BILL NUMBER: AB 453INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Mullin FEBRUARY 19, 2013 An act to amend Section 75128 of the Public Resources Code, relating to sustainable communities. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 453, as introduced, Mullin. Sustainable communities. The Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006, an initiative measure approved by the voters at the November 7, 2006, statewide general election, makes about $5,400,000,000 in bond funds available for safe drinking water, water quality and supply, flood control, natural resource protection, and park improvements. Existing law establishes the Strategic Growth Council and appropriated $500,000 from the funding provided by the initiative to the Natural Resources Agency to support the council and its activities. The council is required to manage and award grants and loans to a council of governments, metropolitan planning organization, regional transportation planning agency, city, county, or joint powers authority for the purpose of developing, adopting, and implementing a regional plan or other planning instrument to support the planning and development of sustainable communities. This bill would make a local agency formation commission eligible for the award of financial assistance for those planning purposes. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 75128 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read: 75128. (a) To support the planning and development of sustainable communities, the council shall manage and award financial assistance to a council of governments, metropolitan planning organization, regional transportation planning agency, city, county, local agency formation commission, or joint powers authority, to develop, adopt or implement a regional plan or other planning instrument consistent with a regional plan that improves air and water quality, improves natural resource protection, increases the availability of affordable housing, improves transportation, meets the goals of the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code), and encourages sustainable land use. The financial assistance provided pursuant to this section shall be funded from moneys made available pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 75065. (b) In awarding financial assistance pursuant to this section, the council shall give first priority to an application seeking funding to add or enhance elements of a regional plan that are not funded with federal moneys.