State Air Resources Board: Office of Civil Rights.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's effectiveness is contingent upon appropriation by the Legislature, which may introduce uncertainties about its implementation timeline and scope.

Creating an Office for Civil Rights in Air Pollution Control

This law creates an Office of Civil Rights within the State Air Resources Board, which will provide training on civil rights obligations and post annual reports online.

What This Bill Does

• Creates a new office called the Office of Civil Rights inside the State Air Resources Board.
• Requires this office to give training about civil rights rules to board staff, grantees, contractors, and subrecipients.
• Tells the office to work with air pollution control districts and air quality management districts to ensure compliance with civil rights laws related to air quality.
• Needs the State Air Resources Board to put a yearly report on their website about what the Office of Civil Rights does.

Who It Names or Affects

• The State Air Resources Board
• Air pollution control districts and air quality management districts in California
• Board staff, grantees, contractors, and subrecipients

Terms To Know

Civil Rights

Rights that protect people from unfair treatment based on race, gender, religion, national origin, age, disability, and other factors.

Grantees

People or organizations that receive money or support from the government to do a specific job or project.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill requires funding from the Legislature.
• Details about how the Office of Civil Rights will work are left up to future decisions by the State Air Resources Board.

Official Summary Text

AB 1584, as introduced, Jackson.
State Air Resources Board: Office of Civil Rights.
Existing law establishes within the California Environmental Protection Agency the State Air Resources Board. Existing law provides for the establishment of air pollution control districts and air quality management districts. Existing law generally vests regulatory jurisdiction over stationary sources of air pollution to the air pollution control districts and air quality management districts and regulatory jurisdiction over mobile sources of air pollution to the State Air Resources Board.
This bill, contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another act for its purposes, would create the Office of Civil Rights within the state board. The bill would set forth the responsibilities of the office, including providing training on civil rights obligations to board staff, grantees, contractors, and subrecipients,
and coordinating with air pollution control districts and air quality management districts and the California Environmental Protection Agency to align civil rights compliance efforts statewide. The bill would require the state board to post on its internet website an annual summary of information regarding the office, including a summary of civil rights complaints received by the office and a description of compliance and enforcement efforts by the office relating to civil rights.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF