Article 3 - Administration

California Public Utilities Code — §§ 132352-132352.5

Sections (6)

Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 158, Sec. 36.1. Effective January 1, 2006.

(a)The consolidated agency may adopt bylaws and other rules necessary to carry out its responsibilities.

(b)The clerk of the board shall cause a proposed ordinance or proposed amendment to an ordinance, and any ordinance adopted by the board, to be published at least once, in a newspaper of general circulation published and circulated in the board’s area of jurisdiction.

(c)The publication of an ordinance, as required by subdivision (b), may be satisfied by either of the following actions:

(1)The board may publish a summary of a proposed ordinance or proposed amendment to an ordinance. The summary shall be prepared by a person designated by the board. The summary shall be published and a certified copy of the full text of the proposed ordinance or proposed amendment shall be posted in the office of the clerk of the board at least five days prior to the board meeting at which the proposed ordinance or amendment is to be adopted. Within 15 days after adoption of the ordinance or amendment, the board shall publish a summary of the ordinance or amendment with the names of those board members voting for and against the ordinance or amendment and the clerk shall post in the office of the clerk a certified copy of the full text of the adopted ordinance or amendment along with the names of those board members voting for and against the ordinance or amendment.

(2)If the person designated by the board determine that it is not feasible to prepare a fair and adequate summary of the proposed ordinance or amendment, and if the board so orders, a display advertisement of at least one-quarter of a page in a newspaper of general circulation in the board’s area of jurisdiction shall be published at least five days prior to the board meeting at which the proposed ordinance or amendment is to be adopted. Within 15 days after adoption of the ordinance or amendment, a display advertisement of at least one-quarter of a page shall be published. The advertisement shall indicate the general nature of, and provide information regarding, the adopted ordinance or amendment, including information sufficient to enable the public to obtain copies of the complete text of the ordinance or amendment, and the names of those board members voting for and against the ordinance or amendment.

§ 132352.1

Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 743, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2003.

All meetings of the consolidated agency, including, but not limited to, adjourned regular and special meetings of the board, shall be called, noticed, held, and conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Ralph M. Brown Act (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code). Ten members of the board shall constitute a quorum for transaction of the business of the board.

§ 132352.2

Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 743, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2003.

Acts of the board shall be expressed by motion, resolution, or ordinance.

§ 132352.3

Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 658, Sec. 14. (AB 805) Effective January 1, 2018.

The officers of the board are the chairperson and the vice chairperson. The chairperson and vice chairperson shall be elected by the membership of the board every two years or when a vacancy exists, by means of the weighted vote pursuant to Section 132351.2. The chairperson and vice chairperson shall not represent the same subregion, with the subregions being east county, north county coastal, north county inland, south county, the City of San Diego, and the County of San Diego. The board may create additional officers and elect members to those positions. However, no member may hold more than one office. The term of office for any officers of the board other than the chairperson and the vice chairperson shall be established by the board.

§ 132352.4

Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 110, Sec. 3. (AB 1833) Effective January 1, 2023.

(a)The Legislature finds and declares that there is a compelling interest in ensuring that all federal, state, local, and private funds available to the consolidated agency are captured and used in a timely manner. In order to maximize the use of federal, state, local, and private funds and to maintain a competitive posture in seeking supplemental federal funds, the consolidated agency may establish and use a flexible contracting process to maximize efficient use of public funds.

(b)The consolidated agency

may do any of the following with regard to contracting:

(1)The consolidated agency may make contracts and enter into stipulations of any nature whatsoever, either in connection with eminent domain proceedings or otherwise, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, contracts and stipulations to indemnify and hold harmless, and to do all acts necessary for, incidental to, or convenient for the full exercise of the powers granted in this chapter.

(2)The consolidated agency may contract with any department or agency of the United States or the State of California, local governmental authorities within or outside of the region, including those in Mexico, or any city, county, public district, public corporation, or joint powers authority formed pursuant to the

Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code) upon those terms and conditions as the consolidated agency finds are for the best interests of the consolidated agency.

(3)If the estimated total cost of any construction project or public works project will exceed fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), the consolidated agency shall solicit bids in writing and shall award the work to the lowest responsible bidder or reject all bids. The consolidated agency shall establish rules for procurement of construction of public works projects.

(4)Except in cases when an article of a specified brand or trade name is the only article that will properly meet the needs of the consolidated agency, all

contracts for the acquisition or lease of materials, supplies, or equipment in an amount of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000), or a higher amount as authorized by the board, shall be made or entered into with the lowest responsible bidder meeting specifications. For purposes of determining the lowest bid, the amount of sales tax shall be excluded from the total amount of the bid.

(5)If the estimated total cost of required services equals or exceeds

one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000), the services will not be performed by an entity described in paragraph (2), and the services are not within the category of services defined in Section 4525 of the Government Code, the consolidated agency shall solicit bids in writing and shall award the work in a competitive procurement process that is in the best interest of the consolidated agency.

(6)Contracts for architectural, landscape architectural, engineering, environmental, land surveying services, and construction project management services

in excess of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) shall be let in accordance with Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 4525) of Division 5 of Title 1 of the Government Code.

(7)Notwithstanding this chapter, the consolidated agency may use any procurement method authorized for state or local agencies by state or federal law, including, but not limited to, use of a competitive negotiation process in accordance with Article 7.5 (commencing with Section 20216) of Chapter 1 of Part 3 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code. The consolidated agency shall maintain acquisition and contracting guidelines to be followed by the consolidated agency with respect to procurement of goods and services. These guidelines may be in the form of standard formats or model formats.

§ 132352.5

Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 743, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2003.

(a)All of the privileges and immunities from liability, exemptions from laws, ordinances and rules, all pension, relief, disability, workers’ compensation, and other benefits that apply to the activity of officers, agents, or employees of a public agency when performing their respective functions shall apply to employees of the consolidated agency.

(b)All claims for money or damages against the consolidated agency or its employees shall be governed by Part 1 (commencing with Section 810), Part 2 (commencing with Section 814), Part 3 (commencing with Section 900), and Part 4 (commencing with Section 940) of Division 3.6 of Title 1 of the Government Code applicable to public agencies and their employees, or by other statutes or regulations expressly applicable thereto.