Senate Bill No. 1001

Introduced by Senator Knight

February 13, 2014

An act to amend Section 56001 of the Government Code, relating to local government.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 1001, as introduced, Knight. Local government.

Existing law, the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000, makes certain findings and declarations relating to local government organizations, including, among other things, the encouragement of orderly growth and development, and logical formation and modification of the boundaries of local agencies, as specified.

This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to these findings and declarations.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 56001 of the Government Code is
amended to read:

56001.  

The Legislature finds and declares begin delete that end delete it is the policy
of the state to encourage orderly growth and development begin delete which end delete
begin insert that end insert are essential to the social, fiscal, and economic well-being of
the state. The Legislature recognizes that the logical formation and
determination of local agency boundaries is an important factor
in promoting orderly development and in balancing that
development with sometimes competing state interests of
discouraging urban sprawl, preserving open-space and prime
agricultural lands, and efficiently extending government services.
The Legislature also recognizes that providing housing for persons
and families of all incomes is an important factor in promoting
orderly development. Therefore, the Legislature further finds and
declares that this policy should be effected by the logical formation
and modification of the boundaries of local agencies, with a
preference granted to accommodating additional growth within,
or through the expansion of, the boundaries of those local agencies
begin delete which end delete begin insert that end insert can best accommodate and provide necessary
governmental services and housing for persons and families of all
incomes in the most efficient manner feasible.

The Legislature recognizes that urban population densities and
intensive residential, commercial, and industrial development
necessitate a broad spectrum and high level of community services
and controls. The Legislature also recognizes that when areas
become urbanized to the extent that they need the full range of
community services, priorities are required to be established
regarding the type and levels of services that the residents of an
urban community need and desire; that community service
priorities be established by weighing the total community service
needs against the total financial resources available for securing
community services; and that those community service priorities
are required to reflect local circumstances, conditions, and limited
financial resources. The Legislature finds and declares that a single
multipurpose governmental agency is accountable for community
service needs and financial resources and, therefore, begin insert that agency end insert
may be the best mechanism for establishing community service
priorities especially in urban areas. Nonetheless, the Legislature
recognizes the critical role of many limited purpose agencies,
especially in rural communities. The Legislature also finds begin delete that end delete ,
whether governmental services are proposed to be provided by a
single-purpose agency, several agencies, or a multipurpose agency,
responsibility should be given to the agency or agencies that can
best provide government services.