BILL NUMBER: AB 2254	CHAPTERED  09/19/00

	CHAPTER   514
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   SEPTEMBER 19, 2000
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR   SEPTEMBER 17, 2000
	PASSED THE SENATE   AUGUST 25, 2000
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 25, 2000
	AMENDED IN SENATE   AUGUST 22, 2000
	AMENDED IN SENATE   AUGUST 14, 2000
	AMENDED IN SENATE   AUGUST 7, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   APRIL 26, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   APRIL 4, 2000

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Gallegos

                        FEBRUARY 24, 2000

   An act to amend Section 662 of the Public Resources Code, relating
to mining.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2254, Gallegos.  State Mining and Geology Board.
   Existing law establishes the State Mining and Geology Board,
consisting of 9 members appointed by the Governor.  Existing law
prohibits any member of the board from participating in any action of
the board or attempt to influence any decision of the board that
involves himself or herself, or any person with whom he or she is
connected, as a director, officer, paid consultant, or full-time or
part-time employee, or in which he or she has a financial interest,
as defined.
   This bill would prohibit more than 1/3 of the members of the board
from being currently employed by, or receiving more than 25% of
their annual income, not to exceed $25,000 a year per member  from,
entities that own or operate mines in California.
   This bill would require a member of the board who determines that
he or she has a conflict of interest on a particular matter before
the board to provide the clerk of the board with a brief written
explanation of the basis for the conflict of interest, which shall
become a part of the public record of the board.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 662 of the Public Resources Code is amended to
read:
   662.  (a) One member of the board shall be a registered geologist
with background and experience in mining geology; one member shall be
a mining engineer with background and experience in mining minerals
in California; one member shall have background and experience in
groundwater hydrology, water quality, and rock chemistry; one member
shall be a representative of local government with background and
experience in urban planning; one member shall have background and
experience in the field of environmental protection or the study of
ecosystems; one member shall be a registered geologist, registered
geophysicist, registered civil engineer, or registered structural
engineer with background and experience in seismology; one member
shall be a landscape architect with background and experience in soil
conservation or revegetation of disturbed soils; one member shall
have background and experience in mineral resource conservation,
development, and utilization; and one member shall not be required to
have specialized experience.
   (b) All members of the board shall represent the general public
interest, but not more than one-third of  the members at any one time
may be currently employed by, or receive more than 25 percent of
their annual income, not to exceed $25,000 a year per member, from an
entity that owns or operates a mine in California.  The
representative of local government shall not be considered an
employee of an entity that owns or operates a mine if the lead agency
employing the representative owns or operates a mine.  For purposes
of this section, retirement or other benefits paid by a mining entity
to an individual who is no longer employed by that entity are not
considered to be compensation, if those benefits were earned prior to
the date the individual terminated his or her employment with the
entity.
   (c) If a member of the board determines that he or she has a
conflict of interest on a particular matter before the board pursuant
to subdivision (b) or Section 663, he or she shall provide the clerk
of the board with a brief written explanation of the basis for the
conflict of interest, which shall become a part of the public record
of the board.  The written explanation shall be delivered prior to
the time the matter to which it pertains is voted on by the board.
This disclosure requirement is in addition to any other
conflict-of-interest disclosure requirement imposed by law.