Economic development: movement of freight.

Existing law creates the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, known as "GO-Biz," and requires GO-Biz to serve the Governor as the lead entity for economic strategy and the marketing of California on issues relating to business development, private sector investment, and economic growth. Under existing law, GO-Biz is under the direct control of the Director of the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, who is responsible to the Governor. Existing law authorizes GO-Biz to undertake various activities relating to economic development, including the provision of prescribed information. Existing law requires the Transportation Agency to prepare a state freight plan that provides a comprehensive plan to govern the immediate and long-range planning activities and capital investments of the state with respect to the movement of freight. This bill would authorize GO-Biz to serve as the coordinating entity to steer the growth, competitiveness, and sustainability for freight and the supply chain across the state and to promote and assess the continued economic vitality, economic competitiveness, and sustainability of the freight sector. The bill would also authorize GO-Biz to provide freight and supply chain economic competitiveness information. This bill would require the Governor to appoint a freight coordinator with prescribed experience to serve as the advisory and coordinating entity for GO-Biz. The bill would require the freight coordinator to advise and coordinate policies that promote the growth, competitiveness, and sustainability for freight and the supply chain across the state, and to promote and assess the continued economic vitality and sustainability of the freight sector. The bill would require the freight coordinator to advocate for the implementation of these policies in the freight sector. The bill would require the freight coordinator to advise the Governor and director on issues affecting the state's freight and supply chain and on policy and administrative regulations affecting the state's freight and supply chain. The bill would require the freight coordinator to work directly with prescribed state entities as necessary to address and discuss ongoing freight and supply chain issues. The bill would authorize the freight coordinator, in consultation with the director, to establish and convene one or more stakeholder advisory groups to help inform the work of the freight coordinator in implementing their mission and duties. The bill would require the freight coordinator to undertake additional responsibilities relating to developing relevant information, goal setting, and making recommendations, as prescribed. The bill would also require the freight coordinator to participate in future updates to the California Freight Mobility Plan of the Department of Transportation and the AB 32 climate change scoping plan pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006.