BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1873
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Date of Hearing: April 13, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON ACCOUNTABILITY AND ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
Cristina Garcia, Chair
AB 1873
(Holden) - As Amended March 18, 2016
SUBJECT: Strategic Growth Council: Board of Infrastructure
Planning, Development, and Finance
SUMMARY: Creates the Board of Infrastructure Planning,
Development, and Finance (Board) within the Strategic Growth
Council (SGC). Specifically, this bill:
1)Specifies the membership of the Board as follows:
a) Governor;
b) Treasurer;
c) Controller;
d) Secretary of Transportation;
e) Director of the Department of General Services;
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f) A member selected by the pro Tempore of the Senate; and,
g) A member selected by the Speaker of the Assembly
2)Directs the Board to categorize and recommend the priority of
the state's infrastructure needs and to develop funding to
finance infrastructure projects.
EXISTING LAW requires the Department of Finance to develop and
update a five year infrastructure plan and make recommendations
to the Governor for inclusion in the state budget.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown
COMMENTS: California's infrastructure is broad and diverse,
consisting not only of roads and bridges, but parks, schools,
hospitals, office buildings, and a variety of other structures
needed to meet the state's mission of serving the people of
California. The author states, "California presently lacks a
unified body to oversee all infrastructure planning and project
development, resulting in California's infrastructure needs
frequently being addressed on a subject-by-subject basis, and
only once a portion of the state's infrastructure has reached
the point of near-failure."
To alleviate this perceived lack of unitary planning the author
proposes to create a new government entity. The Board
established by this bill would be meant to oversee the planning
and financing of infrastructure projects at all levels of
government throughout the state, including local governments and
special districts.
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The sponsor of this bill, the State Treasurer, notes, "The state
faces a significant challenge finding enough money to replace,
repair and expand public facilities, even though doing so is
essential for social welfare and a growing economy."
This bill places the new Board within the SGC which is located
within the Natural Resource Agency. However, the SGC is tasked
with identifying, reviewing and coordinating funding programs of
its member state agencies to improve air and water quality.
Given the author's stated goal of creating a board that can
assess the state's aggregate infrastructure needs, it seems the
SGC is too narrowly focused. The author may wish to consider
placing the Board within a department or agency that has a more
statewide perspective.
Additionally, the Board does not appear to have any authority
beyond categorizing and recommending the priority of the state's
infrastructure needs. The Board is also tasked with developing
funding to finance infrastructure projects, but it is not clear
what authority the Board has to accomplish this goal.
SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS: Committee staff recommends the following
amendments:
1)Move the location of the Board from the SGC to the Governor's
Office of Planning and Research;
2)Add language to the bill that allows the members of the Board
to send a designee in their place;
3)Replace the Board with a Task Force.
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REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
California State Treasurer (sponsor)
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by:William Herms / A. & A.R. / (916) 319-3600