BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 203
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Date of Hearing: January 28, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
Wesley Chesbro, Chair
AB 203 (Stone) - As Amended: January 27, 2014
SUBJECT : Coastal resources
SUMMARY : Authorizes the Coastal Commission (Commission), no
later than January 1 of each year, to submit to each house of
the Legislature an annual report describing the restoration
orders and cease and desist orders issued by the Commission
during the previous calendar year.
EXISTING LAW : Pursuant to the Coastal Act:
1)Requires a person wishing to perform a development in the
coastal zone to first obtain a coastal development permit
(CDP).
2)Authorizes the Commission's executive director to issue an ex
parte cease and desist order if he or she determines that
someone is undertaking or threatening to undertake an activity
that requires a CDP or that may be inconsistent with a
previously issued permit. Requires the executive director,
before issuing the ex parte cease and desist order, to give
oral and written notice. Authorizes the order to be valid for
90 days from the date of issuance.
3)Authorizes the Commission, after a public hearing, to issue a
cease and desist order if it determines that someone is
undertaking or threatening to undertake an activity that
requires a CDP or that may be inconsistent with a previously
issued permit.
4)Authorizes the Commission to issue a restoration order if it
finds that development has occurred without a CDP and the
development is causing continuing resource damage.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : The Commission currently has a backlog of over 1,800
open enforcement cases statewide. Budget cuts have reduced the
number of enforcement staff assigned to statewide casework, and
new cases are reported faster than the Commission can resolve
AB 203
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existing violations. This bill will authorize the Commission to
provide annual reports describing the restoration orders and
cease and desist orders issued by the Commission during the
previous calendar year. These reports should help the
Legislature understand the nature of the Commission's orders,
the number of orders, and the rate at which these orders are
resolved.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Mario DeBernardo / NAT. RES. / (916)
319-2092