California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 1196

Introduced by Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia

February 27, 2015

An act to amend Sections 14999, 14999.1, 14999.2, 14999.3, 14999.4, 14999.5, 14999.6, 14999.7, 14999.8, 14999.9, and 14999.10 of the Government Code, relating to economic development.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1196, as introduced, Eduardo Garcia. Commission for Economic Development.

Existing law establishes the Commission on Economic Development, as solely an advisory body, and provides that the purpose of the commission is to provide continuing bipartisan legislative branch, executive branch, and private sector support and guidance for the best overall economic development of the state by any specified means. Under existing law, the membership of the committee consists of the Lieutenant Governor and 16 other members, including 6 Members of the Legislature appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and the Speaker of the Assembly and 10 members representing business, industry, and labor organizations appointed by the Governor. Existing law authorizes the commission to appoint task forces to study and report on specific issues relating to these purposes. Existing law authorizes the commission to act at any regular or special meeting.

This bill would provide that the purpose of the commission is to provide that continuing support and guidance on public policies and economic development activities that support job creation and business growth in this state. The bill would additionally authorize the commission to collaborate with statewide and regional organizations on economic and community development initiatives and identify and support this state’s access to federal programs, as provided. The bill would authorize the addition of up to 3 Members of the California Congressional Delegation to the commission and would require these members to apply and be appointed by the Governor. The bill would declare all studies and reports of the commission to be public documents and would require them to be posted on the Internet Web site of the Lieutenant Governor for not less than 24 months. The bill would additionally authorize the commission to act by teleconference, via an Internet Web site, or other electronic means, or a combination of a meeting and electronic means. The bill would also make numerous technical and conforming changes.

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

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

SECTION 1.  

Section 14999 of the Government Code is
amended to read:

14999.  

The Commission for Economic Development,
hereinafter referred to as the commission, is continued in existence.
The purpose of the commission is to provide continuing bipartisan
legislative, executive branch begin insert , end insert and private sector support and
guidance begin delete for the best possible overall economic development of
the state by any and all of the following means: end delete begin insert on public policies
and economic development activities that support job creation and
business growth in this state. Among other activities, the
commission may undertake any and all of the following: end insert

(a) Assessing specific regional or local economic development
problems and making recommendations for solving problems.

(b) Providing a forum for ongoing dialogue on economic issues
between state government and the private sector.

(c) Recommending, where deemed appropriate, legislation to
require evaluation of demonstration and ongoing economic
development projects and programs to ensure continued cost
effectiveness.

(d) Identifying and reporting important secondary effects on
economic development of programs and regulations which may
have other primary purposes.

(e) Undertaking specialized studies and preparing specialized
reports at the request of the Governor or Legislature.

begin insert

(f) Collaborating with statewide and regional organizations on
economic and community development initiatives.

end insert begin insert

(g) Identifying and supporting this state’s access to federal
programs, services, and initiatives that would benefit this state’s
economy, businesses, and workers.

end insert

SEC. 2.  

Section 14999.1 of the Government Code is amended
to read:

14999.1.  

begin insert (a) end insert begin insert   end insert The commission shall consist of begin delete 17 end delete begin insert the
Lieutenant Governor and 16 end insert members appointed as follows:

begin delete

Three

end delete

begin insert (1) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert Three end insert Members of the Senate, appointed by the Senate Rules
Committee.

begin delete

Three

end delete

begin insert (2) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert Three end insert Members of the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker
of the Assembly.

The Members of the Legislature appointed to the commission
shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing power and shall
participate in the activities of the commission to the extent that
such participation is not incompatible with their respective
positions as Members of the Legislature. For the purposes of this
begin delete article end delete begin insert chapter end insert , such Members of the Legislature shall constitute
a joint investigating committee on the subject of this begin delete article end delete begin insert chapter end insert
and as such shall have the powers and duties imposed upon such
committees by the Joint Rules of the Senate and Assembly.

begin delete

Ten

end delete

begin insert (3) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert Ten end insert members appointed by the Governor after consultation
with business, industry, and labor organizations, with no more
than six members registered from the same political party. These
10 members shall include persons from the economic development
fields of manufacturing, tourism, world trade and such other fields
as may be appropriate. The terms of these 10 members shall be
for four years. The terms of the members first appointed shall be
as follows: four shall expire January 1, 1973; four January 1, 1974;
and two January 1, 1975.

begin insert

(b) The commission may additionally consist of up to three
Members of the California United States Congressional Delegation,
who have applied to, and have been appointed by the Governor.
The Members of the United States Congress appointed to the
commission shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing power
and shall participate in the activities of the commission to the
extent that such participation is not incompatible with their
respective positions as Members of the United States Congress.

end insert begin delete

The

end delete

begin insert (c) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert The end insert begin insert end insert Lieutenant Governor shall serve as chairman of the
commission. The commission shall provide for the selection of a
vice chairman who begin delete will end delete begin insert shall end insert be a registered member of a political
party different from that of the chairman. The commission may
select from its membership such other officers as it deems
necessary. The chairman and the vice chairman begin delete will end delete begin insert shall end insert be ad
hoc members of all committees. begin delete The end delete

begin insert (d) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert The end insert begin insert end insert Governor shall appoint, upon the nomination of the
Lieutenant Governor, an executive secretary for the commission.
begin delete That appointee end delete begin insert The executive secretary end insert shall serve at the pleasure
of the Lieutenant Governor. The Lieutenant Governor shall appoint
the staff of the commission. The staff shall be employees of the
Lieutenant Governor’s office.

SEC. 3.  

Section 14999.2 of the Government Code is amended
to read:

14999.2.  

The commission may appoint task forces to study
and report on specific issues begin delete which relate end delete begin insert relating end insert to the purposes
of this chapter. The commission may contract for studies and other
special services for purposes of this chapter. begin insert All studies and reports
of the commission are public documents and shall be posted on
the Internet Web site of the Lieutenant Governor for not less than
24 months. end insert

SEC. 4.  

Section 14999.3 of the Government Code is amended
to read:

14999.3.  

The commission shall appoint advisory committees
from outside its membership to represent the aerospace,
manufacturing, begin delete maritime, end delete begin insert logistics, end insert tourism begin insert , end insert and world trade
segments of the state’s economy, and such other advisory
committees as it deems necessary for the purpose of carrying out
its responsibilities as set forth in this begin delete article. Such committees shall
serve at no cost to state government. end delete begin insert chapter. No reimbursement
for travel within the state or per diem is authorized for
participation on an advisory committee or for testifying before an
advisory committee. end insert

SEC. 5.  

Section 14999.4 of the Government Code is amended
to read:

14999.4.  

begin delete Members end delete begin insert (a) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert Except as provided in subdivision (b),
members end insert of the commission begin insert , including members appointed
pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 14999.1, end insert shall serve without
compensation, but shall be reimbursed for actual necessary
expenses begin insert for travel within the state end insert incurred in the performance
of their duties, as authorized by the commission begin delete chairman,
excepting those members. end delete begin insert chairperson. end insert

begin insert (b) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert Members end insert representing the Senate and Assembly begin delete who end delete shall
receive reimbursement from their legislative funds.

SEC. 6.  

Section 14999.5 of the Government Code is amended
to read:

14999.5.  

begin delete A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum
for the transaction of business for the commission. end delete All meetings
of the commission shall be open and public and all persons shall
be permitted to attend any meetings of the commission.

SEC. 7.  

Section 14999.6 of the Government Code is amended
to read:

14999.6.  

begin insert (a) end insert begin insert   end insert The commission may act at any regular or special
meeting begin insert , by teleconference, via an Internet Web site, or other
electronic means, or a combination thereof end insert . Regular meetings shall
be held once during each three-month period and special meetings
may be called by the chairman at any time he begin insert or she end insert deems it is
necessary to handle special or emergency matters. begin delete The end delete

begin insert

(b) A majority of the members described in subdivision (a) of
Section 14999.1 shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business for the commission. The transaction of business does not
include taking testimony or discussing issues that will be acted on
at a future meeting or pursuant to subparagraph (2) of subdivision
(c).

end insert

begin insert (c) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert The end insert commission may begin insert also end insert act without a meeting if a majority
of the members approve of the action taken in writing. begin delete Any end delete

begin insert (d) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert Any end insert begin insert end insert member begin insert described in subdivision (a) of Section 14999.1 end insert
who misses attending three consecutive meetings without good
cause, may be replaced.

SEC. 8.  

Section 14999.7 of the Government Code is amended
to read:

14999.7.  

The commission shall have the powers and authority
necessary to carry out the duties imposed upon it by this chapter,
including but not limited to, all of the following:

(a) To adopt begin delete such end delete rules and regulations as it deems advisable
with respect to the conduct of its own affairs.

(b) To hold hearings, make and sign agreements begin insert , end insert and to do or
perform any acts which may be necessary, desirable, or proper to
carry out the purposes of this chapter.

(c) To cooperate with, and secure the cooperation of, any
department, division, bureau, commission, or other agency of the
state, other begin insert federal, foreign, or local end insert government, public entity,
private organization, or corporation to facilitate it begin insert to end insert properly begin delete to end delete
carry out its powers and duties begin delete hereunder end delete begin insert pursuant to this chapter end insert .

(d) To accept any federal funds granted, by act of begin insert the United
States end insert Congress or by executive order, for all or any of the purposes
of this chapter.

(e) To accept any gifts, donations, grants, or bequests for all or
any of the purposes of this chapter.

SEC. 9.  

Section 14999.8 of the Government Code is amended
to read:

14999.8.  

begin insert (a) end insert begin insert   end insert The commission shall consider programs begin insert ,
services, technologies, and actions end insert to further the economic
development of the state. begin delete The end delete

begin insert (b) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert The end insert commission shall study the laws and programs of other
states relating to economic development begin insert , job creation,
entrepreneurship, competitiveness, end insert and the encouragement of begin insert civic
leaders and end insert business and industry begin delete , and shall end delete begin insert . The commission may end insert
confer with governmental officials begin delete and representatives of end delete begin insert , civic
leaders, end insert business and industry begin insert , end insert and any other persons or
organizations interested in the promotion of economic
development begin insert , job creation, entrepreneurship, and competitiveness end insert .
begin delete The end delete

begin insert (c) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert The end insert commission shall make recommendations concerning
legislation affecting the economic development of the state.

SEC. 10.  

Section 14999.9 of the Government Code is amended
to read:

14999.9.  

begin insert (a) end insert begin insert   end insert The commission shall make a report of its
activities, findings begin insert , end insert and recommendations to the Governor and the
Legislature not later than February 1 of each year.

begin insert

(b) A report to the Legislature pursuant to this section shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795.

end insert

SEC. 11.  

Section 14999.10 of the Government Code is amended
to read:

14999.10.  

begin insert (a) end insert begin insert   end insert The Legislature finds and declares that the
Commission for Economic Development is solely an advisory
body to the Legislature, to the Governor, and to state departments,
offices, and agencies, and that the duties and functions given the
commission are part of, or incidental to, its work as an advisory
body.

begin delete

The

end delete

begin insert (b) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert The end insert Legislature further finds and declares that no person
shall, by virtue of his or her membership on the commission, be
deemed or held to be an officer of the State of California.