State government: Office of Permit Assistance.

Previously existing law established the Office of Permit Assistance within the Trade and Commerce Agency to, among other things, provide information to developers relating to the permit approval process. Under existing law, a state agency which is the lead agency for a development project is required to inform the applicant for a permit that the Office of Permit Assistance has been created for this purpose. This bill would instead require a state agency that is a lead agency for a development project to inform the applicant for a permit that the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development has been created for this purpose. The bill would also delete various obsolete provisions relating to the Office of Permit Assistance. Existing law establishes procedures for a land use decision by a local agency concerning a specified hazardous waste facility project, as defined. Existing law requires the Office of Permit Assistance to take specified actions with regard to land use decisions regarding a proposed hazardous waste facility project. This bill would transfer these duties to the Department of Toxic Substances Control. Existing law requires the Director of the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development to ensure that the office's Internet Web site contains information to assist an individual with the licensing, permitting, and registration requirements necessary to start a business, including fee requirements and fee schedules of state agencies. This bill would establish the Permit Assistance Program within the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development. The bill would require the program to, among other things, provide permitting and regulatory compliance assistance to businesses and provide mediation and 3rd-party neutral facilitation to resolve conflicts between applicants and permitting and regulatory entities. The bill would require the program to manage and regularly update the tools provided on the office's Internet Web site. The bill would require the office to report annually on the activities and outcomes of the program.