Amended in Assembly May 31, 2016

Amended in Assembly March 28, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 2139


Introduced by Assembly Member Williams

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(Coauthor: Assembly Member Gonzalez)

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February 17, 2016


An act to add Section 35618 to the Public Resources Code, relating to ocean resources.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2139, as amended, Williams. Ocean Protection Council: ocean acidification.

Existing law establishes the Ocean Protection Council in state government and prescribes the membership, functions, and duties of the council with regard to the protection and conservation of ocean and coastal resources.

This bill would require the council tobegin insert coordinate andend insert facilitate research andbegin delete compile data on the causes and effects of ocean acidification and, no later than January 1, 2018, to adopt recommendations for further legislative and executive actions to address ocean acidification.end deletebegin insert work with other relevant public agencies with ocean protection responsibilities to take specified actions to address ocean acidification, as prescribed, and, beginning January 1, 2018, and annually thereafter, at its first meeting of the year, to adopt recommendations for further actions that may be taken to address ocean acidification.end insert

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

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

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begin insertSECTION 1.end insert  

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The Legislature finds and declares both of the
2following:

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(a) The West Coast Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Science
4Panel was a binational collaboration of leading scientists from
5California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia that was
6convened at the request of the Ocean Protection Council and the
7California Ocean Science Trust. The West Coast Acidification and
8Hypoxia Science Panel’s executive summary report outlines
9findings, recommendations, and actions to address ocean
10acidification and hypoxia.

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(b) The mission of the Ocean Protection Council is to ensure
12that California maintains healthy, resilient, and productive ocean
13and coastal ecosystems for the benefit of current and future
14generations. In order to do this, the council should address the
15challenge of ocean acidification.

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begin deleteSECTION 1.end delete
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Section 35618 is added to the Public Resources Code,
18to read:

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35618.  

begin insert(a)end insertbegin insertend insertThe council shallbegin insert coordinate andend insert facilitate research
20andbegin delete compile data on the causes and effects of ocean acidification
21and, no later than January 1, 2018, shall adopt recommendations
22for further legislative and executive actions to address ocean
23acidification.end delete
begin insert work with other relevant public agencies with ocean
24protection responsibilities to do all of the following:end insert

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(1) Generate an inventory of areas that are most vulnerable to
26ocean acidification.

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(2) Develop, refine, and integrate predictive models of ocean
28acidification and hypoxia.

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(3) Inventory the colocation of protected areas and areas
30vulnerable to ocean acidification and hypoxia.

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(4) Facilitate agreements and work with organizations that fund
32ocean acidification and hypoxia research to establish joint research
33priorities.

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(5) Define gaps between ocean acidification monitoring efforts
2and management needs in coordination with relevant state, federal,
3and academic entities.

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4
(b) Beginning January 1, 2018, and annually thereafter, at its
5first meeting of the year, the council shall adopt recommendations
6for further actions that may be taken to address ocean acidification.

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