Disadvantaged communities: farmworker communities., the official text

An act to amend Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to disadvantaged communities.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

Existing law defines “disadvantaged communities” and requires the California Environmental Protection Agency to identify disadvantaged communities for investment opportunities from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and for other purposes.
This bill would expand the definition of “disadvantaged communities” by explicitly authorizing the inclusion of farmworker communities that meet certain requirements. The bill would require the agency, in consultation with the Department of Community Services and Development and the State Department of Public Health, to revise applicable screening tools and guidance documents to ensure the inclusion of farmworker communities as disadvantaged communities in all relevant program eligibility determinations and benefit calculations.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.
Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:
39711.
(a) The California Environmental Protection Agency shall identify disadvantaged communities for investment opportunities related to this chapter. These communities shall be identified based on geographic, socioeconomic, public health, and environmental hazard criteria, and may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:
(1) Areas disproportionately affected by environmental pollution and other hazards that can lead to negative public health effects, exposure, or environmental degradation.
(2) Areas with concentrations of people that are of low income, high unemployment, low levels of homeownership, high rent burden, sensitive populations, or low levels of educational attainment.
(3) Farmworker communities that meet all of the following:
(A) The communities are located in geographic areas with a significant presence of agricultural workers, particularly those engaged in seasonal or migrant labor.
(B) Residents in the communities are disproportionately exposed to environmental pollutants related to agricultural or industrial operations.
(b) (1) The California Environmental Protection Agency shall hold at least one public workshop before the identification of disadvantaged communities pursuant to this section.
(2) The California Environmental Protection Agency, in consultation with the Department of Community Services and Development and the State Department of Public Health, shall revise applicable screening tools and guidance documents to ensure the inclusion of farmworker communities as disadvantaged communities in all relevant program eligibility determinations and benefit calculations.
(c) Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of the Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code does not apply to the identification of disadvantaged communities pursuant to this section.