2009 California Government Code - Section 8670.54-8670.56.1 :: Article 8. Oil Spill Technical Advisory Committee

8670.54.  (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 and the State Interagency Oil Spill Committee. The
committee shall consist of ten members, of whom six shall be
appointed by the Governor, two by the Speaker of the Assembly, and
two by the Senate Rules Committee. The appointments shall be made in
the following manner:
   (1) The Speaker of the Assembly, and Senate Rules Committee shall
each appoint members who shall be representatives 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 Rules Committee
shall each appoint a member who has 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.
   (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 chairman and vice chairman shall be elected by a majority
vote of the committee.

8670.55.  (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, and the State Interagency Oil Spill Committee, on any
provision of this chapter including the promulgation of all rules,
regulations, guidelines, and policies.
   (b) The committee may, at its own discretion, study, comment on,
or evaluate, 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
8601.10 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.
   (e) On or before August 1, 2005, the committee shall review the
Department of Finance report required under Section 8670.42 and
prepare and submit to the Governor and the Legislature comments on
the report, including, but not limited to, recommendations for
improving the state's oil spill prevention, response, and
preparedness program.

8670.56.  The administrator may expend from the Oil Spill Prevention
and Administration Fund any amounts necessary for the purposes of
carrying out this article.

8670.56.1.  (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.