Section 8879.53 - Generally(a) Funds for the program contained in paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) of Section 8879.23 shall be deposited in the Port and Maritime Security Account, which is hereby created in the fund. For purposes of this section, "agency" or "office" means the Office of Emergency Services.(b) Funds in the account shall be available to the office, upon appropriation by the Legislature. Funds shall be made available as grants to eligible applicants, as defined in paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) of Section 8879.23, for capital projects that include, but are not limited to, those projects described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) of Section 8879.23.(c) Prior to allocating funds to projects from the account, the office shall adopt guidelines to establish the criteria and process for the distribution of funds. At least 30 days prior to adopting the guidelines, the office shall hold a public hearing on the proposed guidelines and shall provide opportunity for public review and comment.(d) In allocating funds from the account, the office shall do the following: (1) Address the state's most urgent maritime security needs.(2) Balance the demands of the various large and small ports.(3) Provide reasonable geographic balance in the distribution of funds.(e) The unencumbered balance of any funds appropriated to the office prior to June 30, 2009, for purposes of this section, shall remain available to the office for encumbrance pursuant to this section until June 30, 2012.(f) The office's activities to implement this section shall be incorporated into the report to the Legislature required in paragraph (3) of subdivision (c) of Section 8879.23.Amended by Stats 2013 ch 352 (AB 1317),s 226, eff. 9/26/2013, op. 7/1/2013.Amended by Stats 2010 ch 618 (AB 2791),s 118, eff. 1/1/2011.Amended by Stats 2010 ch 8 (AB X8-12),s 1, eff. 6/10/2010.Added by Stats 2007 ch 181 (SB 88),s 1, eff. 8/24/2007.