BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 1415
Page 1
Date of Hearing: June 16, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
Wesley Chesbro, Chair
SB 1415 (Hill) - As Amended: April 29, 2014
SENATE VOTE : 36-0
SUBJECT : Bay Area Air Quality Management District: advisory
council
SUMMARY : Reduces the number of members of the BAAQMD advisory
council from 20 to seven and revises qualifications to focus on
air pollution, climate change, and health impacts of air
pollution.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes the BAAQMD, 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 responsibility for controlling air pollution from
all sources, other than emissions from mobile sources.
2)Creates the advisory council, appointed by the BAAQMD board,
to advise and consult with the board and the air pollution
control officer in effectuating their duties and requires:
a) The council be made up of the BAAQMD board chair, 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 BAAQMD.
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.
SB 1415
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d) The council to meet at least four times per year.
THIS BILL , effective July 1, 2015:
1)Reduces the number of members of the BAAQMD advisory council
from 20 to seven.
2)Repeals the existing member categories and instead requires
each member to be skilled and experienced in air pollution,
climate change, or health impacts of air pollution.
3)Requires the members to be selected to include a diversity of
perspectives, experience, and backgrounds.
4)Provides that the term appointments of existing members
terminate on July 1, 2015.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS :
1)Author's statement:
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 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
SB 1415
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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."
2)Double referral. This bill is double-referred to the Assembly
Local Government Committee.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Bay Area Air Quality Management District
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Lawrence Lingbloom / NAT. RES. / (916)
319-2092