RCRC members are encouraged to share letters addressed to state and federal representatives and regulatory bodies with RCRC’s Government Affairs staff.
On Friday, September 1, 2017 the Appropriations Committees from both houses are considering measures that were placed in the “Suspense File,” – a temporary holding of bills. RCRC will provide an updated report on the status of bills awaiting final consideration with their respective Appropriations Committees.
Assembly Bill 64 (Bonta): Cannabis: Medical and Nonmedical. Assembly Bill 64 makes further revisions to recently-enacted cannabis regulatory statutes. Status: AB 64 awaits final consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support if Amended
Assembly Bill 148 (Mathis): California Physician Corps Program: Practice Setting. Assembly Bill 148 would revise the definition of “practice setting” for the Steven M. Thompson Physician Corps Loan Repayment Program to include rural area clinics that have 30 percent of patients from medically underserved populations. Status: AB 148 awaits final consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support
Assembly Bill 196 (Bigelow): Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: Water Supply. Assembly Bill 196 would authorize the use of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds for water and wastewater systems if the investment furthers the regulatory purposes of the act and is consistent with law. With this bill, water supply investments, including repairs, pump and motor efficiency improvements, drinking water transmission and distribution system water loss, and wastewater systems, would be specifically eligible for funding. Status: AB 196 awaits final consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support
Assembly Bill 524 (Bigelow): Public Utilities: Fines and Settlements. Assembly Bill 524 Appropriates moneys resulting from specified citations relating to the 2015 Butte Fire to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to be expended for the Department's program known as the State Responsibility Area Fire Prevention Fund and Tree Mortality Grant Program. Status: AB 524 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support
Assembly Bill 560 (Salas): State Drinking Water Revolving Fund. Assembly Bill 560 would require the State Water Resources Control Board to provide a range of financing options to water system projects that serve severely disadvantaged communities. Status: AB 560 awaits final consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support
Assembly Bill 653 (Ridley-Thomas): Property Taxation: Exemption: Indian Tribes. Assembly Bill 653 would exempt from taxation property owned in fee by a federally-recognized Native American tribe that is pursuing a fee-to-trust application. Status: AB 653 is now a “two-year” bill and awaits consideration in the Senate Governance and Finance Committee. RCRC Position: Oppose
Assembly Bill 890 (Medina): Local Land Use Initiatives. Assembly 890 would require an environmental review of all proposed local initiatives. Status: AB 890 awaits action on the Senate Floor. RCRC Position: Neutral
Assembly Bill 920 (Aguiar-Curry): Electricity: Integrated Resource Plans. Assembly Bill 920 requires the Public Utilities Commission, when reviewing a load-serving entity's integrated resource plan, to evaluate the mix of resources in the entity's portfolios to ensure balance. Status: AB 920 awaits final consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support
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 979 (Lackey): Local Agency Formations Commission: Representation. Assembly Bill 979 would facilitate special district representation on Local Agency Formation Commissions (LAFCOs). Status: AB 979 awaits consideration from the Governor. 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 final consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Oppose
Assembly Bill 1410 (Wood): Emergency Medical Air Transportation. Assembly Bill 583 would extend the dates of the Emergency Medical Air Transportation Act, so that the assessment of the penalties will continue until January 1, 2028, and any monies unexpended and unencumbered in the Emergency Medical Air Transportation Act Fund on June 30, 2029, will transfer to the General Fund. Status: AB 1410 awaits final consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support
Assembly Bill 1414 (Friedman): Solar Energy System Permits. Assembly Bill 1414 would set a hard cap on permitting fees for solar installations. Status: AB 1414 awaits action on the Senate Floor. RCRC Position: Oppose
Assembly Bill 1479 (Bonta): Public Records: Supervisor of Records: Civil Penalties. Assembly Bill 1479 would establish civil penalties for California Public Records Act (CPRA) violations as well as create designated offices or persons to oversee CPRA responses to requestors. Status: AB 1479 awaits final consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Oppose
Assembly Bill 1665 (Garcia, Eduardo): Telecommunications: Advanced Services Fund: AB 1665 would revise eligibility requirements for projects and project applicants for grants funded from the California Advanced Services Fund. Status: AB 1665 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Oppose Unless Amended
Senate Bill 249 (Allen): Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation. Senate Bill 249 would recast significant provisions of the Off-Highway Vehicle Program, which was designed to provide a venue for people to legally enjoy recreational vehicles while also assisting the local economy in many parts of rural California. Status: SB 249 awaits final consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Oppose
Senate Bill 252 (Dodd): Well Permits. Senate Bill relates to new well permits issued in critically over-drafted groundwater basins. Status: SB 252 awaits action on the Assembly Floor. RCRC Position: Neutral
Senate Bill 265 (Berryhill): Disaster Relief. Senate Bill 265 provides that the state share for the removal of dead and dying trees in connection with the Governor's Proclamation of a State of Emergency issued on the specified date. Status: AB 265 awaits final consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support
Senate Bill 458 (Wiener): Beverage Container Recycling: Mobile Recycling Program. Senate Bill 458 would permit the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery to establish several mobile recycling pilot projects. Status: SB 458 awaits final consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support
Senate Bill 563 (Lara): Residential Wood Smoke. Senate Bill 563 would establish the Woodsmoke Reduction Program to replace old wood-burning stoves with cleaner and more efficient alternatives. Status: SB 563 awaits final consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support
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 final consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support as Amended
Senate Bill 630 (Skinner): Jails: Financing Bonds. Senate Bill 630 would deny a county’s ability to contract with another county for jail housing capacity. Status: SB 630 awaits action on the Assembly Floor. RCRC Position: Oppose
Senate Bill 649 (Hueso): Wireless Telecommunications Facilities. Senate Bill 649 would amend an existing law which provides that a wireless telecommunications collocation facility is subject to a city or county discretionary permit and is required to comply with specified criteria. Status: SB 649 awaits final consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Oppose