Article 8. Oil Spill Technical Advisory Committee of California Government Code >> Division 1. >> Title 2. >> Chapter 7.4. >> Article 8.

(a) The Oil Spill Technical Advisory Committee, hereafter in this article, the committee, is hereby established to provide public input and independent judgment of the actions of the administrator. The committee shall consist of 14 members, of whom eight shall be appointed by the Governor, three by the Speaker of the Assembly, and three by the Senate Rules Committee. The appointments shall be made in the following manner:
  (1) The Speaker of the Assembly and Senate Committee on Rules shall each appoint a member who shall be a representative of the public.
  (2) The Governor shall appoint a member who has a demonstrable knowledge of marine transportation.
  (3) The Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate Committee on Rules shall each appoint two members who have demonstrable knowledge of environmental protection and the study of ecosystems.
  (4) The Governor shall appoint a member who has served as a local government elected official or who has worked for a local government.
  (5) The Governor shall appoint a member who has experience in oil spill response and prevention programs.
  (6) The Governor shall appoint a member who has been employed in the petroleum industry.
  (7) The Governor shall appoint a member who has worked in state government.
  (8) The Governor shall appoint a member who has demonstrable knowledge of the dry cargo vessel industry.
  (9) The Governor shall appoint a member who has demonstrable knowledge of the railroad industry.
  (10) The Governor shall appoint a member who has demonstrable knowledge of the oil production industry.
  (b) The committee shall meet as often as required, but at least twice per year. Members shall be paid one hundred dollars ($100) per day for each meeting and all necessary travel expenses at state per diem rates.
  (c) The administrator and any personnel the administrator determines to be appropriate shall serve as staff to the committee.
  (d) A chair and vice chair shall be elected by a majority vote of the committee.

(a) The committee shall provide recommendations to the administrator, the State Lands Commission, the California Coastal Commission, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and the Public Utilities Commission, on any provision of this chapter, including the promulgation of all rules, regulations, guidelines, and policies.
  (b) The committee may study, comment on, or evaluate, at its own discretion, any aspect of oil spill prevention and response in the state. To the greatest extent possible, these studies shall be coordinated with studies being done by the federal government, the administrator, the State Lands Commission, the State Water Resources Control Board, and other appropriate state and international entities. Duplication with the efforts of other entities shall be minimized.
  (c) The committee may attend any drills called pursuant to Section 8670.10 or any oil spills, if practicable.
  (d) The committee shall report biennially to the Governor and the Legislature on its evaluation of oil spill response and preparedness programs within the state and may prepare and send any additional reports it determines to be appropriate to the Governor and the Legislature.

(a) The committee shall convene a taskforce, including appropriate state and federal governmental representatives, nongovernmental organizations, oil spill response organizations, and commercial fishing and other potential vessels of opportunity, to evaluate and make recommendations regarding the feasibility of using vessels of opportunity for oil spill response in marine waters. The evaluation shall examine the following:
  (1) Appropriate functions of vessels of opportunity during an oil spill.
  (2) Appropriate management of a vessels of opportunity spill response program.
  (3) Vessels of opportunity equipment, training, and technology needs.
  (4) Liability and insurance.
  (5) Compensation.
  (b) As part of the evaluation, the taskforce shall hold two public meetings, one in southern California and one in northern California, prior to making final recommendations.
  (c) (1) On or before January 1, 2017, the committee shall provide to the administrator and to the Legislature final recommendations on whether vessels of opportunity should be included in oil spill response planning.
  (2) The recommendations provided to the Legislature shall be provided pursuant to Section 9795.
  (d) If appropriate, the administrator, by January 1, 2018, shall update regulations to provide for inclusion of vessels of opportunity in the oil spill prevention, response, and preparedness program.

The administrator may expend from the Oil Spill Prevention and Administration Fund any amounts necessary for the purposes of carrying out this article.

(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that because the administrator must rely on expertise provided by members of the committee and be guided by their recommendations in making decisions that relate to the public safety, members of the committee should be entitled to the same immunity from liability provided other public employees.
  (b) Members of the committee appointed pursuant to this article, while performing duties required by this article or by the administrator, shall be entitled to the same rights and immunities granted public employees by Article 3 (commencing with Section 820) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of Division 3.6 of Title 1. Those rights and immunities are deemed to have attached, and shall attach, as of the date of appointment of the member to the committee.