BILL NUMBER: AB 1059 INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia FEBRUARY 26, 2015 An act to add Part 2.1 (commencing with Section 71090) to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, relating to environmental justice. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1059, as introduced, Eduardo Garcia. California Communities Environmental Health Screening. Existing law requires the Secretary for Environmental Protection to convene a Working Group on Environmental Justice to assist the secretary in developing an agencywide strategy for identifying and addressing gaps in existing programs, policies, or activities of the agency's boards, departments, and offices that may impede the achievement of environmental justice. Existing law requires the California Environmental Protection Agency to identify disadvantaged communities as part of a 3-year investment plan developed by the Department of Finance for the moneys collected by the State Air Resources Board resulting from a market-based compliance mechanism. This bill would require the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment to update the California Communities Environmental Health Screening, developed by the agency and the office to implement the above requirements, by using any relevant environmental data relating to known impacts on the environmental quality of the communities in the California-Mexico border region. The bill would require the office to make a report to the Legislature on any barriers to accessing that data. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Part 2.1 (commencing with Section 71090) is added to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, to read: PART 2.1. California Communities Environmental Health Screening 71090. (a) For purposes of this part, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) "Office" means the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. (2) "Tool" means the California Communities Environmental Health Screening, also known as CalEnviroScreen, that is used to identify disadvantaged communities pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code. (b) The office shall update the tool by using any relevant environmental data relating to known impacts on the environmental quality of the communities in the California-Mexico border region, including, but not limited to, air pollution, water pollution, and toxic sites. (c) (1) The office shall report to the Legislature on any barriers in accessing the data described in subdivision (b) in the next update of the tool or by January 1, 2017, whichever is sooner. (2) A report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.