(a) The commission and division shall be advised by the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee which is hereby established within the commission. The committee shall consist of the following members:

(1) Six members appointed by the Governor as follows:

(A) A member who holds an academic appointment and has knowledge of economics or business operations of the transportation fuels market.

(B) A member representing the California petroleum fuels industry.

(C) A member representing consumers.

(D) A member representing labor.

(E) A member with expertise in community, environmental, or environmental justice issues.

(F) A member with expertise in antitrust law.

(2) One member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.

(3) One member appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules.

(b) (1) Except for the member described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of, or subparagraph (D) of paragraph (1) of, subdivision (a), no member of the committee shall have been employed by, contracted with, or received direct compensation from, a company that produces, refines, distributes, trades in, markets, or sells any petroleum product in the preceding 12 months.

(2) Except for the member described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of, or subparagraph (D) of paragraph (1) of, subdivision (a), before accepting appointment, members of the committee shall agree, in writing, not to be employed by, contract with, or receive direct compensation from companies described in paragraph (1) for the 12 months following the completion of their service on the committee.

(c) Each member of the committee shall receive a per diem of one hundred dollars ($100) for each day actually spent in the discharge of official duties, and shall be reimbursed for traveling and other expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of official duties.

(d) The duties, organization, and schedule of meetings of the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee shall be prescribed by the commission. The commission may delegate the authority under this subdivision to the executive director of the commission.

(e) The Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee shall have access to aggregated or otherwise anonymized information submitted to the commission or to the division necessary to fulfill its duties under conditions as the commission determines necessary to ensure that any public disclosure of the specific information would not result in unfair competitive disadvantage to the person supplying the information or adversely affect market competition. The members of the committee shall also agree, in writing, to maintain the confidentiality of all information received.

(f) The executive director of the commission shall ensure that any confidential information shared with the members of the Independent Consumer Fuels Advisory Committee is subject to a nondisclosure agreement and is maintained in a way that protects it from inadvertent disclosure.

(Amended (as added by Stats. 2023, 1st Ex. Sess., Ch. 1, Sec. 10) by Stats. 2023, Ch. 53, Sec. 5. (SB 124) Effective July 10, 2023.)