California Assembly Bill AB2678 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2678INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Ridley-Thomas FEBRUARY 21, 2014 An act to amend Section 8670.54 of the Government Code, relating to oil spills. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2678, as introduced, Ridley-Thomas. Oil spills: Oil Spill Technical Advisory Committee. Existing law, the Lempert-Keene-Seastrand Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act, governs oil spill prevention and response within the state. Existing law also establishes the Oil Spill Technical Advisory Committee to provide public input and independent judgment of the actions of the administrator for oil spill response. The committee is composed of 10 members and the Governor is required to appoint as one of these members a person who has worked in state government. This bill would instead require the Governor to appoint a member who is a faculty member of the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at UC Davis or the Director of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network. 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 8670.54 of the Government Code is amended to read: 8670.54. (a) The Oil Spill Technical Advisory Committee, hereafter in this article the committee, is hereby established to provide public input and independent judgment of the actions of the administrator. The committee shall consist of 10 members, of whom six shall be appointed by the Governor, two by the Speaker of the Assembly, and two by the Senate Rules Committee. The appointments shall be made in the following manner: (1) The Speaker of the Assembly, and Senate Rules Committee shall each appoint members who shall be representatives of the public. (2) The Governor shall appoint a member who has a demonstrable knowledge of marine transportation. (3) The Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate Rules Committee shall each appoint a member who has demonstrable knowledge of environmental protection and the study of ecosystems. (4) The Governor shall appoint a member who has served as a local government elected official or who has worked for a local government. (5) The Governor shall appoint a member who has experience in oil spill response and prevention programs. (6) The Governor shall appoint a member who has been employed in the petroleum industry. (7) The Governor shall appoint a member who  has worked in state government   is a faculty member of the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at UC Davis or the Director of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network  . (8) The Governor shall appoint a member who has demonstrable knowledge of the dry cargo vessel industry. (b) The committee shall meet as often as required, but at least twice per year. Members shall be paid one hundred dollars ($100) per day for each meeting and all necessary travel expenses at state per diem rates. (c) The administrator and any personnel the administrator determines to be appropriate shall serve as staff to the committee. (d) A chairman and vice chairman shall be elected by a majority vote of the committee.  (e) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2012.