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q.l�-� Legislative Bill Action ............................................................... The following are summaries of just a few of the legisladve bills that are currently being acted upon by the League of Califomia Cities. For more infortnation ab��ut these and other bilis, ple�se visit the League website's new "Issues and Advocacy" page ;www.cacitles.ora/ issuesandadvocacvl — a one-stop Iocation to access infortnation about legislation, policy issues and related developments. You can track information on bilis (www.cacities.org/legtracking), locate legislators and legislative committees, send letters to legislators or the media through the online Advocacy Center, research League policy positions, access useful related links, and much more. ADMINISTRATNE SERVICES ENVIRONMENTAL QUAL�y NB 2713 (Pavley). Rublie Agency Attorneys. pg 1991 (Lowenthal). �¢ (Richman) AB 2713, by fortner Agoure Hilis Cily Council Member Petroleum Storage Facilities. Assembly Member Fran Pavley, is a reintroduction of AB 363 (Steinberg), Alan Lowenthal has decided not to proceed with g@ which was supported by the League but unfortunately ] 9,,�,]. This measure attempts to streamline the vetoed by then Govemor Davis in 2002. The lan- planning and approval process {or the expansion of guage in AB 2713 is identical to the final version of AB existing or construction of new petroleum inirastruc- 363, which included a number of important provisions ture {acilfies. It would use as a model the existing requested by the League. process for siting and approving power plants, in which the Califomia Energy Commission (CEC) is the AB 2713 addresses the issue of attomeyclient lead agency for any faciliry over 50 MW in capacity — privilege for public agency attemeys, such as those and thus in which the CEC has the authority to pre- who work for cities, counties and state govemment. empt local land use decisions. The League had The bill narrowly defines when it is proper and permis- notified the author's otfice verbally that if the bill sible for a pubiic agency attomey to breach confiden- proceeds in its current fortn, we would oppose it. tiality without being subject to sanctions by the Califomia State Bar. Because of the importance of The League has engaged in discussions with the attorney-client confidentiality, a subcommittee of the CEC since the beginning of the year about this issue League's city attomeys departrnent, working with their and jointly sponswed with the CEC two roundtable County Counsel colleagues, spent many hours and discussions with ciiy and county officials familiar with months several years ago working on issue, both at petroleum infrastructure planning in southern and the State Bar level and on AB 363. In participating in northem Califomia. These workshops provided a very the negotiations on AB 363, the city attomeys and the real worid perspective to the topic. League recognized the special role that public lawyers play in facilitating public agency integrity. Although AB 1991 is dropped by the author for Thus, they requested language in AB 363, which was this year, AB 2305 (Richman) remains a potential accepted by Assembly Member Steinberg and re- vehiGe with which to address this topic. At this time, it mains in AB 2713, that creates a balance beriveen the is unclear what direction the author intends to take the need for public disclosure when wrongdoing is bill, although preliminary discussions with the authors egregious and the criticai importance of presen,ng office indicate that land use preemption is not being the rights of public agencies to confidential and considered. We'll keep you posted. Staff: Yvonne candid legal advice. Hunter; Status: AB 1991 Dropped by Author, e@ The League is pleased that this issue is once ��h�NatRes, Hrg 4/19; Position on both bills: again before the legislature in the form ofA@ 2713. Cities and city attorneys should send support letters to both the author and the Committee. Staff: Yvonne Hunter; Status: AsJud, Hrg 5/4; Position: Support. PAGE 8/PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Offcial Web Site--www.cacities.org