Amended in Assembly January 4, 2016

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 amended, Eduardo Garcia. Commission for Economic Development.

Existing law establishes the Commission begin delete on end delete begin insert for end insert 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 begin delete meeting. end delete begin insert meeting and requires regular meetings to be held once during each 3-month period. Existing law requires the commission to appoint advisory committees from outside its membership to represent, among other industries, aerospace and to study laws and programs of other states relating to economic development and the encouragement of business and industry. end insert

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 begin delete means. end delete begin insert means and would instead require regular meetings to occur once during each 4-month period. The bill would authorize, rather than require, the commission to appoint advisory committees from outside its membership and to study laws and programs of other states relating to economic development, including, among others, economic mobility. end insert 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, and private sector support and
guidance 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:

(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.

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

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

SEC. 2.  

Section 14999.1 of the Government Code is amended
to read:

14999.1.  

(a) The commission shall consist of the Lieutenant
Governor and 16 members appointed as follows:

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

(2) Three 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
chapter, such Members of the Legislature shall constitute a joint
investigating committee on the subject of this chapter and as such
shall have the powers and duties imposed upon such committees
by the Joint Rules of the Senate and Assembly.

(3) Ten 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, begin delete tourism, world trade end delete begin insert small business,
finance, end insert 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.

(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 begin delete by end delete begin insert by, end insert 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.

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

(d) The Governor shall appoint, upon the nomination of the
Lieutenant Governor, an executive secretary for the commission.
The executive secretary 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 relating to the purposes of this chapter.
The commission may contract for studies and other special services
for purposes of this chapter. 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.

SEC. 4.  

Section 14999.3 of the Government Code is amended
to read:

14999.3.  

The commission begin delete shall end delete begin insert may end insert appoint advisory
committees from outside its membership to represent the aerospace,
manufacturing, logistics, tourism, 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 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.

SEC. 5.  

Section 14999.4 of the Government Code is amended
to read:

14999.4.  

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

(b) Members representing the Senate and Assembly shall receive
reimbursement from their legislative funds.

SEC. 6.  

Section 14999.5 of the Government Code is amended
to read:

14999.5.  

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.  

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

(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 begin delete meeting or pursuant to subparagraph (2) of subdivision
(c). end delete begin insert meeting. end insert

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

(d) Any member described in subdivision (a) of Section 14999.1
who misses attending three consecutive meetings without good
begin delete cause, end delete begin insert cause end insert 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,
begin delete including end delete begin insert including, end insert but not limited to, all of the following:

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

(b) To hold hearings, make and sign agreements, 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 federal, foreign, or local government, public entity,
private organization, or corporation to facilitate it to properly carry
out its powers and duties pursuant to this chapter.

(d) To accept any federal funds granted, by act of the United
States 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.  

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

(b) The commission begin delete shall end delete begin insert may end insert study the laws and programs of
other states relating to economic development, job creation,
entrepreneurship, begin insert economic mobility, end insert competitiveness, and begin delete the
encouragement of civic leaders and business and industry. end delete begin insert other
economic development-related topics. end insert The commission may confer
with governmental officials, civic leaders, business and industry,
and any other persons or organizations begin delete interested in the promotion
of economic development, job creation, entrepreneurship, and
competitiveness. end delete begin insert deemed necessary by the chairperson to carry
out the purposes of this chapter. end insert

(c) The commission begin delete shall end delete begin insert may end insert 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.  

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

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

SEC. 11.  

Section 14999.10 of the Government Code is amended
to read:

14999.10.  

(a) 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.

(b) The 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.