BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 1415
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 1415 (Hill)
As Amended April 29, 2014
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE :36-0
NATURAL RESOURCES 9-0 LOCAL GOVERNMENT 8-0
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Ayes:|Chesbro, Dahle, Bigelow, |Ayes:|Achadjian, Levine, Alejo, |
| |Garcia, Muratsuchi, | |Bradford, Gordon, |
| |Patterson, Skinner, | |Frazier, Rendon, Waldron |
| |Stone, Williams | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
APPROPRIATIONS 15-2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|Ayes:|Gatto, Bigelow, | | |
| |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian | | |
| |Calderon, Campos, Eggman, | | |
| |Gomez, Holden, Linder, | | |
| |Pan, Quirk, | | |
| |Ridley-Thomas, Wagner, | | |
| |Weber | | |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Donnelly, Jones | | |
| | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY : Reduces the number of members of the Bay Area Air
Quality Management District (BAAQMD) advisory council from 20 to
seven and revises qualifications to focus on air pollution,
climate change, and health impacts of air pollution.
Specifically, 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.
SB 1415
Page 2
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.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes the BAAQMD, responsible for regulating air
emissions located in the boundaries of the Alameda, Contra
Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara
Counties and portions of the Solano and Sonoma Counties,
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.
d) The council to meet at least four times per year.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, negligible, if any, reimbursable costs.
COMMENTS : 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
SB 1415
Page 3
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 [BAAQMD] 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."
Analysis Prepared by : Lawrence Lingbloom / NAT. RES. / (916)
319-2092
FN: 0004571