(a) The Board of Environmental Safety is hereby established in the department consisting of five voting members as follows: (1) Three members shall be appointed by the Governor subject to confirmation by the Senate. (2) One member shall be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. (3) One member shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. (b) The members of the board shall be appointed on the basis of their demonstrated interest in the fields of hazardous waste management, site remediation, or pollution prevention and reduction, shall possess understanding of the needs of the general public in connection with the risks posed by hazardous materials and the management of hazardous waste, and shall possess experience in at least one of the following: (1) Environmental law. (2) Environmental science, including toxicology, chemistry, geology, industrial hygiene, or engineering. (3) Public health. (4) Cumulative impact assessment and management. (5) Regulatory permitting. (c) No more than two members of the board may represent a single category of qualification described in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (b) at any one time. (d) The board members shall represent the general public interest and act to protect public health and reduce risks of toxic exposure with a particular focus on disproportionately burdened and vulnerable communities. (e) (1) Three board members constitute a quorum for the transaction of business of the board. (2) An affirmative vote of a majority of board members present at a meeting of the board shall be required for the board to take any action or pass any motion. (f) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a board member shall be appointed for a term of four years. A vacancy in the board shall be immediately filled by the appointing authority for the unexpired portion of the term in which the vacancy occurs. (2) The terms of the board members shall be staggered. One of the initial members appointed by the Governor and the initial member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly shall serve a two-year term and the remaining three initial members shall serve a four-year term. The chairperson of the board, appointed by the Governor pursuant to subdivision (m), shall serve a four-year term. The Governor shall determine which of the initial members appointed by the Governor shall serve a two-year term and which shall serve a four-year term. (g) (1) A board member appointed by the Governor may be removed by the Governor for neglect of duty, misconduct, or malfeasance in office. Before removal from office, a member shall be provided with a written statement of the charges and an opportunity to be heard. (2) A board member appointed by the Governor or the Legislature may be removed after trial for knowingly violating this section based on a complaint filed in a county superior court by the Attorney General alleging that the board member knowingly violated this section and asking that the board member be removed from the board. Further proceedings shall be in accordance as near as may be with rules governing civil actions. (3) A board member shall not miss three consecutive meetings as unexcused absences. Missing three consecutive meetings as unexcused absences shall constitute grounds for removal under paragraph (1) or (2). (h) A board member shall not make, participate in making, or in any way attempt to use the board memberâs official position to influence a board decision in which the board member knows or has reason to know they have a financial interest within the meaning of Section 87103 of the Government Code. (i) The board shall conduct its business, including adjourning to, or meeting solely in, closed session, pursuant to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). (j) (1) The board shall adopt rules for the conduct of its affairs. (2) The rules for conduct adopted by the bo
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