BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 337
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   January 23, 2014

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                   AB 337 (Allen) - As Amended:  January 14, 2014 

          Policy Committee:                              JEDE Vote:8-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires the Governor's Office of Business and  
          Economic Development (GO-Biz) to prepare a new element to the  
          state's international trade and investment strategy (ITI  
          strategy).  The new element will evaluate the ports of entry to  
          the state and their capacity for handling international trade  
          and must be completed by February 1, 2019.

           FISCAL EFFECT 

          Estimated General Fund costs to GO-Biz of approximately $50,000.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Purpose  .  According to the author, AB 337 adds additional  
            criteria for the preparation of the international trade and  
            investment strategy.  The author states the bill will add a  
            comprehensive list of business development needs to be  
            considered in preparing the strategy.  The author argues  
            California has not fully studied our current system and needs,  
            yet it continues to try and push forward with policies that  
            may not be addressing the actual needs of our trade  
            infrastructure throughout the state.

           2)Background  .  California's community and economic development  
            policy has historically been driven by a number of statutory  
            mandates, including the Environmental Goals and Policy Report  
            (EGPR),  Five-Year Infrastructure Plan (Infrastructure Plan),  
            the ITI strategy, and the Economic Development Strategic Plan.  
            In particular, the ITI Strategy sets measureable economic  
            objectives relative to the state's position within the global  
            economy.  The ITI strategy will be released soon.  The new  








                                                                  AB 337
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            requirements included in AB 337 will apply to the strategy  
            that will be completed in 2019.

           3)Related Legislation  :  AB 1081 (Medina) expands the scope of  
            the state five-year infrastructure plan to include the need  
            for goods movement related infrastructure including rail,  
            highways, and air, land, and sea POE facilities.  AB 1081 is  
            on the Suspense File of the Senate Committee on  
            Appropriations.

           4)There is no registered opposition to this bill  .


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Roger Dunstan / APPR. / (916) 319-2081