Bill Text: CA AB652 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Bill 652

Bill Title: Department of Pesticide Regulation Environmental Justice Advisory Committee.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-0)

Status: (Passed) 2023-10-10 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 662, Statutes of 2023. [AB652 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB652-Chaptered.html

Assembly Bill No. 652

CHAPTER 662

An act to add Section 11519 to the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to the Department of Pesticide Regulation.

[ Approved by Governor October 10, 2023. Filed with Secretary of State October 10, 2023. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 652, Lee. Department of Pesticide Regulation Environmental Justice Advisory Committee.

Existing law, added by the Governor’s Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1991, creates the Department of Pesticide Regulation and authorizes the Director of Pesticide Regulation, among other things, to adopt regulations for the issuance and renewal of licenses and certificates for pest control operations. Existing law requires the director, on or after January 1, 2025, to adopt regulations for the issuance and renewal of licenses and certificates for pest control operations for a 3-year period.

This bill would require the department, by January 1, 2026, to establish and convene a Department of Pesticide Regulation Environmental Justice Advisory Committee, as provided, that would provide prioritized recommendations to the department on ways to integrate environmental justice considerations into department programs, policies, decisionmaking, and activities, and on how the department can improve its engagement with communities with the most significant exposure to pesticides. The bill would require the advisory committee to hold, at a minimum, 2 public meetings annually and to post, as needed, its recommendations on the department’s internet website. The bill would also require the department to post, as needed, on its internet website an update on its efforts to incorporate the advisory committee’s recommendations.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

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

SECTION 1.

Section 11519 is added to the Food and Agricultural Code, to read:

11519.

(a) The department shall convene a Department of Pesticide Regulation Environmental Justice Advisory Committee by January 1, 2026.

(b) (1) The advisory committee shall be composed of up to 11 members, and shall include all of the following:

(A) At least two environmental justice leaders who represent rural communities with the most significant exposure to pesticides.

(B) At least one environmental justice leader who represents urban communities with the most significant exposure to pesticides.

(D) At least one farmworker advocate.

(E) Up to one person with expertise in issues affecting socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers.

(F) Up to one agroecologist or biologist with an environmental justice background.

(2) The goal of the composition of the advisory committee membership is to reflect the geographic diversity of California and represent communities in the central coast, central valley, and southern and northern California.

(c) The Director of Pesticide Regulation shall appoint the advisory committee members from nominations received from environmental justice organizations, community groups, or other organizations or entities implementing program work that seeks to achieve environmental justice as defined in Section 65040.12 of the Government Code through an open, public process.

(d) The advisory committee, in consultation with the department, shall adopt a charter that includes, but is not limited to, the governance structure of the advisory committee, term limits, an application process for new advisory committee members, and the process for identifying prioritized recommendations.

(e) (1) The advisory committee shall provide prioritized recommendations to the department on ways to integrate environmental justice considerations into department programs, policies, decisionmaking, and activities, and on how the department can improve its engagement with communities with the most significant exposure to pesticides.

(2) The advisory committee shall develop prioritized recommendations within the department’s authority as specified in statute. The prioritized recommendations shall be done through a public process and take public feedback into consideration.

(f) (1) The members of the advisory committee may receive a reasonable per diem allowance as specified in Section 11564.5 of the Government Code, or at a higher rate that may be established by the department, for each day’s attendance at a noticed meeting of the advisory committee.

(2) The members of the advisory committee may be reimbursed for actual and necessary travel expenses incurred in connection with their official duties.

(g) The advisory committee members and the department shall cofacilitate advisory committee meetings. The advisory committee shall hold, at a minimum, two public meetings annually, of which at least one per year shall be held in a community with high pesticide use. Members of the advisory committee shall be provided with a remote call-in option. Language access shall be available to advisory committee members and the public.

(h) The advisory committee’s recommendations for the department shall be posted, as needed, on the department’s internet website.

(i) The department shall post, as needed, on its internet website, an update on its efforts to incorporate the recommendations of the advisory committee.

(j) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Advisory committee” means the Department of Pesticide Regulation Environmental Justice Advisory Committee established pursuant to this section.

(2) “Department” means the Department of Pesticide Regulation.

(3) “Socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher” has the same meaning as defined in Section 512.