(a) Notwithstanding Section 162, the commission may make the determinations, findings, and recommendations required of it by this chapter independent of the views of the director. All final actions by the commission in implementing this chapter shall be taken by a majority of the members of the commission at a public meeting noticed and held 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).

(b) Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the sum of two billion seven hundred million dollars ($2,700,000,000) is hereby continuously appropriated from the fund, without regard to fiscal years, to the commission for public benefits associated with water storage projects that improve the operation of the state water system, are cost effective, and provide a net improvement in ecosystem and water quality conditions, in accordance with this chapter. Funds authorized for, or made available to, the commission pursuant to this chapter shall be available and expended only for the purposes provided in this chapter, and shall not be subject to appropriation or transfer by the Legislature or the Governor for any other purpose.

(c) Projects shall be selected by the commission through a competitive public process that ranks potential projects based on the expected return for public investment as measured by the magnitude of the public benefits provided, pursuant to criteria established under this chapter.

(d) Any project constructed with funds provided by this chapter shall be subject to Section 11590.

(Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 188, Sec. 8. (AB 1471) Approved in Proposition 1 at the November 4, 2014, election.)