Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER TAKING A POSITION OF SUPPORT ON AB 1852 AUTHORED BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER BLANCA PACHECO (CITY COUNCIL)
Body
I. SUMMARY
The City of Carson is a member agency of the Clean Power Alliance (CPA). CPA is the sponsor of Assembly Bill 1852, authored by Assemblymember Pacheco this year. This bill proposes to extend CPA's existing policy, allowing alternate board members, who are not elected officials, to participate in closed session meetings if the primary board member is unavailable. The enabling legislation, SB 355, which initially allowed CPA to have alternate directors attend closed session meetings, is set to expire on January 1, 2025. AB 1852 aims to extend this expiration date to January 1, 2030.
The bill has been assigned to the Assembly Local Government Committee and is scheduled for a hearing on March 20, 2024. A draft letter of support and a fact sheet are attached (Exhibit Nos. 1 & 2). We recommend supporting AB 1852 and directing staff to transmit letters as necessary to committees as the bill progresses through California's legislative process.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
TAKE a position of SUPPORT on Assembly Bill 1852 and DIRECT staff to transmit letters as necessary to committees as the bill move through California's legislative process.
Body
III. ALTERNATIVES
TAKE another action the City Council deems appropriate, provided it is consistent with applicable laws.
IV. BACKGROUND
CPA's Board of Directors consists of one elected official from each member agency and up to two alternate directors. These alternates are often municipal agency staff or former elected officials. Before the enactment of SB 355 in 2019, non-elected alternates were barred from participating in closed-session discussions of a Joint Powers Authority (JPA). SB 355 allowed these unelected alternates on the CPA Board to partake in closed-session discussions, enhancing CPA members' ...
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