BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 1415|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 1415
Author: Hill (D)
Amended: 4/29/14
Vote: 21
SENATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE : 5-0, 4/2/14
AYES: Hill, Gaines, Jackson, Leno, Pavley
NO VOTE RECORDED: Fuller, Hancock, Vacancy, Vacancy
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
SUBJECT : Bay Area Air Quality Management District: Advisory
Council
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill makes various changes to the Bay Area
Quality Management Advisory Council (Advisory Council)
membership.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1. Establishes the Bay Area Air Quality Management District
(District), responsible for regulating air emissions located
in the boundaries of the Counties of Alameda, Contra Costa,
Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara and
portions of the Counties of Solano and Sonoma, governed by a
district board, and provides that they have primary
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responsibility for controlling air pollution from all
sources, other than emissions from mobile sources.
2. Creates the Advisory Council, appointed by the District
board, to advise and consult with the board and the bay
district air pollution control officer in effectuating their
duties and requires:
A. The Advisory Council be made up of the chair of the bay
district, as an ex officio member, and 20 members who
preferably are skilled and experienced in the field of air
pollution, including at least three representative of
public health agencies, at least four representative of
private organizations active in conservation or
environmental protection, at least one representative of
colleges or universities in the state, and at least one
representative from specified groups within the bay
district;
B. Each council member hold a term for two years and until
a successor is appointed;
C. Council members serve without compensation but allows
them to be reimbursed for Advisory Council duties; and
D. That the Advisory Council meets at least four times per
year.
This bill:
1. Changes the membership of the Advisory Council from 20 to
seven.
2. Requires Advisory Council members to be skilled and
experienced in the field of air pollution, climate change, or
the health impacts of air pollution.
3. Strikes the requirement that members of the Advisory Council
represent various groups, and instead requires members be
selected to include a diversity of perspectives, expertise,
and backgrounds.
4. Provides that these changes become operative on July 1, 2015,
and the term appointments of the members of the Advisory
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Council as it exists on June 30, 2015, will terminate July 1,
2015.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes
SUPPORT : (Verified 4/29/14)
Bay Area Air Quality Management District
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author, "the existing
statute reads that the Advisory Council members preferably are
skilled and experienced in the field of air pollution."
However, the author notes, "the BAAQMD [District] is required by
state and federal law to address a far more diverse set of
issues than it handled in 1955, when the council was established
in statute, such as reducing emissions from a much wider range
of sources, addressing the public health impacts of air
pollution, and working to address climate change issues under
state and federal requirements." The author states that the
"Advisory Council's experience should also match the evolving
and complex needs of the Board and that SB 1415 updates the
BAAQMD Advisory Council language by requiring that members be
skilled and experienced in the fields of air pollution, climate
change, or the health impacts of air pollution."
The author also notes that, "by eliminating the requirement that
the 20 members come from various fields, such as architecture,
engineering, contracting, park districts and others, and instead
requiring seven members with expertise in topics that pertain
directly to BAAQMD rules and regulations, will allow for a more
focused and manageable membership to improve the quality of work
produced by the Advisory Council." The author states that this
bill "requires the membership of the Advisory Council represent
a diversity of perspectives, expertise and backgrounds" which,
according to the author, "will help the BAAQMD not only address
current air quality issues, but provide for a more dynamic
advisory council membership to help the district continue to
meet air pollution challenges in the future."
RM:d 4/30/14 Senate Floor Analyses
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SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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