Amended in Assembly March 24, 2014

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 2156


Introduced by Assembly Member Achadjian

February 20, 2014


An act to amend Section 56378 of, and to add Section 56047.7 to, the Government Code, relating to local government.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2156, as amended, Achadjian. Local agency formation commissions: studies.

Existing law, the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000, sets forth the powers and duties of a local agency formation commission, including, among others, the requirement to conduct studies of existing governmental agencies that include, but are not limited to, inventorying those agencies and determining their maximum service area and service capacities. The commission is authorized to request land use information, studies, and plans of cities, counties, districts, including school districts, community college districts, and regional agencies and state agencies and departments, in connection with conducting the required studies, and the governmental agencies are required to comply with the commission’s request.

This bill would include joint powers agencies and joint powers authorities among the entities from which the commission is authorized to request land use information, studies, and plans, for purposes of conducting the studies described abovebegin insert, and also would include joint powers agreements in the list of items the commission may request in conducting those studiesend insert. The bill would specifically define “joint powers agency” and “joint powers authority” for purposes of the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

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

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SECTION 1.  

Section 56047.7 is added to the Government
2Code
, to read:

3

56047.7.  

“Joint powers agency” or “joint powers authority”
4means an agency or entity formed pursuant to the Joint Exercise
5of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of
6Chapter 5 of Division 7 of Title 1) that is formed for the local
7performance of governmental functions that includes the provision
8of municipal services.

9

SEC. 2.  

Section 56378 of the Government Code is amended
10to read:

11

56378.  

(a) In addition to its other powers, the commission
12shall initiate and make studies of existing governmental agencies.
13Those studies shall include, but shall not be limited to, inventorying
14those agencies and determining their maximum service area and
15service capacities. In conducting those studies, the commission
16may request land use information, studies,begin insert joint powers agreements,end insert
17 and plans of cities, counties, districts, including school districts,
18community college districts, joint powers agencies and joint powers
19authorities, regional agencies and state agencies and departments.
20Cities, counties, districts, including school districts, community
21college districts, joint powers agencies and joint powers authorities,
22regional agencies, and state agencies and departments, shall comply
23with the request of the commission for that information and the
24commission shall make its studies available to public agencies and
25any interested person. In making these studies, the commission
26may cooperate with the county planning commissions.

27(b) The commission, or the board of supervisors on behalf of
28the commission, may apply for or accept, or both, any financial
29assistance and grants-in-aid from public or private agencies or
30from the state or federal government or from a local government.



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