Section 66536.

The Legislature finds and declares the following:

(a) The Association of Bay Area Governments, known as ABAG for the purposes of this section and Section 66536.1, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission have collaborated on regional coordination.

(b) ABAG and MTC formed the "ABAG-MTC Task Force" in 2003 to review methods to improve comprehensive regional planning, including possible organizational and structural changes to ABAG and MTC.

(c) The ABAG-MTC Task Force agreed to set aside the issue of a merger between the ABAG and MTC and to develop a better structure for coordinated regional planning.

(d) The ABAG-MTC Task Force agreed to create a joint policy committee to develop staff support for that committee and to work on short- and long-term goals. Formation of the joint policy committee can result in substantial real progress in resolving regional transportation problems.

(e) The ABAG-MTC Task Force members agreed that structural changes were required in the working relationship between ABAG and MTC, and that the joint policy committee should have a substantial role in facilitating progress on regional transportation matters.

(f) There is a history of cooperation and coordination among the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, ABAG, and MTC.

(g) The three agencies are collectively responsible for developing and adopting air quality plans for national ambient air quality standards.

(h) Based on this history and collective involvement, and the interrelation between land use, transportation, and air quality, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District should be included as a represented agency on the joint policy committee by June 30, 2005. If the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has not been included by June 3, 2005, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District shall be included as a represented agency with an equal number of committee members.

(Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 791, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2005.)