO-Biz to establish under its jurisdiction an international trade and investment office desk in Tokyo, Japan, and makes related findings and declarations. The bill would require the trade and investment office desk 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 desk to, among other things, promote the export of California goods and services into Japan. The bill would also authorize GO-Biz to contract with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) to provide office and meeting space, as specified.
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.
This bill would require the director of GO-Biz to include information regarding the Japan trade and investment office desk 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 10.9 percent of total Unites United States exports. exports in 2020.
(b) Japan has remained California’s fourth largest export market since 2010.
(c) California exports to Japan totaled $13,000,000,000 $10,600,000,000 in 2018. 2020.
(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 foreign country besides China and Mexico.
(f) California and Japan signed in 2014, and concurred to renew in 2016, a memorandum of cooperation to coordinate efforts on, among other things, climate change, zero-emission vehicles, and trade and investment.

SEC. 2.

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

13996.45.
 (a) No later than January 1, 2024, upon appropriation of sufficient funds for this purpose, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development shall establish under its jurisdiction an international trade and investment office desk in Tokyo, Japan. The trade and investment office desk 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 desk 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 Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development may contract with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), consistent with subdivision (f) of Section 13996.41, to provide office and meeting space for the Japan trade and investment office desk to reduce costs to the state.
(d) The director shall include information regarding the Japan trade and investment office desk in the reports prepared and transmitted pursuant to Section 13996.65.