BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2616
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB
2616 (Burke)
As Amended May 31, 2016
Majority vote
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|Committee |Votes|Ayes |Noes |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Natural |6-2 |Williams, Cristina |Jones, Harper |
|Resources | |Garcia, Gomez, | |
| | |McCarty, Mark Stone, | |
| | |Wood | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Appropriations |13-6 |Gonzalez, Bloom, |Bigelow, Chang, |
| | |Bonilla, Bonta, |Gallagher, Jones, |
| | |Calderon, Eggman, |Obernolte, Wagner |
| | |Eduardo Garcia, | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | |Roger Hernández, | |
| | |Holden, Quirk, | |
| | |Santiago, Weber, Wood | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
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AB 2616
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SUMMARY: Increases the Coastal Commission (Commission)
membership by three members who are required to work directly
with communities in the state that are most burdened by, and
vulnerable to, high levels of pollution and issues of
environmental justice. Allows the Commission to address
environmental justice concerns.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Pursuant to the Coastal Act,
a) Establishes the Commission in the Natural Resources
Agency and requires the Commission to consist of 15 members
(3 non-voting and 12 voting).
b) Requires the membership of the Commission to include six
members of the public at large and six local government
representatives from six coastal regions.
c) Provides that the Governor, the Speaker of the Assembly,
and Senate Rules Committee each appoint four of the
members.
d) Requires the Governor, the Senate Committee on Rules,
and the Speaker of the Assembly to make good faith efforts
to assure that their appointments, as a whole, reflect, to
the greatest extent feasible, the economic, social, and
geographic diversity of the state.
e) Requires a person planning to perform or undertake any
development in the coastal zone to obtain a coastal
development permit (CDP) from the Commission or local
government enforcing a Local Coastal Program (LCP).
2)Defines "environmental justice" to mean the fair treatment of
AB 2616
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people of all races, cultures, and incomes with respect to the
development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of
environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, ongoing, minor annual costs of $45,000 (General Fund
or special fund) resulting from the increase in membership.
COMMENTS:
1)Coastal Commission. The Commission was established by voter
initiative in 1972 (Proposition 20) and later made permanent
by the Legislature through adoption of the California Coastal
Act of 1976. In partnership with coastal cities and counties,
the Commission plans and regulates the use of land and water
in the coastal zone. Development activities, which are
broadly defined by the Coastal Act to include construction of
buildings, divisions of land, and activities that change the
intensity of use of land or public access to coastal waters
generally require a CDP from either the Commission or the
local government with a certified LCP. The Commission is an
independent, quasi-judicial state agency. Currently, the
Commission voting members are evenly divided between local
governments and public at large members.
2)Environmental justice. According to the Office of
Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, approximately 8
million Californians (21%) live in zip codes that are
considered "highly impacted" by environmental, public health,
and socioeconomic stressors. Nearly half of all Californians
live within six miles of a facility that is a significant
greenhouse gas emitter (46%), and they are disproportionately
people of color (62%). Throughout California, people of color
face a 50% higher risk of cancer from ambient concentrations
of air pollutants listed under the Clean Air Act. These
impacts are felt by all Californians. The Air Resources Board
estimates that air pollution exposure accounts for 19,000
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premature deaths, 280,000 cases of asthma, and 1.9 million
lost work days every year.
Analysis Prepared by:
Michael Jarred / NAT. RES. / (916) 319-2092 FN: 0003334