(a) The authority has all of the powers necessary for planning, acquiring, leasing, developing, jointly developing, owning, controlling, using, jointly using, disposing of, designing, procuring, and building the project, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Acceptance of grants, fees, allocations, and transfers of funds from federal, state, and local agencies, as well as private entities.

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(2) Acquiring, through purchase or through eminent domain proceedings, any property necessary for, incidental to, or convenient for, the exercise of the powers of the authority.

(3) Incurring indebtedness, secured by pledges of revenue available for project completion.

(4) Contracting with public and private entities for the planning, design, and construction of the project. These contracts may be assigned separately or may be combined to include any or all tasks necessary for completion of the project.

(5) Entering into cooperative or joint development agreements with local governments or private entities. These agreements may be entered into for the purpose of sharing costs, selling or leasing land, air, or development rights, providing for the transferring of passengers, making pooling arrangements, or for any other purpose that is necessary for, incidental to, or convenient for the full exercise of the powers granted the authority. For purposes of this paragraph, “joint development” includes, but is not limited to, an agreement with any person, firm, corporation, association, or organization for the operation of facilities or development of projects adjacent to, or physically or functionally related to, the project.

(6) Relocation of utilities, as necessary for completion of the project.

(b) The duties of the authority include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Conducting the financial studies and the planning and engineering necessary for completion of the project.

(2) (A) Adoption of an administrative code, not later than 60 days after establishment of the authority, for administration of the authority in accordance with any applicable laws, including, but not limited to, the Ralph M. Brown Act (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code), the provisions of this chapter, laws generally applicable to local agency procurements and contracts, laws relating to contracting goals for minority and women business participation, and the Political Reform Act of 1974 (Title 9 (commencing with Section 81000) of the Government Code).

(B) (i) The administrative code adopted under subparagraph (A) shall include a code of conduct for employees and board members that is consistent with Sections 84308 and 87103 of the Government Code and prohibits board members and staff from accepting gifts valued at ten dollars ($10) or more from contractors, potential contractors, or their subcontractors.

(ii) The code shall require the disclosure, on the record, of the proceedings by the officer of the agency who receives a contribution within the preceding 24 months in an amount of more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) from a party or participant to a proceeding, and the disclosure by the party or participant.

(iii) The code shall provide that no officer of the agency shall make, participate in making, or in any way attempt to use his or her official position to influence the decision in a proceeding, as described in § 84308 of the Government Code, if the officer has willfully or knowingly received a contribution in the amount of more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within the preceding 24 months from a party or his or her agent, or from any participant or his or her agent if the participant has a financial interest in the decision.

(iv) Any officer deemed ineligible to participate in a proceeding due to the provisions of this code of conduct may be replaced for the purposes of that proceeding by an appointee chosen by the appropriate appointing authority.

(v) Under the code of conduct, board members shall be deemed to have a financial interest in a decision within the meaning of § 87100 of the Government Code if the decision involves the donor of, or intermediary or agent for a donor of, a gift or gifts aggregating ten dollars ($10) or more in value within the 12 months prior to the time the decision was made.

(vi) Board members and alternate members shall not be considered financially interested, under or for the purposes of § 1090 of the Government Code, solely by virtue of their holding office with the authority and, concurrently, holding office with an entity set forth in subdivision (a) of Section 132415, an extension city, or both such an entity and such a city, and they may participate in decisions and agreements regarding the authority, any of the entities set forth in subdivision (a) of Section 132415, and any of the extension cities. The participation described in this clause shall not constitute a conflict of interest under or for the purposes of § 1090 of the Government Code, or an incompatible employment, activity, or enterprise under or for the purposes of § 1126 of the Government Code.

(c) The authority shall make reasonable progress, as determined by the commission, in the design and construction of the project within the timetable imposed under the 1998 State Transportation Improvement Program.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 189, Sec. 2. (AB 1600) Effective January 1, 2013.)