SB 272: Sea level rise: planning and adaptation.

Existing law creates within the Ocean Protection Council the California Sea Level Rise State and Regional Support Collaborative to provide state and regional information to the public and support to local, regional, and other state agencies for the identification, assessment, planning, and, where feasible, the mitigation of the adverse environmental, social, and economic effects of sea level rise within the coastal zone, as provided.

This bill would require a local government, as defined, lying, in whole or in part, within the coastal zone, as defined, or within the jurisdiction of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, as defined, to develop a sea level rise plan as part of either a local coastal program, as defined, that is subject to approval by the California Coastal Commission, or a subregional San Francisco Bay shoreline resiliency plan that is subject to approval by the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, as applicable, on or before January 1, 2034, as provided. By imposing additional requirements on local governments, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require local governments that receive approval for a sea level rise plan to be prioritized for funding, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the implementation of sea level rise adaptation strategies and recommended projects in the local governments approved sea level rise plan. The bill would require, on or before December 31, 2024, the California Coastal Commission, in close coordination with the Ocean Protection Council and the California Sea Level Rise State and Regional Support Collaborative, to establish guidelines for the preparation of the sea level rise plan. The bill would also require, on or before December 31, 2024, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, in close coordination with the California Coastal Commission, the Ocean Protection Council, and the California Sea Level Rise State and Regional Support Collaborative, to establish guidelines for the preparation of the sea level rise plan. The bill would make the operation of its provisions contingent upon an appropriation for its purposes by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another statute.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.