(a)
The board shall determine, by majority vote, where to maintain its office and shall hold meetings at that office or elsewhere upon call of the chairman or three members of the board. The board shall not relocate its office more than once within each gubernatorial term.
(b)
The local agencies that are represented on the board may reimburse employees of the board for relocation or net commuting expenses, or both, incurred by those employees as the result of a change in the location of the office pursuant to subdivision (a). The costs shall be divided equally among the local agencies. Any commuting expenses shall not exceed the state’s reimbursement rate for state employees. Any relocation benefits shall be approved by each local agency prior to those benefits being offered to board staff.
(c)
Any payments made pursuant to subdivision (b) do not constitute income for the purposes of subdivision (a) of Section 82030 of the Government Code, in accordance with paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of that section.