(a)The Green Empowerment Zone shall be governed by a board of directors composed of representatives from eight stakeholder groups who shall serve as voting directors and who shall participate in meetings and serve as liaisons with their appointing entities and related organizations, as follows:
(1)Fourteen local government directors, one from each of the cities and the county set forth in subdivision (c) of Section 7599.100 that have adopted a resolution expressing its intent to participate in the Green Empowerment Zone. Each city and county shall select one representative.
(2)(A) Five
employer directors that represent large private employers in the fields of energy or manufacturing within the area of the Green Empowerment Zone or vested in the success of the Green Empowerment Zone, who are selected by the board.
(B)Employer size shall be based on data from the local workforce board and the boundaries of the empowerment zone at the time the director is selected.
(3)(A) Three state and regional directors, one from each of the following state or regional boards, commissions, or entities:
(i)The California Transportation Commission.
(ii) The California Workforce Development Board or a regional workforce development entity, as selected by the board of directors of the Green Empowerment Zone, that serves the Green Empowerment Zone.
(iii) The California Energy Commission.
(B) Each board, commission, or entity shall select a representative to the Green Empowerment Zone.
(4)Five small business and economic development directors who shall represent existing economic and business development organizations that serve the cities or the county listed in subdivision (c) of Section 7599.100. These small business and economic development representatives shall be nominated by the Association of Bay Area Governments and confirmed by the
board.
(5)Three directors from universities, laboratories, foundations, or nonprofit entities with specialized expertise and knowledge of green energy. These university, laboratory, foundation, and nonprofit representatives shall be selected by the board.
(6)Five directors representing the largest private sector organized labor organizations whose membership works in the cities and the county listed in subdivision (c) of Section 7599.100. Each union shall select its own representative to the Green Empowerment Zone
board.
(7)Five directors representing workforce development and public and private educational entities that serve cities or the county listed in subdivision (c) of Section 7599.100, at least one of whom shall be a representative from the California State University and at least one of whom shall be a representative from the California Community Colleges. These workforce development and education representatives shall be nominated by the Association of Bay Area Governments and confirmed by the board.
(8)Seven directors who live or work in the Green Empowerment Zone representing environmental or environmental justice organizations or interests, who shall be selected by the board.
(b)Confirmation of a nominee for membership on the board of directors shall be by majority vote of the sitting members of the board.
(c)Each member of the board shall have an alternate appointed by their appointing entity.
(d)All stakeholder group representatives on the board of directors shall serve a two-year term and may be reappointed by their appointing body for up to three additional terms.
(e)(1) No representative for a public stakeholder entity shall retain their seat on the board of directors after ceasing to hold the position that qualifies them to be an eligible representative for the board.
(2)(A) The board member’s eligibility from a private entity shall be determined by the board in consultation with the appointing entity if there is one.
(B)The board shall have an approved policy for making the determination before taking any action to determine the eligibility of a board member pursuant to this subparagraph.
(f)A vacancy on the board shall be filled for the unexpired term by the selection and appointment process used to appoint the director whose position has become vacant.
(g)(1) A director who fails to attend at least 50 percent of the board meetings in any 12-month period is subject to removal from the board.
(2)The board shall have an approved policy for making the determination before taking any action to determine the eligibility of a board member pursuant to this paragraph.
(h)Every Member of the Legislature and of the United States Congress that represents a city listed in subdivision (c) of Section
7599.100, or their appointed representative, shall be an ex officio voting member of the board of directors.
(i)A board chair and two deputy chairs shall be selected by a majority vote of the board. The chair and deputy chairs shall serve two-year terms and may be re-selected by a majority vote of the board for up to three additional terms. The chair and deputy chairs shall be chosen from among the following:
(1)One member shall be a Member of the Legislature who represents one or
more of the cities or the county listed in subdivision (c) of Section 7599.100.
(2)One member shall be a representative from a local agency in a city or county listed in subdivision (c) of Section 7599.100.
(3)One member shall be a representative whose residence and place of employment is within one or more of the cities or the county listed in subdivision (c) of Section 7599.100.
(j)(1) The board shall meet at least four times per year.
(2)Additional meetings may be called at the discretion of the chair or of a majority of the executive committee.
(k)The members of the board of
directors shall serve without compensation.
(l)The board shall be subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5).
(m)A member of the board of directors, including the chair, shall, upon identifying a conflict of interest, or a potential conflict of interest, regarding a matter before the board of directors of the Green Empowerment Zone, immediately and before consideration of the matter, do all of the following:
(1)Provide written notice to the chair regarding the interest that gives rise to the conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest. In the case of the chair, written notice shall be given to one of the deputy chairs.
(2)Recuse themselves from discussing or voting on the matter.
(3)Leave the meeting room until after discussion, vote, and any other consideration of disposition of the matter is concluded.
(n)A member of the board of directors shall not use the name of the Green Empowerment Zone on any letterhead, business code, or identification badge unless the person has been authorized to do so by the board of directors.