California Senate Bill SB1019 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 1019INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Leno FEBRUARY 14, 2014 An act to amend Section 71113 of the Public Resources Code, relating to the environment. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1019, as introduced, Leno. Environmental Justice: Working Group. Existing law requires the Secretary for Environmental Protection, on or before January 1, 2002, to convene a Working Group on Environmental Justice, composed of various representatives, as specified, to assist the California Environmental Protection Agency, to develop, by July 1, 2002, an agencywide environmental justice strategy, and requires the working group to examine existing data and studies on environmental justice, make recommendations to various entities, and hold public meetings, among other things. This bill would require the secretary to reconvene the working group by January 1, 2016, to redevelop, by July 1, 2016, that agencywide strategy and to review and update or revisit actions by April 1, 2016, that were required to be undertaken by the original working group. 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 71113 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read: 71113. (a) On or before January 1,  2002,   2016,  the Secretary for Environmental Protection shall  convene a   reconvene the  Working Group on Environmental Justice  that is established pursuant to this section  to assist the California Environmental Protection Agency  in developing, on or before July 1, 2002,an   to redevelop, on or before July 1, 2016, an  agencywide strategy for identifying and addressing any gaps in existing programs, policies, or activities that may impede the achievement of environmental justice. (b) The working group shall be composed of the Secretary for Environmental Protection, the Chairs of the State Air Resources  Board, the California Integrated Waste Management Board,   Board  and the State Water Resources Control Board, the Director of Toxic Substances Control, the Director of Pesticide Regulation, the Director of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment,  and  the Director of Planning and Research  , and the Director of Resources Recycling and Recovery  . (c) The working group shall  review the actions taken pursuant to this subdivision before January 1, 2015, and  do all of the following  with regard to updating or revisiting those actions  on or before April 1,  2002:   2016:  (1) Examine existing data and studies on environmental justice, and consult with state, federal, and local agencies and affected communities. (2) Recommend criteria to the Secretary for Environmental Protection for identifying and addressing any gaps in existing programs, policies, or activities that may impede the achievement of environmental justice. (3) Recommend procedures and provide guidance to the California Environmental Protection Agency for the coordination and implementation of intraagency environmental justice strategies. (4) Recommend procedures for collecting, maintaining, analyzing, and coordinating information relating to an environmental justice strategy. (5) Recommend procedures to ensure that public documents, notices, and public hearings relating to human health or the environment are concise, understandable, and readily accessible to the public. The recommendation shall include guidance for determining when it is appropriate for the California Environmental Protection Agency to translate crucial public documents, notices, and hearings relating to human health or the environment for limited-English-speaking populations. (6) Hold public meetings to receive and respond to public comments regarding recommendations required pursuant to this section, prior to the finalization of the recommendations. The California Environmental Protection Agency shall provide public notice of the availability of draft recommendations at least one month prior to the public meetings. (7) Make recommendations on other matters needed to assist the agency in developing an intraagency environmental justice strategy.