Section 12097 - Permit Assistance Program(a) The Permit Assistance Program is hereby created within the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development.(b) The program shall do all of the following:(1) Provide permitting and regulatory compliance assistance to businesses.(2) Assist businesses in accessing information and resources related to permitting and regulatory compliance.(3) Provide mediation and third-party neutral facilitation to resolve conflicts between applicants and permitting and regulatory entities.(4) Work with federal, state, regional, and local permitting and regulatory entities to exchange best practices and implement improvements to modernize permitting processes.(5) Manage and regularly update the office's Internet Web site pursuant to Section 12097.1.(c) The program shall work cooperatively with local, regional, federal, and other state public agencies and private sector business and economic development organizations.(d) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5, the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development shall report to the Governor and the Legislature annually on the activities and outcomes of the program.Added by Stats 2016 ch 78 (AB 2605),s 1, eff. 1/1/2017.