BILL NUMBER: AB 543	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 8, 2013

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Campos

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2013

   An act to add Section 21097 to the Public Resources Code, relating
to environmental quality.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 543, as amended, Campos. California Environmental Quality Act:
translation.
   Existing law, the California Environmental Quality Act 
(CEQA)   , referred to as CEQA  , requires a lead
agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify
the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project that
it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant
effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it
finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires
a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a
project that may have a significant effect on the environment if
revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and
there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would
have a significant effect on the environment.
   This bill would require a lead agency to translate  any
notice, document, or executive summary required by the act 
 certain notices required by the act and a summary of any
negative declaration, mitigated negative declaration, or
environmental impact report,  when the impacted community has a
substantial number of non-English-speaking people, as 
specified   defined  . By requiring a lead agency
to translate these  writings   notices and
documents  , 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 these
statutory provisions.  
   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 no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 21097 is added to the Public Resources Code, to
read:
   21097.   (a)    A lead agency shall translate
 any notice, document, or executive summary required by this
division   each of the following  when the impacted
community has a substantial number of non-English-speaking 
people, as specified in Section 7296.2 of the Government Code.
  people: 
   (1) Any notice required pursuant to Section 21080.5, 21083.9,
21092, 21152, or 21161.  
   (2) A summary of any negative declaration, mitigated negative
declaration, or environmental impact report.  
   (b) For the purposes of this section, "substantial number of
non-English-speaking people" means members of a group who either do
not speak English or who are unable to effectively communicate in
English because it is not their native language, and who comprise 5
percent or more of the people who may be affected by the project.
 
  SEC. 2.    If the Commission on State Mandates
determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs
shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code. 
   SEC. 2.    No reimbursement is required by this act
pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution because a local agency or school district has the
authority to levy service charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to
pay for the program or level of service mandated by this act, within
the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code.