SB 792, as introduced, DeSaulnier. Regional entities: Bay Area.
Existing law creates the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the Bay Area Toll Authority, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, with various powers and duties relative to all or a portion of the 9-county San Francisco Bay Area region with respect to transportation, air quality, and environmental planning, as specified. Another regional entity, the Association of Bay Area Governments, is created as a joint powers agency comprised of cities and counties under existing law with regional planning responsibilities. Existing law provides for a joint policy committee of certain regional entities in this 9-county area to collaborate on regional coordination. Existing law requires regional transportation planning agencies, as part of the regional transportation plan in urban areas, to develop a sustainable communities strategy pursuant to Senate Bill 375 of the 2007-08 Regular Session coordinating transportation, land use, and air quality planning, with specified objectives.
This bill would require the joint policy committee to prepare a regional organization plan for the affected regional entities. The organization plan would include a plan for consolidating certain functions that are common to the regional entities and reducing overhead costs. The bill would require the joint policy committee to hold at least one public hearing in each county of the region and to adopt a final plan by June 30, 2015. The bill would also require the joint policy committee to develop and adopt public community outreach programs and to maintain an Internet Web site. The bill would require the joint policy committee to conduct a review of the policies and plans, and associated regulations, of each regional entity, including an assessment of the consistency of the policies, plans, and regulations among the regional entities with the requirements of Senate Bill 375 of the 2007-08 Regular Session. The bill would provide that the joint policy committee shall be responsible for ensuring that the sustainable communities strategy for the region integrates transportation, land use, and air quality management consistent with that legislation. The bill would also require the joint policy committee to appoint an advisory committee on economic competitiveness with specified members from the business community to adopt goals and policies related to the inclusion of economic development opportunities in the plans of the regional entities. By imposing new duties on the joint policy committee, the 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.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 66537 is added to the Government Code,
2to read:
For purposes of Sections 66537.1 to 66537.5, inclusive,
4the following definitions shall apply:
5(a) “Region” means the area encompassed by the Counties of
6Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo,
7Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma.
8(b) “Regional entities” means the Metropolitan Transportation
9Commission, including any joint exercise of powers agencies that
10include the commission as a member agency; the Bay Area Toll
11Authority; the Bay Area Air Quality Management District; the San
P3 1Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission; and
2the Association of Bay Area Governments.
Section 66537.1 is added to the Government Code, to
4read:
(a) The joint policy committee shall prepare a
6regional organization plan. The joint policy committee shall adopt
7goals and policies to govern the preparation of the plan. Among
8the goals shall be a statement as to the expected reduction in the
9cost of overhead and in the operation and management of the
10regional entities. All cost saving shall be directed to the joint policy
11committee’s general fund. In addition, goals shall be adopted for
12integrating the regional planning requirements for the regional
13plans of each regional entity into a comprehensive regional plan.
14(b) The regional organization plan shall include a plan for
15consolidating the functions that are common to the regional entities,
16including, but not
limited to, personnel and human resources,
17budget and financial services, electronic data and communications
18systems, legal services, contracting and procurement of goods and
19services, public information and outreach services,
20intergovernmental relations, transportation, land use, economic,
21and related forecasting models, and other related activities.
22Consideration shall be given to ensuring that there are common
23personnel classifications where appropriate among the regional
24entities, and the consolidation of other functions or activities, as
25deemed feasible, that will further the mission of the joint policy
26committee and will reduce redundancy. The plan shall be updated
27as determined by the joint policy committee.
28(c) On or before December 31, 2014, the staff shall submit to
29the joint policy committee a draft regional organization plan. The
30joint policy committee shall hold at least one public hearing in
31each
county of the region to receive public comment. A final plan
32shall thereafter be adopted for implementation on or before June
3330, 2015.
Section 66537.2 is added to the Government Code, to
35read:
The joint policy committee shall develop and adopt
37public and community outreach policies to govern the scheduling
38of joint policy committee meetings, the meetings of regional
39entities, the meetings of standing committees, and meetings of ad
40hoc or other temporary committees. In developing the policies,
P4 1the joint policy committee shall ensure that outreach programs
2will utilize all available communication technologies, including
3webcasting and social media, print, radio, and television. The joint
4policy committee shall also establish policies for the holding
5workshops of the joint policy committee and the regional entities
6in the cities and counties of the region. The joint policy committee
7shall provide an opportunity for the public to comment on the draft
8and the final recommended policies. The policies shall be adopted
9on or
before October 31, 2014.
Section 66537.3 is added to the Government Code, to
11read:
The joint policy committee shall maintain an Internet
13Web site containing relevant information pertaining to the joint
14policy committee’s activities.
Section 66537.4 is added to the Government Code, to
16read:
The joint policy committee shall be subject to the
18Ralph M. Brown Act (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950)
19of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5).
Section 66537.5 is added to the Government Code, to
21read:
(a) Beginning on January 1, 2014, the joint policy
23committee shall review the policies and plans, and associated
24regulations, of each regional entity. The review shall include an
25assessment of the consistency of the policies, plans, and regulations
26among the regional entities with the requirements of Senate Bill
27375 of the 2007-08 Regular Session. The joint policy committee
28shall issue a consistency report describing the findings of this
29review. The joint policy committee shall hold public and
30community hearings in accordance with its public outreach policies
31regarding the draft consistency findings. The findings of the
32consistency review shall be used in fulfilling the joint policy
33committee’s regional planning responsibilities.
34(b) The joint policy committee shall be responsible for ensuring
35that the sustainable communities strategy for the region integrates
36transportation, land use, and air quality management consistent
37with the requirements of Senate Bill 375 of the 2007-08 Regular
38Session.
Section 66537.6 is added to the Government Code, to
40read:
(a) The joint policy committee shall appoint an
2advisory committee on economic competitiveness with members
3from the business community, including representatives of small
4businesses, technology and manufacturing sectors, community
5colleges, public and private universities, labor, local governments,
6and other organizations involved with the private economy.
7(b) The joint policy committee, in consultation with the advisory
8committee, shall adopt goals and policies related to the inclusion
9of economic development opportunities in the plans of the regional
10entities. The goals and policies shall also promote amenities that
11are special to the region and contribute to the region’s quality of
12life.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines
14that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement
15to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
16pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
174 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
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