California Defense Community Infrastructure Program.

Existing law establishes within state government the Office of Planning and Research as the comprehensive state planning agency for long-range planning and research. Existing law, until January 1, 2026, establishes within state government a Governor's Military Council that serves under the direction of the Military Department to advise the Governor on efforts to retain military installations and operations within this state that are necessary for the defense of the nation, and to coordinate and focus those efforts. This bill would establish the California Defense Community Infrastructure Program, which would require the Office of Planning and Research, with input and assistance from the Governor's Military Council, to grant funds to local agencies to assist with matching fund requirements in applications for funds from the federal Defense Community Infrastructure Program. This bill would require the office to use specified project criteria, define an eligible project, and require the Military Council to rank the projects, as specified, and forward their recommendations to the office to award the grants, or, if the Military Council is abolished, would require the office to rank the projects based on the available criteria and funds. This bill would appropriate $50,000,000 for the purposes of the program. The bill would authorize the office to award these grants without regard to fiscal year and would require funds unencumbered after 3 years to revert to the General Fund.