Welfare and Institutions Code § 4625.6

4625.6.

(a) To ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and to assist with governance and organizational structure, the governing board of the regional center shall retain or employ an attorney by no later than July 1, 2027, to provide general legal advice and counsel. The attorney shall have at least five years of legal experience in representing a private or nonprofit public benefit corporation, government agency, or other public entity.

(b) To ensure the delivery of independent legal advice, an attorney retained or employed by the governing board of the regional center shall not be an employee of the regional center.

(c) The board’s attorney shall be present at all regional center board meetings and executive committee meetings where final decisions are made.

(d) The board’s attorney shall advise the governing board on matters, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(1) The role of the board.

(2) Board operations and governance.

(3) Conduct of meetings, including parliamentary rules.

(4) Open meeting requirements.

(5) Rules for closed sessions.

(6) Executive director contract writing and compliance.

(7) Assistance for members of the board.

(8) Conflict of interest monitoring, reporting, and resolution.

(e) To permit adequate time for recruitment of an appropriately qualified attorney, as described in subdivision (a), in the event of a vacancy in this position of not more than six months, the governing board and its executive committee shall be permitted to take final action in the absence of a retained attorney. The public meeting notice shall include a statement that the board may take action at the meeting in the absence of the attorney required by this section.