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

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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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-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Senate  August 14, 2023

Amended  IN  Senate  June 22, 2023

Amended  IN  Assembly  March 06, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 652

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Introduced by Assembly Member Lee
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Bennett, Kalra, Pellerin, Connolly, McKinnor, and Zbur)
(Coauthor: Senator Durazo)(Coauthors: Senators Durazo and Gonzalez)

February 09, 2023

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

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 652, as amended, 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 July 1, 2025, to establish and convene a Department of Pesticide Regulation Environmental Justice Advisory Committee, as provided, that would provide 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, quarterly meetings and to periodically post on the department’s internet website its recommendations. The bill would also require the department to periodically post on its internet website an update on its efforts to incorporate the advisory committee’s recommendations.

Digest Key

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

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Bill Text

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 July 1, 2025.

(b) (1) The advisory committee shall be composed of up to 15 members, and shall include the following:

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

(B) At least three representatives of Native American, tribal, or indigenous groups.

(C) At least two farmworker advocates.

(D) Up to two people with expertise in issues affecting socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers.

(E) Up to two agroecologists or biologists with an environmental justice background.

(2) The advisory committee members shall represent communities in the central coast, central valley, and southern and northern California.

(c) The department shall appoint the advisory committee members from nominations received from environmental justice organizations and community groups through an open, public process. After the initial establishment of the advisory committee, future committee members shall be selected through a majority vote of existing committee members at a noticed public meeting of the advisory committee. The advisory committee shall adopt a charter that establishes the governance structure of the advisory committee, including, but not limited to, term limits and a selection process for new advisory committee members based on an open, public nomination process.

(d) The advisory committee shall provide 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.

(e) (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.

(f) The advisory committee members and the department’s Assistant Director for Environmental Justice and Equity shall cofacilitate advisory committee meetings. The advisory committee shall hold, at a minimum, quarterly public meetings, of which at least three per year shall be held in communities 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.

(g) The advisory committee shall periodically post, on the department’s internet website, its recommendations for the department.

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

(i) 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.