BILL NUMBER: AB 410 CHAPTERED 09/15/02 CHAPTER 558 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 15, 2002 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 14, 2002 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 28, 2002 PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 27, 2002 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 22, 2002 AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 11, 2002 AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 29, 2002 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2002 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JANUARY 18, 2002 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JANUARY 7, 2002 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 29, 2001 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Salinas FEBRUARY 20, 2001 An act to amend Sections 15399.45, 15399.46, and 15399.48 of the Government Code, relating to rural programs. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 410, Salinas. Rural programs. Existing law establishes the California Rural Policy Task Force within the Office of Planning and Research in the Governor's office, specifies its composition, prescribes its duties, and requires each agency or department represented on the task force to develop a designated plan. Existing law also establishes the Rural California Technical Assistance Program in the Trade and Commerce Agency. Existing law repeals these provisions as of January 1, 2003. This bill would extend the repeal date of these provisions to January 1, 2007. The bill would revise the composition and duties of the California Rural Policy Task Force, and would require the task force to develop, on or before June 1, 2004, a strategic plan as prescribed. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 15399.45 of the Government Code is amended to read: 15399.45. (a) The California Rural Policy Task Force is hereby established within the Office of Planning and Research in the Governor's office, to be composed of the following state officers, or their representatives: (1) The Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency. (2) The Secretary of the Resources Agency. (3) The Secretary of the Technology, Trade, and Commerce Agency. (4) The Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. (5) The Secretary of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency. (6) The Secretary for Environmental Protection. (7) The Secretary for Education. (8) The Secretary of the Youth and Adult Correctional Agency. (9) The Director of Housing and Community Development. (10) The Director of the Department of Transportation. (11) The Secretary of the Department of Food and Agriculture. (12) The Lieutenant Governor. (13) The Director of the California Rural Policy Task Force. (14) The Executive Director of the Native American Heritage Commission. (15) The State Historic Preservation Officer. (b) The agencies and departments represented on the task force shall provide, from existing resources, staff for the work of the task force as necessary. (c) The task force shall oversee the mobilization and effective delivery of the state's resources to rural California. (d) The task force shall act as an internal policy advisory board to the Governor on issues related to rural areas. The task force shall be responsible for assisting the Governor, as the Governor deems appropriate, in reviewing, analyzing, developing, and facilitating the implementation of policies, programs, services, and legislation related to rural communities. (e) In addition to its other duties, the task force shall work closely with the Rural Development Council to ensure that recommendations of the council are reviewed and acted upon as determined appropriate by the task force. (f) Members of the task force shall individually and collectively hold meetings, conferences, and other types of events to provide rural areas with an opportunity to voice issues and concerns regarding program and service delivery in rural areas. (g) The task force shall report annually to the Governor and the Legislature on its efforts in implementing this section. SEC. 2. Section 15399.46 of the Government Code is amended to read: 15399.46. (a) The task force shall develop by June 1, 2004, a strategic plan for improving program and service delivery to rural areas that includes an analysis of how statewide and rural focused programs, services, and resources are being made available to rural areas. (b) The plan shall include individual components from each of the agencies and departments represented on the task force. Each individual component shall do all of the following: (1) Identify rural program and service delivery regions consistent with the organization and administration of the agency or department. (2) Identify the economic and community development problems and opportunities facing communities in each rural program and service delivery area serviced by the agency or department. (c) In addition to the individual components, the plan shall identify programs and services that could be used singularly or in combination with other state, federal, local, and private resources to meet the economic and community needs identified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b). The plan shall also provide a four-year plan of action that will coordinate the activities of the programs and services identified in paragraph (3) in such a manner as to assist rural communities in meeting their economic and community development needs. The plan of action shall include the identification of local and federal agencies that may assist the agency or department in effectively serving rural areas and other specific annual actions that the agency or department will take to further the purposes of this chapter. (d) The task force shall disseminate preliminary plans for public comment and, to the fullest extent possible, hold public hearings in rural communities and solicit comments from all affected cities and counties, and organizations whose purpose is economic and community development, to assist the agencies and departments in finalizing their plans. (e) The relevant annual actions identified in the four-year plan of action required under paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) shall be incorporated within the annual work plan of each agency and department represented on the task force. SEC. 3. Section 15399.48 of the Government Code is amended to read: 15399.48. This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2007, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before January 1, 2007, deletes or extends that date.