AB 2658: California Coastal Commission: ex parte communications.

The California Coastal Act of 1976, for purposes of the act, defines an ex parte communication as any oral or written communication between a member of the California Coastal Commission and an interested person about a matter within the commissions jurisdiction, which does not occur in a public hearing, workshop, or other official proceeding, or on the official record of the proceeding on the matter, but excludes from that definition any communication between a staff member acting in his or her official capacity and any commission member or interested person. The act prohibits a member of the commission and an interested person from conducting an ex parte communication, unless the member fully discloses and makes public the ex parte communication, as specified.

Existing law authorizes any person to testify at a hearing or other official proceeding of the commission and to submit written comments for the record on a matter before the commission.

This bill would require transcripts video or audio recordings of those proceedings to be promptly posted on the commissions Internet Web site to allow for public comment, as specified. within 72 hours after the proceeding and would require written and electronic communications submitted to the commission as part of those proceedings to be posted on the commissions Internet Web site within 7 days of receipt.