Bill Text: CA AB2139 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Ocean Protection Council: ocean acidification and hypoxia.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Passed) 2016-09-14 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 352, Statutes of 2016. [AB2139 Detail]

Download: California-2015-AB2139-Chaptered.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 2139	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  352
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 14, 2016
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 14, 2016
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 17, 2016
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 23, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 15, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 2, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 20, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 31, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 28, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Williams
   (Coauthor: Assembly Member Gonzalez)
   (Coauthor: Senator Monning)

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2016

   An act to add Section 35631 to the Public Resources Code, relating
to ocean resources.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2139, Williams. Ocean Protection Council: ocean acidification
and hypoxia.
   Existing law establishes the Ocean Protection Council in state
government and prescribes the membership, functions, and duties of
the council with regard to the protection and conservation of ocean
and coastal resources.
   This bill would, subject to the availability of funding, authorize
the council to develop an ocean acidification and hypoxia science
task force to ensure that council decisionmaking is supported by the
best available science, and require the council to take specified
actions to address ocean acidification and hypoxia, as prescribed,
and, beginning January 1, 2018, and annually thereafter, at its first
meeting of the year, adopt recommendations for further actions that
may be taken to address ocean acidification and hypoxia.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares both of the
following:
   (a) The West Coast Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Science Panel
was a binational collaboration of leading scientists from California,
Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia that was convened at the
request of the Ocean Protection Council and the California Ocean
Science Trust. The West Coast Acidification and Hypoxia Science Panel'
s executive summary report outlines findings, recommendations, and
actions to address ocean acidification and hypoxia.
   (b) The mission of the Ocean Protection Council is to ensure that
California maintains healthy, resilient, and productive ocean and
coastal ecosystems for the benefit of current and future generations.
In order to do this, the council should address the challenge of
ocean acidification.
  SEC. 2.  Section 35631 is added to the Public Resources Code, to
read:
   35631.  (a) Subject to the availability of funding, the council
may develop an ocean acidification and hypoxia science task force to
ensure that decisionmaking is supported by the best available
science.
   (b) Subject to the availability of funding, the council shall do
both of the following:
   (1) Take actions to address ocean acidification and hypoxia,
including, but not limited to, all of the following:
   (A) Implement measures to facilitate climate change adaptation in
the ocean, consistent with subdivision (c) of Section 71154.
   (B) Develop, refine, and integrate predictive models that identify
the relative contributions of global and local drivers of ocean
acidification and hypoxia in California waters.
   (C) Work with other agencies to coordinate and ensure that
criteria and standards for coastal water health to address ocean
acidification and hypoxia are developed and informed by the best
available science.
   (D) Develop a comprehensive inventory of areas in California
vulnerable to ocean acidification and hypoxia.
   (E) Facilitate agreements with other national, state, and regional
governments and private entities to establish and advance joint
priorities for ocean acidification and hypoxia research.
   (F) In coordination with relevant federal, state, and academic
entities, identify gaps between the monitoring of ocean acidification
and hypoxia and management needs, and the actions necessary to
address these gaps.
   (2) Beginning January 1, 2018, and annually thereafter, at its
first meeting of the year, adopt recommendations for further actions
that may be taken to address ocean acidification and hypoxia.