BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair
2754 (J. Perez)
Hearing Date: 08/09/2010 Amended: 07/15/2010
Consultant: Mark McKenzie Policy Vote: L Gov 4-0
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BILL SUMMARY: AB 2754 would establish the Planning and State
Clearinghouse Unit within the Governor's Office of Planning and
Research (OPR) and prescribe the duties and responsibilities of
the Clearinghouse Unit. Specifically, this bill would:
Establish the Clearinghouse Unit, under the control and
oversight of the Director of the Planning and State
Clearinghouse Unit, who reports to the Director of OPR.
Require the Department of Personnel Administration to convey
civil service status to the Director and staff of the
Clearinghouse Unit.
Require the Clearinghouse Unit to assume long term planning
functions, annually ensure the functional plans of state
agencies are consistent with state planning priorities,
biennially report to the Governor and Legislature on its
efforts to formulate, evaluate, and update long-range goals
and policies, and develop long-range policies for growth and
development every five years.
Require the Unit to assist the Air Resources Board in
providing technical assistance to local governments regarding
sustainable communities strategies, and work with the
Strategic Growth Council with sustainable planning and meeting
the goals of the California's Global Warming Solution Act.
Require OPR to serve as the state's liaison with the U.S.
Department of Defense (DOD) and prescribe the duties related
to this role.
Require OPR, rather than the Natural Resources Agency, to
administer the functions of the Strategic Growth Council, and
transfer any funds remaining from the original appropriation
to the Agency for administering the Council to OPR for this
purpose.
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Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 Fund
Clearinghouse Unit staff $115 $230
$230General
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STAFF COMMENTS: This bill meets the criteria for referral to the
Suspense File.
The Governor's Office of Planning and Research acts as the
state's comprehensive planning agency and coordinates state
agencies' planning activities. OPR has numerous statutory
duties, but since the office is under the direct control of the
Governor, it suffers from high turnover rates and is generally
underutilized as a planning resource. The Governor's 2010-11
proposed budget calls for the outright elimination of OPR,
reassigning some of its activities to other state agencies. The
Legislature rejected the outright elimination of OPR, and
instead voted in Budget Conference Committee to reduce
positions, but retain OPR's clearinghouse and environmental
planning and coordination functions.
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AB 2754 (J. Perez)
AB 2754 would establish the Planning and State Clearinghouse
Unit and insulate staff from frequent turnover by converting OPR
staff under the Unit to civil service status. This provision
would result in unknown costs related to the transition, perhaps
in the range of $100,000, as well as salary and benefits
changes.
The bill would also codify portions of a 2006 executive order,
signed by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2006, that created the
position of Governor's Advisor of Military Affairs within OPR to
coordinate planning and regulatory activities that affect
defense operations, issues related to military personnel and
their families, and to support the states relationship with the
DOD. This position is currently inactive. AB 2754 would codify
OPR's role as the liaison with the DOD.
This bill would also shift the administration and support
funding for the Strategic Growth Council from the Natural
Resources Agency to OPR. SB 732 (Steinberg), Chapter 729 of
2008, appropriated $500,000 in Proposition 84 bond funds for
support of the Council's activities. AB 2754 would shift
approximately $300,000 in remaining funds to OPR for the
administration of the Council.
OPR indicates that this bill would increase workload and costs
by approximately $230,000 and require three new staff positions
(one DOD liaison and two new planning positions).