Bill > AB2385

This bill, titled "Local reconstruction agencies," aims to enhance disaster preparedness and recovery by amending existing laws and adding new provisions. It renames "disaster recovery plans" to "disaster recovery plan" and requires cities and counties that create such plans to ensure their general plans are consistent with them. The bill also expands the scope of contingency plans to include "intermediate recovery and reconstruction" alongside short-term and long-term efforts, and outlines specific elements these plans should contain. To support local efforts, the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation will assess statewide recovery needs and develop model ordinance language, while the Office of Emergency Services will provide guidance on disaster recovery plans. Crucially, the bill authorizes cities, counties, or other local subdivisions to establish "local reconstruction agencies" (instead of "reconstruction authorities") to coordinate disaster recovery. These agencies will have broad powers, including the ability to sue and be sued, enter contracts, issue bonds, and accept financial assistance. A significant provision allows these agencies to utilize "incremental property tax revenue" from the local area and "affected taxing entities" (which are defined as any city, county, or city and county that agrees to participate) to finance recovery activities, subject to specific approval processes. The bill also mandates that these agencies have a board composed of members from participating legislative bodies and the public, and clarifies that this board will be considered a local public agency subject to open meeting laws (Ralph M. Brown Act), public records laws (California Public Records Act), and political reform laws. Finally, it requires that a termination date for the local recovery agency be specified, not exceeding 45 years from the issuance of a bond or approval of a loan.