Environmental justice: federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Justice40 Advisory Committee.

Existing law establishes the Strategic Growth Council consisting of specified state agency members and members of the public. Existing law requires the council, among other things, to recommend policies and investment strategies and priorities to the Governor, the Legislature, and to appropriate state agencies to encourage the development of sustainable communities, such as those communities that promote equity, strengthen the economy, protect the environment, and promote public health and safety. The federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) provides additional federal funds to rebuild the nation's infrastructures. Executive orders issued by President Biden established the federal Justice40 Initiative with the goal that 40% of the overall federal benefits flow to disadvantaged communities and stating that the implementation of the IIJA should prioritize investing public dollars equitably, including through the Justice40 Initiative. This bill would require a minimum of 40% of funds received by the state under the IIJA and certain other federal funds to be allocated to projects that provide direct benefits to disadvantaged communities and disadvantaged unincorporated communities and, except as specified, a minimum of an additional 10% be allocated for projects that provide direct benefits to low-income households and low-income communities, as provided. The bill would require state agencies administering those federal funds to perform specified tasks related to the expenditure of those federal funds. This bill would establish the Justice40 Advisory Committee in the council, as provided, to perform various actions related to the expenditure of those federal funds. The bill would require the committee, by December 31, 2024, to submit a report to the Legislature, and to the council at a public meeting of the council, that identifies certain recommendations it has developed, including recommending projects under any covered program for federal funding. The bill would require the council, by December 31, 2027, to submit a report to the Legislature on the expenditure of federal funds and an evaluation of the state agencies' success in meeting the requirements of the bill. The bill would provide that those provisions would be repealed by their own terms on a specified date.