The Barbed Wire - May 25, 2018

Laptops Distributed to Calaveras County Foster Youth

On Tuesday, representatives from the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), National Homebuyers Fund, Inc. (NHF), and iFoster provided an update to the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors on the distribution of 26 gifted laptops to local foster youth and former foster youth aged 16- 21 in Calaveras County. These laptops are part of a statewide distribution of more than 1,100 laptop computers to all eligible foster youth and former foster youth aged 16-21 within RCRC’s 35-member counties.  

"RCRC and its affiliates have demonstrated a true commitment to improving the quality of life in California's rural counties," said Calaveras County Supervisor Jack Garamendi.  "Whether it be through rebuilding efforts following devastating wildfires, educating our kids on human trafficking, or the purchase of laptops for our foster youth population, I am proud to be part of an organization that invests its resources in our local communities."  Read More…

Supervisor Rex Bohn: All of Us Should Pitch in For Clean Water

Farmworkers plant and harvest the California fruits and vegetables that feed our families.  But when they turn the faucets in their own homes, they too often encounter something unthinkable — contaminated water, infused with unsafe levels of arsenic or nitrates from fertilizer.  Read More…

RCRC’s Board of Directors Adopt Positions on Statewide Ballot Initiatives

The RCRC Board of Directors have adopted positions on the five statewide ballot initiatives that voters are considering for the June Primary.  

Proposition 68: Addresses primarily park funding with some water financing included.  The RCRC Board of Directors adopted a “No Position” position.

Proposition 69: Prohibits the Legislature from borrowing or using revenues which are derived from increases in motor fuel taxes and vehicle fees, other than for transportation purposes.  The RCRC Board of Directors adopted a “Support” position. 

Proposition 70: Deposits all Cap-and-Trade auction proceeds into a newly created Greenhouse Gas Reduction Reserve Fund beginning January 1, 2024.  The RCRC Board of Directors adopted “Support” position.

Proposition 71: Provides that an initiative state statute, state referendum, or constitutional amendment that is approved by the voters takes effect on the fifth day after the Secretary of State files the statement of the vote.  The RCRC Board of Directors adopted “Support” position.

Proposition 72: Allows an exclusion from reassessment for property tax purposes for installing a rainwater capture system.  The RCRC Board of Directors adopted “Support” position.

Latest Cap-and-Trade Auction Shows Rise in Proceeds for Climate Investments

Earlier this week, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) released the latest results from the May 15, 2018 joint Cap-and-Trade auction with programs in Ontario and Quebec.  The auction netted nearly $700 million for the State, with ARB reporting that all current-year carbon allowances were purchased by businesses required to participate in the program. 

The State’s Cap-and-Trade auction has sold out of credits in every auction held since Governor Brown worked with the Legislature last year to extend the program through 2030.  In that time, the auctions have netted nearly $3 billion over four quarterly auctions, which will be allocated by the Legislature in this year’s State Budget.  Currently, both the Assembly and the Senate have proposals for large allocations to forest health, wildfire prevention and mitigation, and organic waste diversion programs. 

Detailed information on the Cap-and-Trade auction results can be accessed here.

Farm Bill Update

Last Friday, the House of Representatives voted 198-213 to reject HR 2, the 2018 Farm Bill, on the House floor.  The bill was stalled by unanimous opposition from Democrats and the House Freedom Caucus, the conservative wing of the House Republican caucus.  Immediately after the vote, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) passed a motion to recommit HR 2, granting the House a second chance to vote on final passage. 

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) announced a plan to hold the second vote to pass HR 2 on June 22, 2018.  Representative Scalise’s plan was endorsed by House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-North Carolina), on condition that the House will first hold a vote on the Goodlatte-McCaul immigration bill.

Last week Representative Meadows attempted to use Farm Bill votes as leverage to force Speaker Ryan to hold a vote on the Goodlatte-McCaul proposal, but a deal was never made, and the Farm Bill and Freedom Caucus members voted to reject the bill on the House floor. Goodlatte-McCaul is a conservative immigration proposal that pairs border wall funding with a process for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals to obtain three-year renewals of work permits.  Republican Leadership refused to offer Meadows a vote on Goodlatte-McCaul in an effort to appease moderate Republicans who oppose the proposal.

Representative Jeff Denham (R-Stanislaus) is urging moderate Republicans to sign a discharge petition that would force a floor vote on four immigration alternatives to Goodlatte-McCaul.  If Denham’s discharge petition receives 218 signatures, it would carve a path for moderate Republicans to pair with moderate Democrats and move forward on immigration reform without conservatives.  This procedure would prevent Republican Leadership from bringing Goodlatte-McCaul to a vote on the floor, and undermine Speaker Ryan’s leverage for Farm Bill negotiations with the Freedom Caucus.

Appropriations Update

This week, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted 31-0 to approve the Fiscal 2019 Senate Agriculture appropriations bill.  The bill would provide $23.24 billion in discretionary funding and $121.8 billion in mandatory funding, the same as the House version.  The totals are $6.2 billion above President Donald Trump’s fiscal 2019 budget request, and $710 million below the fiscal 2018 enacted level.  

The bill includes $425 million in new funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) rural broadband pilot program, and $825 million in funding for other rural infrastructure projects.  In addition, the bill appropriates $150 million in federal funds for the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program.  The Fiscal 2019 Senate Agriculture appropriations bill allocates a total of $3.8 billion for the USDA’s Rural Development office.

The Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a $43.8 billion Energy-Water spending bill for Fiscal 2019 appropriations.  The Committee reported the bill favorably in a 30-1 vote.  The spending measure will increase funding for the Army Corps of Engineers and related programs and is $7.2 billion more than the amount requested by the Trump Administration.

Congress will be on recess next week, but the House will consider a “minibus” appropriations package when the session resumes on June 5th.  The minibus will include three uncontroversial spending bills, Energy-Water, Military Construction-VA, and Legislative Branch.  Republican Leadership is bundling smaller appropriations proposals in an effort to pass a complete spending package for Fiscal 2019 before government funding expires on September 30, 2018.

RCRC Leadership Attends NACo Western Interstate Region Conference

This week, RCRC Delegate Supervisors Kevin Cann (Mariposa), Denise Carter (Colusa), and Randy Hanvelt (Tuolumne) joined RCRC staff at the National Association of Counties’ (NACo) Western Interstate Region (WIR) 2018 Conference in Blaine County, Idaho.  Supervisor Cann serves as Second Vice President of WIR. 

WIR is dedicated to the promotion of western state interests, and the WIR Conference brings together county officials, federal, state, and regional policymakers to focus on unique pressing issues affecting rural communities.  This year’s conference covered a number of issues, including a presentation from former RCRC Chair and Colusa County Supervisor Kim Dolbow Vann on rural economic development.  Ms. Vann now serves as the California Director for USDA Rural Development.  Other important topics covered were forest revitalization, and federal legislative updates on important rural programs, including Federal Payments in Lieu of Taxes, and reauthorization of the Farm Bill.   

Bill of the Week: Senate Bill 1260 (Jackson) – SUPPORT AS AMENDED

RCRC has lent its support to Senate Bill 1260 by Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara).  SB 1260 would promote the use of prescribed burns for fuels treatment and wildfire prevention statewide. 

Prescribed burning is an important tool to help mitigate and prevent the impacts of wildfire, and RCRC supports the provisions in SB 1260 that encourage more frequent use of prescribed fire in managing California’s forest lands.  SB 1260 also correlates with goals and programs proposed in the Governor’s May Revision of the 2018-19 State Budget to prevent future wildfires, and improve forest health.

Ms. Heaton’s support as amended letter can be accessed here.  Ms. Heaton can be reached at (916) 447-4806.

CalPERS Webinar: Proactively Managing Your Pension Plan’s Unfunded Liability

California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) will be hosting a webinar on May 31^st at 9:00 a.m. providing public agency employers with various options to manage their unfunded accrued liability (UAL) balance.  Read More…

THE RURAL RUNDOWN PODCAST

The Rural Rundown discusses the legislative and regulatory issues impacting California’s rural counties, featuring commentary and interviews from individuals committed to improving the quality of life in rural California. 

The Rural Rundown can be accessed here. 

KEEPING UP

Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California's rural counties.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt announced the appointment of Mike Stoker to become regional administrator for Region 9. Mr. Stoker will oversee environmental protection efforts in Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada. Mike Stoker has spent his life working as an attorney at law specializing in agriculture, labor, land use, and environmental law and most recently served as director of government affairs for UnitedAg, the second largest agricultural association in California. Mr. Stoker has spent much of his career serving the public. He was a member on Santa Barbara County’s Board of Supervisors from 1986-1994, chairman of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board from 1995-2000, and California deputy secretary of state from 2000-2002. 

Stephen B. Bell, 56, of Shasta Lake, has been appointed to the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities. Bell has served as chief and commander of the Northern Division at the California Highway Patrol since 2012, where he was assistant chief from 2007 to 2012 and a captain of the Dublin Area from 2002 to 2006. He is a member of the Special Needs Adventure Group and the North State Regional Advisory Committee. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Bell is a Democrat.

Giancarlo Altamura, 29, of Napa, has been appointed to the 25^th District Agricultural Association, Napa Town and Country Fair Board of Directors. Altamura has been an assistant winemaker at Altamura Vineyards and Winery since 2012. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Altamura is registered without party preference.

Ingrid E. Braun, 50, of Mammoth Lakes, has been appointed to the State 9-1-1 Advisory Board. Braun has been sheriff-coroner and director of emergency services at the Mono County Sheriff’s Office since 2014, where she was deputy sheriff from 2012 to 2013 and extra-help deputy sheriff from 2011 to 2012. She was a reserve police officer at the Mammoth Lakes Police Department from 2013 to 2014 and served in several positions at the Los Angeles Police Department from 1990 to 2011, including police lieutenant, police detective, supervisor and police officer. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Braun is a Democrat.

Scott Howland, 50, of El Dorado Hills, has been reappointed to the State 9-1-1 Advisory Board, where he has served since 2016. Howland has been chief information officer and chief of the Information Management Division at the California Highway Patrol since 2014, where he has served in several positions since 1990, including assistant chief in the Coastal Division and in the Office of the Assistant Commissioner for Leadership Development and Communications and captain in the Office of Special Representative. He earned a Doctor of Education degree in organizational leadership and a Master of Business Administration degree in management and leadership from the University of La Verne. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Howland is registered without party preference.

BULLETIN BOARD

Announcements regarding hearings, grants, and public comment notices of importance to California's rural counties.

California Financing Coordinating Committee Funding Fairs

Click here

Cal OES reopens Notice of Interest for October 2017 Wildfires

Click here

U.S. DOT Launches BUILD Transportation Program - $1.5 Billion Funding Available

Click here

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

RCRC members are encouraged to share letters addressed to state and federal representatives and regulatory bodies with RCRC’s Government Affairs staff.  

Assembly Bill 924 (Bonta): Indian Tribes: Commercial Cannabis Activity.  Assembly Bill 924 would authorize the Governor to enter into agreements concerning cannabis activities on lands of federally-recognized sovereign Indian tribes. Status: AB 924 awaits consideration in the Senate Business, Professions & Economic Development Committee.  RCRC Position: Oppose

Assembly Bill 986 (Gallagher): Hunting and Sport Fishing Licenses.  Assembly Bill 986 would revise the duration of sport fishing licenses, and provide Veterans with a reduced-fee sport fishing license.  Status: AB 986 awaits consideration in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee.  RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 1250 (Jones-Sawyer): Counties and Cities: Personal Contract Services.  Assembly Bill 1250 would establish specific standards for the use of personal services contracts by counties.  Status: AB 1250 awaits consideration in the Senate Rules Committee. RCRC Position: Oppose

Assembly Bill 1772 (Aguiar-Curry): Fire Insurance Indemnity. Assembly Bill 1772 would extend the minimum limit during which an insured may collect the full replacement cost of a loss relating to a state of emergency to 36 months. Status:  AB 1722 awaits consideration in the Senate Insurance Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 1800 (Levine): Fire Insurance. Assembly Bill 1800 relates to existing law which prohibits a fire insurance policy from limiting or denying payment of the replacement cost of property in the event the insured decides to rebuild or replace the property at a location other than the insured premises. Qualifies that prohibition by making it applicable in addition to any extended replacement cost coverage purchased by the insured and in addition to any increase in policy limits. Status: AB 1800 awaits consideration in the Senate Insurance Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 1875 (Wood): Residential Property Insurance.  Assembly Bill 1875 would require an insurer to offer extended replacement cost coverage when issuing or renewing a policy of residential property insurance, and requires the insurer to disclose the premium costs for extended replacement cost coverage. Status: AB 1875 awaits action in the Assembly. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 1919 (Wood): Price Gouging: State of Emergency. Assembly Bill 1919 would make it a misdemeanor, upon proclamation or declaration of an emergency to increase the monthly rental price advertised, offered or charged for residential housing to an existing or prospective tenant by more than a specified percentage or greater than the rental price advertised, offered, or charged within 30 days immediately prior to the date of the proclamation or disaster. Status: AB 1919 awaits action in the Assembly.  RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 1954 (Patterson): Timber Harvest Plans: Exemption: Flammable Materials. Assembly Bill 1954 would delete the inoperative date of an exemption from some or all provisions of the Forest Practices Act of 1973 concerning a person engaged in specified forest management activities. Status: AB 1954 awaits consideration in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 2050 (Caballero): Small System Water Authority Act of 2018.  Assembly Bill 2050 would create the Small System Water Authority Act of 2018 and state legislative findings and declarations relating to authorizing the creation of small system water authorities that will have powers to absorb, improve, and competently operate noncompliant public water systems. Defines various terms and requires a change in organization to be carried out as set forth in the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000. Status: AB 2050 awaits action in the Assembly.  RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 2069 (Bonta): Medical Cannabis: Employment Discrimination. Assembly Bill 2069 would provide worker protections to patients using medical cannabis outside of the workplace and not during work hours. Exempts employers whose workers are in safety sensitive positions subject to federal drug testing mandates. Status: Held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Oppose

Assembly Bill 2166 (Caballero): California Farm Bill: agricultural technology. Assembly Bill 2166 would require the Department of Food and Agriculture to create a user-friendly navigational link on its Internet Web site that provides farmers and other members of the agricultural industry comprehensive information about regulatory requirements of, and guidance to, operating and managing a farm. Status:  Held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status:  Watch

Assembly Bill 2348 (Aguiar-Curry): Winter-Flooded Rice: Incentives. Assembly Bill 2348 would declare the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation that would provide an incentive to farmers to maintain winter-flooded rice. Status:  AB 2348 awaits action in the Assembly. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 2447 (Reyes): California Environmental Quality Act: Land Use. Assembly Bill 2447 would require the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment to publish a list of subject land uses and a map that identifies disadvantaged communities and areas within 1/2 mile radius of the disadvantaged communities. Requires a lead agency to provide certain notices to owners and occupants of property located within one-half mile of any parcel or parcels, and to any schools located within one mile of any parcel or parcels, involving a subject land use. Status: AB 2447 awaits action in the Assembly. RCRC Position: Oppose

Assembly Bill 2493 (Bloom): Beverage Containers: Convenience Zones and Handling Fee. Assembly Bill 2493 would amend the Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act. Requires the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery to redefine convenience zone. Provides that recycling centers that received a handling fee immediately before the adoption of such regulations would remain eligible to receive handling fee payments, under certain conditions. Status AB 2493 awaits action in the Assembly. RCRC Position: Pending

Assembly Bill 2501 (Chu): Drinking Water: Consolidation and Extension of Service.  AB 2501 would redefine small public water system for purposes of the California Safe Drinking Water Act as a system with 200 connections or less. Authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board to order consolidation with a receiving water system where a disadvantaged community is reliant on a state small water system, an individual well, or an unregulated water system serving fewer than five connections. Status: AB 2501 awaits action in the Assembly. RCRC Position: Pending

Assembly Bill 2518 (Aguiar-Curry): Innovative Forest Products and Mass Timber. Assembly Bill 2518 would require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, in collaboration with the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, to explore markets, including export markets, for milling, development, and expansion of innovative forest products and mass timber, that require consistence with the state's climate objectives on forest lands. Status: AB 2518 awaits action in the Senate. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 2594 (Friedman): Fire Insurance. Assembly Bill 2594 would revise the standard forms of policy and extend the period in which to bring suit to 24 months after the inception of the loss if the loss is related to a state of emergency, as specified. Status: AB 2594 awaits consideration in the Senate Insurance Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 2645 (Patterson): Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: Forestry and Fire. Assembly Bill 2645 would appropriate a specified amount from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund annually to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for purposes of fire prevention activities that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Status: AB 2645 awaits consideration in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 2649 (Arambula): Groundwater Recharge. AB 2649 would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to increase groundwater recharge. Status: AB 2649 awaits action in the Assembly. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 2672 (Patterson): California Global Warming Solutions Act. Assembly Bill 2672 would require the State Board in consultation with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to annually submit a specified report to the legislature that includes among other things, an estimate of the annual emissions of greenhouse gases associated with wildfires in the state that have burned 10000 acres or more and a direct comparison of that estimate to the emissions of greenhouse gases offset by the state board's applicable regulatory programs. Status:  Held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 2727 (Flora): Personal Income Taxes: Volunteer Firefighters. Assembly Bill 2727 would authorize a tax credit for costs incurred by volunteer firefighters during the taxable year for expenses incurred for training and equipment. Status: Held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support/Sponsor

Assembly Bill 2842 (Bigelow): Wood Products. Assembly Bill 2842 would require the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development to work with state academic institutions and certification organizations to perform additional product testing that accelerates the development, use, or commercialization of new wood products, as provided. Requires the commission to work with local planning offices, developers, and architects to consider the feasibility of expanding the use of wood and mass timber in California buildings. Status: Held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 2966 (Aguiar-Curry): Disaster Relief. Assembly Bill 2966 would provide that the state share for the removal of dead and dying trees in connection with the Governor’s proclamation of a state emergency issued on a specific date is no more than 90 percent of total state eligible costs. Status: Held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 2975 (Friedman): Wild Scenic Rivers. Assembly Bill 2975 would take action to remove or delist any river or segment of a river in California that is included in the national wild and scenic rivers system and not in the state wild and scenic rivers system, requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, after holding a public hearing on the issue, to take any necessary action to add the river or segment of a river to the state wild and scenic rivers system and to classify that river or segment of a river. Status: AB 2975 awaits action in the Assembly. RCRC Position: Pending

Assembly Bill 3036 (Cooley): Solid Waste: Definition. Assembly Bill 3036 would exclude from the State Integrated Waste Management Act's definition of solid waste byproducts from processing food, if those byproducts meet certain conditions, including, among others, that the byproducts are intended for use as animal feed. Status: AB 3036 awaits consideration in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee. RCRC Position: Pending

Assembly Bill 3178 (Rubio): Integrated Waste Management Plans: Source Reduction. Assembly Bill 3178 would require the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery to consider whether the absence or loss of a market for recyclable materials necessitated the disposal of those materials as a temporary measure to avoid a public health threat when evaluating a jurisdiction’s compliance with AB 939 diversion goals. Status: AB 3178 awaits action in the Senate. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 452 (Glazer): The California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act. Senate Bill 452 is considered the bottle bill “short term fix” and is intended to increase recycling opportunities. SB 452 proposes to return processing payments to 2015 levels and extends plastic recycling market development incentives. SB 452 would also limit take back responsibility for dealers in unserved zones to 24 containers per day, temporarily relieve dealers by suspending the take-back obligation in zones that became unserved due to a recycling center closure until December 2021, and provides additional handling fees in rural areas annually for three years, among other provisions. Status:  SB 452 awaits consideration in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. RCRC Position: Support If Amended

Senate Bill 623 (Monning): Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund.  Senate Bill 623 would establish the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund.  SB 623 would provide grants, loans, or services to assist those without access to safe and affordable drinking water. Status: SB 623 awaits consideration in the Assembly Rules Committee.  RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 824 (Lara): Insurance: Nonrenewal.  Senate Bill 824 would express the intent of the Legislature to clarify that the provisions described concerning cancellation of structural insurance policies is applicable to all insured properties located within a county for which a state of emergency has been declared. SB 824 prohibits nonrenewal of the policies under specified circumstances. Status: SB 824 awaits action in the Senate.  RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 894 (Dodd): Property Insurance. Senate Bill 894 would require an insurer, in the case of a total loss to the primary insured structure under a policy of residential property insurance, to offer to renew the policy. Increases the minimum coverage for additional living expenses in the case of a loss related to a declared state of emergency. Requires an insurer who decides not to offer to renew a policy after the expiration of that period to report the decision to not offer to renew the policy to the Insurance Commissioner. Status: SB 894 awaits action in the Senate. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 897 (McGuire): Residential Property Insurance: Wildfires. Senate Bill 897 would specify that additional living expense coverage under a residential insurance policy shall include all reasonable expenses incurred by the insured in order to maintain a comparable standard of living and would provide a list of expenses that shall be covered. Authorizes an insured to collect, in lieu of additional living expenses, the fair rental value of the dwelling that has suffered a loss. Status: SB 897 awaits action in the Senate. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 917 (Jackson): Insurance Policies. Senate Bill 917 would provide that insurance policies that do not cover the peril of landslide shall not exclude coverage for any loss or damage attributable to a landslide if the landslide resulting in loss or damage was proximately caused by another covered peril, as provided.  Status: SB 917 awaits consideration in the Assembly Insurance Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 919 (Dodd): Water Resources: Stream Gages. Senate Bill 919 would require the Department of Water Resources to develop a plan to deploy a network of stream gages that includes a determination of funding needs and opportunities for reactivating existing gages. Requires the Department to prioritize the deployment of stream gages based upon gaps in the existing system of gages and specified considerations. Status: SB 919 awaits action in the Senate.  RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 998 (Dodd): Water Shutoffs: Urban and Community Water Systems. Senate Bill 998 would require an urban and community water system as a public water system that supplies water to more than 200 service connections, to have a written policy on residential service shutoff available in specified languages of the people residing in its service area. Requires certain aspect to be available on its system web site and be provided annually to customers in writing. Status: Senate Bill 998 awaits action in the Senate. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 1079 (Monning): Forest Resources: Fire Prevention Grant Fees. Senate Bill 1079 would relate to existing laws authorizing the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection to provide grants to entities, including, but not limited to, private or nongovernmental entities, Native American tribes, or local, state, and federal public agencies, for the implementation and administration of projects and programs to improve forest health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Authorizes the Director to authorize advance payments to a nonprofit organization, a special district, or a Native American tribe. Status: SB 1079 awaits consideration in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 1215 (Hertzberg): Drinking Water Systems and Sewer Systems: Consolidation. Senate Bill 1215 would authorize the State Water Resources Control Board to set timeline and performance measures to facilitate completion of extension of service of drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Authorizes ordered consolidation with a receiving sewer system for, or extension of sewer service to, a disadvantaged community under specified circumstances. Status: SB 1215 awaits action in the Senate. RCRC Position: Pending/Concerns

Senate Bill 1222 (Stone): Use of Vacuum or Suction Dredge Equipment. SB 1222 would provide, under permits issued by the Department of Fish and Wildlife and by regulations of the State Water Resources Control Board or a California regional water quality control board, for specified activities, that the use of vacuum or suction dredge equipment means the use of any equipment that removes minerals and water in conjunction to process and recover minerals. Status: SB 1222 was held in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 1260 (Jackson): Fire Prevention and Protection: Prescribed Burns. Senate Bill 1260 would require a local agency to transmit a copy of their adopted ordinance to the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection within a certain number of days of adoption. Requires a local agency to make a finding that ingress and egress for a subdivision meet regulations regarding road standards for fire equipment access, as provided. Gives the Department the option, if it elects not to purchase insurance, to determine proportionate share of liability, as provided. Status: SB 1260 awaits action in the Senate. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 1302 (Lara): Cannabis: Local Jurisdiction: Prohibitions on Delivery. Senate Bill 1302 would prohibit a local jurisdiction from adopting or enforcement any ordinance that would prohibit a licensee from delivering cannabis within or outside of the jurisdictional boundaries of that local jurisdiction. Status: SB 1302 awaits action in the Senate. RCRC Position: Oppose

Senate Concurrent Resolution 133 (Berryhill): Senator David E. Cogdill, Sr., Memorial Highway. Senate Concurrent Resolution 133 would designate a specified portion of State Highway Route 395 in the County of Mono as the Senator David E. Cogdill, Sr., Memorial Highway. Status: SCR 133 awaits action in the Senate. RCRC Position: Support