Cal. Public Resources Code § 40974

(a) Notwithstanding Section 40972, each city or county that is a member agency of a regional agency is liable for any civil penalties that may be imposed by the board pursuant to Section 41813 or 41850. However, an agreement that establishes a regional agency may apportion any civil penalties between or among the cities or counties that are member agencies of the regional agency. The total amount of civil penalties that may be imposed against the regional agency is equivalent to that amount that is the sum of the penalties that may be imposed against each city or county that is a member agency of the regional agency. (b) (1) An agreement may provide that a city or county is subject to the portion of a penalty imposed upon a regional agency pursuant to Section 41850 that is in proportion to the city’s or county’s responsibility for failure to implement a source reduction and recycling element or household hazardous waste element, as determined by the regional agency. (2) If an agreement provides for apportioning a penalty pursuant to paragraph (1), the regional agency shall provide the city or county with a written notice regarding the city’s or county’s responsibility, including the basis for determining the city’s or county’s proportional responsibility, and an opportunity for a hearing before the regional agency’s governing body, before assessing the city or county a proportion of the penalty imposed by the board. (3) This subdivision does not affect the authority of the board to impose a penalty pursuant to other provisions of this division.