AB 3254: Local government organization: omnibus.

The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (the Act) provides the authority and procedure for the initiation, conduct, and completion of changes of organization, reorganization, and sphere of influence changes for cities and districts, as specified. Existing law defines various terms for purposes of that Act, including the terms affected territory and inhabited territory.

This bill would revise those definitions to include territory that is to receive extended services from a local agency, and additionally define the term uninhabited territory for purposes of the Act.

The Act requires mailed notice to be given to landowners and to all registered voters within territory affected by a proposed change of organization, reorganization, or sphere of influence change, including notice to all landowners or registered voters within 300 feet of the exterior boundary of the property that is subject of a hearing, as specified.

This bill would specify that the requirement to mail notice to all landowners or registered voters within 300 feet of the exterior boundary of the property that is subject of a hearing applies only in the case of commission proceedings.

The Act provides for the selection of representatives of independent special districts on each local agency formation commission by an independent special district selection committee pursuant to a nomination and election process. Existing law requires the executive officer of the commission to call and hold a meeting of the special district selection committee when, among other things, the executive officer anticipates a vacancy within the next 90 days among the members or alternate members representing independent special districts on the commission, as specified.

This bill would authorize the executive officer to prepare and deliver a call for nominations to each eligible district. The bill would, at the end of the nominating period, if only one candidate is nominated for a vacancy, require that candidate to be deemed appointed if a specified disclosure is made by the written notice of the meeting.

If the independent special district selection committee has determined to conduct business by mail, or if the executive officer determines that a meeting of the special district selection committee for the purpose of appointing the special district members or filling vacancies is not feasible, existing law requires the executive officer to conduct the business of the committee, including elections, by mail in accordance with specified procedures.

This bill would revise the elections procedures to, among other things, require all notices and election materials to be addressed to the presiding officer.

The Act sets forth the powers and duties of a local agency formation commission. If the proposal includes the incorporation of a city or the formation of a district, the commission is required to determine the property tax revenue to be exchanged by the affected local agencies, as specified.

This bill would specify the provisions under which the commission to determine the property tax revenue to be exchanged by affected local agencies if the proposal includes the disincorporation of a city.

The Act sets forth the factors to be considered by the commission in the review of a proposal, including, among others, per capita assessed valuation.

This bill would instead require the commission to consider assessed valuation generally.