Air districts: adverse effects of air pollution: intellectual property.

Existing law authorizes local and regional districts to have the primary responsibility for control of air pollution from all sources, other than emissions from motor vehicles. This bill would authorize the districts to sponsor, coordinate, and promote projects that will lead to the prevention, mitigation, or cure of the adverse effects of air pollution, including the adverse health effects of air pollution. The bill, until January 1, 2017, would authorize a district to negotiate what share, if any, of the intellectual property, or benefits resulting from intellectual property, developed from the use of district funds, including funds discharged as grants, will accrue to that district. The bill would require revenues generated from revenue sharing agreements to be deposited into a special account and used for specified purposes. Under certain circumstances, the bill would prohibit a district from receiving a benefit pursuant to these provisions in excess of the amount of the district's investment. If the state or a subdivision of the state purchases or licenses a process, machine, or article of manufacture for which a district accrues a benefit resulting from the intellectual property interest, the bill would require the district, upon the request of the Department of General Services, to provide reimbursement to the General Fund for the amount of the benefit accrued. The bill would require a district that attempts to negotiate for benefits pursuant to these provisions to report annually to the Legislature, as provided.