Chapter 2. Commission For Economic Development of California Government Code >> Division 3. >> Title 2. >> Part 5.7. >> Chapter 2.

The Commission for Economic Development, hereinafter referred to as the commission, is continued in existence. The purpose of the commission is to provide continuing bipartisan legislative, executive branch and private sector support and guidance for the best possible overall economic development of the state by any and all of the following means:
  (a) Assessing specific regional or local economic development problems and making recommendations for solving problems.
  (b) Providing a forum for ongoing dialogue on economic issues between state government and the private sector.
  (c) Recommending, where deemed appropriate, legislation to require evaluation of demonstration and ongoing economic development projects and programs to ensure continued cost effectiveness.
  (d) Identifying and reporting important secondary effects on economic development of programs and regulations which may have other primary purposes.
  (e) Undertaking specialized studies and preparing specialized reports at the request of the Governor or Legislature.

The commission shall consist of 17 members appointed as follows: Three Members of the Senate, appointed by the Senate Rules Committee. Three Members of the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. The Members of the Legislature appointed to the commission shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing power and shall participate in the activities of the commission to the extent that such participation is not incompatible with their respective positions as Members of the Legislature. For the purposes of this article, such Members of the Legislature shall constitute a joint investigating committee on the subject of this article and as such shall have the powers and duties imposed upon such committees by the Joint Rules of the Senate and Assembly. Ten members appointed by the Governor after consultation with business, industry, and labor organizations, with no more than six members registered from the same political party. These 10 members shall include persons from the economic development fields of manufacturing, tourism, world trade and such other fields as may be appropriate. The terms of these 10 members shall be for four years. The terms of the members first appointed shall be as follows: four shall expire January 1, 1973; four January 1, 1974; and two January 1, 1975. The Lieutenant Governor shall serve as chairman of the commission. The commission shall provide for the selection of a vice chairman who will be a registered member of a political party different from that of the chairman. The commission may select from its membership such other officers as it deems necessary. The chairman and the vice chairman will be ad hoc members of all committees. The Governor shall appoint, upon the nomination of the Lieutenant Governor, an executive secretary for the commission. That appointee shall serve at the pleasure of the Lieutenant Governor. The Lieutenant Governor shall appoint the staff of the commission. The staff shall be employees of the Lieutenant Governor's office.

The commission may appoint task forces to study and report on specific issues which relate to the purposes of this chapter. The commission may contract for studies and other special services for purposes of this chapter.

The commission shall appoint advisory committees from outside its membership to represent the aerospace, manufacturing, maritime, tourism and world trade segments of the state's economy, and such other advisory committees as it deems necessary for the purpose of carrying out its responsibilities as set forth in this article. Such committees shall serve at no cost to state government.

Members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for actual necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, as authorized by the commission chairman, excepting those members representing the Senate and Assembly who shall receive reimbursement from their legislative funds.

A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business for the commission. All meetings of the commission shall be open and public and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meetings of the commission.

The commission may act at any regular or special meeting. Regular meetings shall be held once during each three-month period and special meetings may be called by the chairman at any time he deems it is necessary to handle special or emergency matters. The commission may act without a meeting if a majority of the members approve of the action taken in writing. Any member who misses attending three consecutive meetings without good cause, may be replaced.

The commission shall have the powers and authority necessary to carry out the duties imposed upon it by this chapter, including but not limited to, all of the following:
  (a) To adopt such rules and regulations as it deems advisable with respect to the conduct of its own affairs.
  (b) To hold hearings, make and sign agreements and to do or perform any acts which may be necessary, desirable, or proper to carry out the purposes of this chapter.
  (c) To cooperate with, and secure the cooperation of, any department, division, bureau, commission, or other agency of the state, other government, public entity, private organization, or corporation to facilitate it properly to carry out its powers and duties hereunder.
  (d) To accept any federal funds granted, by act of Congress or by executive order, for all or any of the purposes of this chapter.
  (e) To accept any gifts, donations, grants, or bequests for all or any of the purposes of this chapter.

The commission shall consider programs to further the economic development of the state. The commission shall study the laws and programs of other states relating to economic development and the encouragement of business and industry, and shall confer with governmental officials and representatives of business and industry and any other persons or organizations interested in the promotion of economic development. The commission shall make recommendations concerning legislation affecting the economic development of the state.

The commission shall make a report of its activities, findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature not later than February 1 of each year.

The Legislature finds and declares that the Commission for Economic Development is solely an advisory body to the Legislature, to the Governor, and to state departments, offices, and agencies, and that the duties and functions given the commission are part of, or incidental to, its work as an advisory body. The Legislature further finds and declares that no person shall, by virtue of his or her membership on the commission, be deemed or held to be an officer of the State of California.