Bill Text: CA SB704 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

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

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Bill Title: Coastal resources: California Coastal Act of 1976: industrial developments: oil and gas developments: refineries: petrochemical facilities: offshore wind.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2023-09-30 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 292, Statutes of 2023. [SB704 Detail]

Download: California-2023-SB704-Introduced.html

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 704

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Introduced by Senator Min

February 16, 2023

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An act to amend Section 30335.5 of the Public Resources Code, relating to coastal resources.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 704, as introduced, Min. Coastal resources: California Coastal Commission: scientific expertise.

The California Coastal Act of 1976 establishes in the Natural Resources Agency the California Coastal Commission and provides for the planning and regulation of development in the coastal zone, as defined. The act requires the commission, if it determines that it has sufficient resources, to establish one or more scientific panels to review technical documents and reports, among other things. The act encourages the commission to use innovative techniques to increase effective communication between the commission and the scientific community, as provided.

This bill would require the commission, in implementing the above provisions relating to the establishment of scientific panels and the use of innovative techniques, where feasible and as applicable and appropriate, to use the scientific expertise and resources existing within state government.

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 30335.5 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

30335.5.

 (a) The commission shall, if it determines that it has sufficient resources, establish one or more scientific panels to review technical documents and reports and to give advice and make recommendations to the commission prior to before making decisions requiring scientific expertise and analysis not available to the commission through its staff resources. It is the intent of the Legislature that the commission base any such technical decisions on scientific expertise and advice. The panel or panels may be composed of, but not limited to, persons with expertise and training in marine biology, fisheries, geology, coastal geomorphology, geographic information systems, water quality, hydrology, ocean and coastal engineering, economics, and social sciences.

(b) Members of a panel, while performing duties required by this division or by the commission, shall be entitled to the same rights and immunities granted public employees by Article 3 (commencing with Section 820) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 3.6 of Title 1 of the Government Code. Those rights and immunities shall attach to the member as of the date of appointment of the person to the panel.

(c) The commission is encouraged to seek funding from any appropriate public or private source, and may apply for and expend any grant or endowment funds, for the purposes of this section. Any funding made available to the commission for these purposes shall be reported to the fiscal committee of each house of the Legislature at the time the commission’s budget is being formally reviewed.

(d) The commission is encouraged to utilize use innovative techniques to increase effective communication between the commission and the scientific community, including the use of existing grant programs and volunteers, in order to improve and strengthen the technical basis of its planning and regulatory decisions.

(e) Where feasible in implementing this section and as applicable and appropriate, the commission shall use the scientific expertise and resources existing within state government.