California Assembly Bill AB2616 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2616INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Burke (Coauthor: Assembly Member Mark Stone) FEBRUARY 19, 2016 An act to amend Sections 30213 and 30301 of, and to add Section 30006.6 to, the Public Resources Code, relating to coastal resources. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2616, as introduced, Burke. California Coastal Commission: membership: environmental justice. Existing law, the California Coastal Act of 1976, establishes the California Coastal Commission and prescribes the membership and functions and duties of the commission. Existing law provides that the commission consists of 15 members. This bill would increase the membership of the commission to 18 and would require 3 additional members to be appointed, one each by the Governor, the Senate Committee on Rules, and the Speaker of the Assembly, who represent and work directly with communities in the state that are most burdened by, and vulnerable to, high levels of pollution and issue of environmental justice, as defined. Existing law requires maximum access and recreational opportunities to be provided to the public in the state's coastal areas and, in that regard, requires lower cost visitor and recreational facilities to be protected, encouraged, and, where feasible, provided. This bill would additionally require housing opportunities for persons of low and moderate income to be protected, encouraged, and, where feasible, provided in coastal areas. The bill would also specify that the act does not preclude or otherwise restrict the consideration of environmental justice or the equitable distribution of environmental benefits in communities throughout the state. 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 30006.6 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read: 30006.6. This division shall not preclude or otherwise restrict the consideration of environmental justice, as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 65040.12 of the Government Code, or the equitable distribution of environmental benefits in communities throughout the state. SEC. 2. Section 30213 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read: 30213. Lower cost visitor and recreational facilities  and housing opportunities for persons of low and moderate income  shall be protected, encouraged, and, where feasible, provided. Developments providing public recreational opportunities are preferred. The commission shall  not: (1) require   not do either of the following:   (a)     Require  that overnight room rentals be fixed at an amount certain for any privately owned and operated hotel, motel, or other similar visitor-serving facility located on either public or private  lands; or (2) establish   lands.   (b)     Establish or  approve any method for the identification of low or moderate income persons for the purpose of determining eligibility for overnight room rentals in any  such   of those  facilities. SEC. 3. Section 30301 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read: 30301. The commission shall consist of the following  15   18  members: (a) The Secretary of the  Natural  Resources Agency. (b) The Secretary of Transportation. (c) The Chairperson of the State Lands Commission. (d) Six representatives of the public from the state at large. The Governor, the Senate Committee on Rules, and the Speaker of the Assembly shall each appoint two of these members. (e) Six representatives selected from six coastal regions. The Governor shall select one member from the north coast region and one member from the south central coast region. The Speaker of the Assembly shall select one member from the central coast region and one member from the San Diego coast region. The Senate Committee on Rules shall select one member from the north central coast region and one member from the south coast region. For purposes of this division, these regions are defined as follows: (1) The north coast region consists of the Counties of Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino. (2) The north central coast region consists of the Counties of Sonoma and Marin and the City and County of San Francisco. (3) The central coast region consists of the Counties of San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Monterey. (4) The south central coast region consists of the Counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. (5) The south coast region consists of the Counties of Los Angeles and Orange. (6) The San Diego coast region consists of the County of San Diego.  (f) Three representatives of, and who work directly with, communities in the state that are most burdened by, and vulnerable to, high levels of pollution and issues of environmental justice, as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 65040.12 of the Government Code, including, but not limited to, communities with diverse racial and ethnic populations and communities with low-income populations. The Governor, the Senate Committee on Rules, and the Speaker of the Assembly shall each appoint one of these members.