BILL NUMBER: SB 393	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Nguyen

                        FEBRUARY 25, 2015

   An act to amend Section 56001 of the Government Code, relating to
local government.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 393, as introduced, Nguyen. Local agencies.
   Existing law, the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government
Reorganization Act of 2000, establishes the sole and exclusive
authority and procedure for the initiation, conduct, and completion
of changes of organization and reorganization for cities and
districts.
   This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to the
above-described law.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 56001 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
   56001.  The Legislature finds and declares that it is the policy
of the state to encourage orderly growth and  development
  development,  which are essential to the social,
fiscal, and economic well-being of the state. The Legislature
recognizes that the logical formation and determination of local
agency boundaries is an important factor in promoting orderly
development and in balancing that development with  the 
sometimes competing state interests of discouraging urban sprawl,
preserving open-space and prime agricultural lands, and efficiently
extending government services. The Legislature also recognizes that
providing housing for persons and families of all incomes is an
important factor in promoting orderly development. Therefore, the
Legislature further finds and declares that this policy should be
effected by the logical formation and modification of the boundaries
of local agencies, with a preference granted to accommodating
additional growth within, or through the expansion of, the boundaries
of those local agencies which can best accommodate and provide
necessary governmental services and housing for persons and families
of all incomes in the most efficient manner feasible.
   The Legislature recognizes that urban population densities and
intensive residential, commercial, and industrial development
necessitate a broad spectrum and high level of community services and
controls. The Legislature also recognizes that when areas become
urbanized to the extent that they need the full range of community
services, priorities are required to be established regarding the
type and levels of services that the residents of an urban community
need and desire; that community service priorities be established by
weighing the total community service needs against the total
financial resources available for securing community services; and
that those community service priorities are required to reflect local
circumstances, conditions, and limited financial resources. The
Legislature finds and declares that a single multipurpose
governmental agency is accountable for community service needs and
financial resources and, therefore, may be the best mechanism for
establishing community service priorities especially in urban areas.
Nonetheless, the Legislature recognizes the critical role of many
limited purpose agencies, especially in rural communities. The
Legislature also finds that, whether governmental services are
proposed to be provided by a single-purpose agency, several agencies,
or a multipurpose agency, responsibility should be given to 
the   an  agency or agencies that can best provide
government services.