Climate change: regional climate change authorities.

Existing law requires the Strategic Growth Council, until October 1, 2029, to establish and administer a regional climate collaborative program to assist underresourced communities, as defined, in a region to access statewide public and other grant moneys, as specified, for climate change mitigation and adaptation projects. This bill would require the council, by January 1, 2023, to establish up to 12 regional climate change authorities to coordinate climate adaptation and mitigation activities in their regions and coordinate with other regional climate adaptation authorities, state agencies, and other relevant stakeholders. The bill would authorize the regional climate change authorities to engage in certain activities to address climate change. The bill would require the regional climate change authorities to annually submit to the council a report on their activities.