The Barbed Wire - April 8, 2022

April 8, 2022
RCRC To Engage on Minimum Service Quality Standards for VoIP, Wireless and Broadband Services
Bill of the Week: RCRC-Sponsored Assembly Bill 2878 (Aguiar-Curry) – Forest Biomass Waste Utilization
RCRC Responds to Administration’s Proposal to Increase Beverage Container Recycling
CPUC Delays Adoption of Federal Funding Account Rules
CPUC Opens Loan Loss Reserve Proceeding
Legislation Introduced to Provide Federal Tax Exemption for Fire Victims Trust Claimants
Department of Interior Releases 5-year Plan to Prepare for Wildfire
Update on Marijuana Legalization Efforts
BULLETIN BOARD
IN THE NEWS
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

RCRC To Engage on Minimum Service Quality Standards for VoIP, Wireless and Broadband Services

On Monday, April 4th, RCRC requested formal party status from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in a new proceeding that will consider changes to minimum service quality standards of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), wireless, and broadband service. This proceeding will also examine existing enforcement mechanisms to improve substandard service. Currently, CPUC General Order 133 sets minimum service quality standards for legacy Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) providers. As new technology has become more prolific, rural counties have experienced a myriad of poor service quality issues that have compounded over time. Those issues include a lack of redundancy for VoIP, insufficient wireless coverage, and inadequate broadband speeds that impact educational outcomes, commerce, and telehealth opportunities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, service disruptions to public meeting broadcasts effectively prevented several local agencies from taking timely, transparent action on the people’s business pursuant to open meetings laws. Furthermore, while the CPUC currently permits investments in lieu of penalties to remedy service quality deficiencies, the resulting progress has largely been deemed ineffective and will be called into question as part of the scope of the proceeding. RCRC’s motion can be viewed here. For more information, contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate, Tracy Rhine.

Bill of the Week: RCRC-Sponsored Assembly Bill 2878 (Aguiar-Curry) – Forest Biomass Waste Utilization

Assembly Bill 2878 by Assembly Member Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters) helps achieve the state’s forest health and wildfire risk reduction goals by increasing the productive use of forest waste through energy generation and wood products manufacturing.  RCRC is co-sponsoring AB 2878 to reduce future emissions from wildfires and vegetation management, increase local energy reliability in forested areas, and improve the local economy in rural communities. 

In light of the tremendous destruction wrought by recent catastrophic wildfires, California must increase the pace and scale of long-overdue forest health improvement and wildfire risk reduction projects.  RCRC believes that it is vital to promote the productive use of biomass residuals resulting from forest health improvement and wildfire risk reduction projects, since traditional methods of disposal (open burning and natural decomposition) produce far greater emissions than would occur in a biomass facility. 

Assembly Bill 2878 helps improve local energy resiliency and overall grid reliability by: 1) facilitating the use of forest biomass to support rural microgrids; 2) requiring utilities to upgrade infrastructure in forested regions to reduce wildfire risk and support integration of bioenergy; and 3) incentivizing interconnection of bioenergy projects.   

Additionally, AB 2878 extends the Bioenergy Market Adjusting Tariff (BioMAT) program’s sunset date to 2030.  The BioMAT program requires utilities to procure electricity from small bioenergy projects, including biomass facilities that use fuels from high hazard zones. Smaller BioMAT facilities can be strategically located close to the areas where the need for fuel reduction and forest health improvement is greatest – areas which often have lower electrical reliability than the rest of the grid.  The program has no statutory end date; however, the CPUC is scheduled to sunset the program on December 31, 2025, regardless of whether the procurement requirements have been met. The rapidly approaching deadline could chill many of these smaller projects that are instrumental to the state’s forest health, climate change, and pollution reduction objectives. 

Finally, AB 2878 requires incorporation of the California Forest Carbon Plan’s recommendations into the State’s AB 32 scoping plan, thereby ensuring that California minimizes and prevents future fire-related emissions at the same time it seeks to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.   

AB 2878 will be heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee on April 18th and then go to the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee for consideration. RCRC’s letter is available here.  

A template letter of support for counties to send to the author can be downloaded here

For more information, please contact RCRC Policy Advocate, John Kennedy.

RCRC Responds to Administration’s Proposal to Increase Beverage Container Recycling

On April 1, CalRecycle submitted a Budget Change Proposal to the State Legislature, requesting to spend $330 million in unredeemed beverage container deposits on a suite of projects to increase consumer access to recycling, increase refunds, and promote recycling.  In particular, the proposal seeks to spend: 

  • $70 million to support mobile recycling programs in rural and unserved areas. 

  • $100 million to deploy up to 2,000 reverse vending machines at high schools, colleges, and supermarkets. 

  • $50 million to improve quality of recycled plastic and glass beverage containers. 

  • $4 million in forgivable loans for new recycling infrastructure and redemption centers. 

  • $100 million to double the refund paid to consumers over a limited term of 4-8 weeks. 

 

RCRC expressed support for CalRecycle’s proposal to use surplus bottle bill revenues to improve consumer access to redemption opportunities, but suggested several modifications to significantly improve the effectiveness and equity of the proposal. 

With the closure of many certified recycling centers, “convenient” beverage container redemption opportunities do not exist for many Californians.  RCRC has continuously advocated for ensuring that it is as easy for consumers to get their deposits back as it is to pay them in the first place.  

While some of the proposals have merit and will increase access to redemption in rural and underserved areas, others are either misplaced or not cost-effective.  RCRC supports greater deployment of reverse vending machines but suggests that CalRecycle prioritize deployment in rural and underserved communities.  The administration’s proposal to deploy reverse vending machines on high school and college campuses misses the mark, as it is not clear the public will have access to those locations and there are likely greater needs for deployment in the host community. 

Similarly, RCRC expressed reservations about the Administration’s proposed temporary doubling of refund values.  While RCRC supports returning unredeemed deposits to consumers, the $100 million set aside for this purpose is only enough funding to last for a 4-8 week period.  Given the number of areas without access to redemption opportunities, this funding is nearly certain to be exhausted before many residents in rural and underserved areas have an opportunity to benefit from the allocation.   

CalRecycle’s proposal will be considered in the Assembly and Senate Budget Committees in the next month. RCRC’s letter is available here. For more information, please contact RCRC Policy Advocate, John Kennedy.

CPUC Delays Adoption of Federal Funding Account Rules

On Thursday, April 7th, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) held the Proposed Decision that outlines the Federal Funding Account (FFA) rules to deploy last-mile broadband services. This grant program, established by Senate Bill 156 in 2021, provides $2 billion in federal funding for last mile infrastructure, allocating a total of $1 billion for projects in urban counties and $1 billion for projects in rural counties. The revised decision was released on Tuesday, and addresses some of the comments submitted by RCRC in late March. It is expected that further revisions will be made to the Proposed Decision prior to being considered for adoption at the April 21st CPUC meeting.  For more information, contact RCRC Senior Legislative Advocate, Tracy Rhine.

CPUC Opens Loan Loss Reserve Proceeding

On April 1st, RCRC submitted opening comments to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on the Loan Loss Reserve program, Phase 2A of the California Advanced Services Fund Proceeding. Established last year through Senate Bill 156 (Chapter 112, Statutes of 2021), the Loan Loss Reserve program provides funding to cover costs related to the financing of broadband infrastructure by a local government agency or nonprofit organization, including, payment of costs of debt issuance, obtaining credit enhancement, and establishment and funding of reserves for the payment of principal and interest on the debt. The State Budget provided a total of $750 million for the program over three fiscal years. RCRC full comments can be found here. For more information, contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate, Tracy Rhine.

Legislation Introduced to Provide Federal Tax Exemption for Fire Victims Trust Claimants

Last week, Congressmen Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) and Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) introduced legislation that would exempt thousands of fire victims, who are receiving compensation from the Fire Victim Trust, from having to pay federal income tax on their settlement money. Additionally, the legislation would prevent survivors from having to pay taxes on the attorney fees included in the settlement. These fees account for roughly 30% of the compensation, meaning that without this legislation survivors would be taxed on money that their attorneys keep. The Trust is a $13.5 billion settlement established in July 2020 for survivors of the 2015 Butte Fire, the 2017 North Bay Wildfires, and the 2018 Camp Fire. Although the deadline to file 2021 taxes is April 18, 2022, this legislation would allow survivors to be awarded their exemption retroactively.  

Department of Interior Releases 5-year Plan to Prepare for Wildfire

On Monday, April 4th, the Department of the Interior (DOI) released a five-year plan to address wildfire risk on DOI protected land. The plan makes investments in forest restoration, hazardous fuels management, and post-wildfire restoration mostly funded by the $1.5 billion provided to the DOI through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This plan follows the release of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service 10-Year Wildfire Crisis Strategy in January 2022. Together, these plans outline the monitoring, maintenance, and treatment strategy the agencies will use to address wildfire risk, better serve communities, and improve conditions on all types of lands where wildfires can occur. The overall strategy identified by the DOI and USDA calls for safely and effectively extinguishing fire, when needed; using fire where allowable; managing natural resources; and, as a nation, living with wildland fire. 

Update on Marijuana Legalization Efforts

On Tuesday, April 5th, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) reaffirmed that he and colleagues are in the process of reaching out to Republican senators to “see what they want” included in a bill to federally legalize marijuana, which he is planning to introduce later this month. The new comments come less than a week after the House successfully passed the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act (H.R. 3617) by a vote of 220-204. Schumer has previously stated his intent to introduce the Cannabis Administration & Opportunity Act (CAOA) sometime in April. Additionally, a separate bill to tax and regulate marijuana remains a consideration for Republicans. Representative Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina) — lead sponsor of theStates Reform Act — said in a recent interview that she has received assurances from Democratic leaders that the States Reform Act will receive a hearing following the MORE Act floor vote. 

BULLETIN BOARD

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

 

Save the Date: Annual CASF Workshop

The California Public Utilities Commission will host its annual California Advanced Service Fund (CASF) public workshop to facilitate collaboration among regional consortia, local governments, and other stakeholders regarding strategies to promote broadband in underserved areas. Save the date for Tuesday, April 19th from 10 am to 2pm. For more information, see here.

 

RCRC, CSAC, and DWR Present Listening Session Webinar: Drought Executive Order, Action 9 Well Permitting Requirements

Join the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), in coordination with the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) and California State Association of Counties (CSAC), for a Listening Session Webinar on the Drought Executive Order N-7-22 (Drought EO), Action 9, related to drought well permitting requirements. This webinar is for local agencies, county officials, and county staff who are involved with well permitting activities. For more information, see here.

DATE: Wednesday, April 13, 2022
TIME: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Register Here

 

Registration Open for 2nd Annual Virtual Statewide Conference on Illegal Dumping

The 2nd Annual Virtual Statewide Conference on Illegal Dumping is happening April 19-21, 2022 The Conference will begin at 9:00 AM daily. This virtual conference is free to attend and designed for elected officials, city and county staff, public works agency employees, community based organizations, faith groups, community members and anyone interested in illegal dumping, community beautification or blight removal. Registration is now open! See here to register or for more information.

 

USDOT Announces $1.5 Billion in Discretionary Grants Available for Local and Regional Infrastructure

The United States Department of Transportation released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for $1.5 billion in grant funding through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant program—originally created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as TIGER grants. RAISE grants can be used for a wide variety of projects and under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, RAISE expands the number of communities eligible for 100 percent federal share of funding, specifically those in rural communities, Areas of Persistent Poverty and Historically Disadvantaged Communities. To determine if a project location is considered as a Historically Disadvantaged Community, please use the tool available here. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. EST on April 14, 2022, and selections, which are vigorously reviewed and selected based on merit, will be announced no later than August 12, 2022. 

 

USDA Offers Rural Communities Financial Assistance for Renewable Energy Projects 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the application window is now open for (competitive) Rural Energy Pilot Program grants. State, Local, Tribal and non-profit entities are eligible for up to $2 million over three years to support community-scale renewable energy projects in rural communities, with priority given to distressed and high-energy burden communities that spend a greater proportion on energy costs than the average U.S. household. Funds may be for planning, installing, equipping, and maintaining community scale distributed renewable energy technologies, systems and resources. For more information, see here. Letters of Intent are due on or before April 19, 2022, and completed applications are due no later than July 18, 2022.

Sierra Nevada Conservancy Launches New Grant Programs to Conserve Lands and Boost Local Economies

The Sierra Nevada Conservancy has launched its 2022 Strategic Land Conservation and Vibrant Recreation and Tourism Directed Grant programs. The Vibrant Recreation and Tourism Directed Grant Program supports efforts to enhance and develop sustainable recreation and tourism opportunities, as well as increase access to public lands in the Sierra Nevada region. The Strategic Land Conservation Directed Grant Program conserves lands through the planning and implementation of fee-title and conservation-easement acquisitions that provide access for public use or to public lands, safeguard lands threatened by conversion, and protect lands that provide critical resilience to climate change. 

This current grant-program cycle includes a minimum of $3.1 million available for Vibrant Recreation and Tourism and a minimum of $6.7 million available for Strategic Land Conservation. The funding for both programs is part of the state’s historic $15 billion investment focused on protecting Californians from the effects of climate change, including wildfires, drought, and extreme heat. 

Applicants interested in applying for a grant are encouraged to discuss project ideas with an SNC Area Representative. Concept Proposals must be submitted by May 6, 2022. If invited, full proposals will be due July 22, 2022. Awards will be made starting in December 2022. 
 

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Releases Small-Scale Water Efficiency Grant Opportunity

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) has announced the Small-Scale Water Efficiency grant opportunity.  The program provides 50/50 cost share funding entities with water or power delivery authority for small water efficiency improvements that have been identified through previous planning efforts.  

Projects eligible for funding include: 

  • installation of flow measurement or automation in a specific part of a water delivery system,  
  • lining of a section of a canal to address seepage, or 
  • other similar projects that are limited in scope.

The funding amount for this Small-Scale Water Efficiency grant award is capped at $100,000, and total project cost should not exceed $225,000.   

Applications are due on April 28th and can be found here.  If you have questions regarding applicant and project eligibility, program requirements, or the evaluation criteria, click here and select Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects Inquiries to schedule a time to talk with the program coordinators.

 

Workshop - Water Shortage Contingency Plan Template Development for Small Water Suppliers

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR), in collaboration with the State Water Board, is hosting a series of stakeholder meetings to inform the development of an abridged Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) template as part of a comprehensive effort to assist small water systems in meeting new requirements outlined in Senate Bill 552. At the first meeting, on April 20, 2022 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., DWR and State Water Board staff will provide an overview of the legislation requirements, review a proposed abridged WSCP template outline, and solicit participants input on the template content and function. Register here.

 

USDOT Opens Application Window for Competitive Grants to Support Infrastructure Projects

On Wednesday, March 23rd, United States Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced $2.9 billion in competitive grants is available for major infrastructure projects as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. While there are three major grant programs with funding up for grabs, including the Rural Surface Transportation Grant Program (RURAL), USDOT has combined the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)  into a single application to reduce the burdens on state, regional and local government applicants, as well as make it easier to apply for more than one program at a time. Up to $300 million is available this year for rural highway, bridge, and tunnel projects that help improve access to an agricultural, commercial, energy, or transportation facilities that support the rural economy. 

The application deadline is May 23, 2022 at 11:59pm EST. The NOFO can be found here. For more information, including frequently asked questions or how to apply, see here

 

Access the State Grants Portal for a Multitude of Funding Opportunities

Billions of dollars are up for grabs to public agencies and other entities, including tribes and businesses. Grant seekers can access a centralized portal of grant and loan opportunities here, or sign up to receive new grant opportunities delivered straight to you

IN THE NEWS

RCRC press releases and related news clips about RCRC and our member counties. Please note that a subscription may be required to read some external publications.

 

Tahoe National Forest is hiring many recreation and archaeologist positions - Yuba Net

The U.S. Forest Service is hiring hundreds of positions in recreation and archaeology across the nation. Jobs are open April 6, 2022 through April 19, 2022 and are available in many locations, including Nevada City, Sierraville, Truckee, Camptonville, and Foresthill on the Tahoe National Forest.

 

Fiber optic network coming to Marysville -The Appeal Democrat

As part of its continued push for economic growth and development, the Marysville City Council on Tuesday approved the deployment of a citywide fiber optic network.

 

El Dorado County forms Wildfire Resiliency Office – Tahoe Daily Tribune

El Dorado County has created a Wildfire Resiliency Office, which will implement a countywide wildfire protection strategy. A wildfire resiliency and vegetation management working group, which was established in September 2021 to determine lessons learned from the Caldor Fire and to recommend fire-defense strategies, brought the concept to the county Board of Supervisors March 22 as a solution to help the county formulate a singular effort to perform fire-resiliency efforts.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Information related to the current status of legislation impacting California’s rural counties.

AB 240   (Rodriguez)   Local health department workforce assessment.   This bill would require the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to contract with an appropriate and qualified entity to conduct an evaluation of the adequacy of local health department infrastructure, including an assessment of future staffing, workforce, and resource needs.   Location: Senate 2 year   Status: 8/27/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(12). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 7/5/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022)   Position:   Support   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 522   (Fong)   Forestry: Forest Fire Prevention Exemption.   The Z’berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 authorizes the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to exempt specific forest management activities, including the harvesting of trees for the purpose of reducing the rate of fire spread, and duration, intensity, fuel ignitability, or ignition of tree crowns, known as the Forest Fire Prevention Exemption. Assembly Bill 522 extends the sunset of the Forest Fire Prevention Exemption to January 1, 2026 to aid forest landowners with wildfire prevention activities.   Location: Senate Rules   Status: 1/27/2022-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

AB 759   (McCarty)   Elections: county officers.   Assembly Bill 759 would require an election for all county-wide offices (sheriff, assessor, district attorney, etc.) be held at the presidential general election. Initially, this bill only applied to the county sheriff but recent amendments expand it to all county-wide offices. In addition, this bill would require that these officeholder elections occur at the 2024 General Election thereby requiring affected officeholders to hold a two-year term (assuming election in 2022).   Location: Senate 2 year   Status: 9/10/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(15). (Last location was INACTIVE FILE on 9/8/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022)   Position:   Watch   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 870   (Santiago)   Hazardous materials: liens.    Provides that when the Department of Toxic Substances Control determines that a contaminated site must be remediated, and issues a cost estimate to the property owner for the estimated cost of remediation, the amount in the cost estimate shall constitute a lien on the property that takes priority over all other liens, including liens for local property taxes and special assessments.   Location: Assembly Dead   Status: 2/1/2022-From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.   Position:   Concerns   Staff:  John (1)

AB 925   (Dahle, Megan)   Sexual assault forensic examinations: reimbursement.   Would authorize the appropriate local law enforcement agency to seek reimbursement from the Office of Emergency Services, using the specified federal funds, for the cost of conducting the medical evidentiary examination of a sexual assault victim.   Location: Senate 2 year   Status: 8/27/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(12). (Last location was APPR. on 6/29/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022)   Position:   Support   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 1001   (Garcia, Cristina)   Environment: mitigation measures for air quality impacts: environmental justice.   Modifies the California Environmental Quality Act by: 1) Requiring air and water quality impacts to a disadvantaged community to be mitigated in that community; 2) Requiring local agencies to give consideration to the principles of environmental justice by ensuring the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of people of all races, cultures, incomes, and national origins.   Location: Senate Rules   Status: 3/22/2022-From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on RLS.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  John (1)

AB 1078   (Patterson)   Energy: building standards: photovoltaic requirements.   Exempts residential buildings damaged or destroyed in a disaster during the 2020 calendar year from having to install solar energy systems under the California Energy Commission’s recently adopted building requirements.   Location: Senate Rules   Status: 1/27/2022-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 61. Noes 0. Page 3410.) In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

AB 1154   (Patterson)   California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: egress route projects: fire safety.   Exempts from the California Environmental Quality Act secondary egress route projects undertaken by a public agency for a subdivision in a high fire threat area that was evaluated by the Board of Forestry.   Location: Senate Rules   Status: 1/27/2022-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

AB 1434   (Friedman)   Urban water use objectives: indoor residential water use.     Location: Assembly Dead   Status: 2/1/2022-From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.   Position:   Concerns   Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 1454   (Bloom)   The California Beverage Container and Litter Reduction Act.   Assembly Bill 1454 makes several changes to the Beverage Container Recycling Program, including creation of a new $25,000 startup loan for the creation of new recycling centers in unserved or underserved areas and increased payments to redemption centers with an even greater increase in rural areas.   Location: Senate 2 year   Status: 9/10/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(15). (Last location was E.Q. on 6/16/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022)   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

AB 1547   (Reyes)   Air pollution: warehouse facilities.   AB 1547 allows the Air Resources Board to regulate indirect sources of air pollution and requires local governments to undertake many other actions to identify and address the potential environmental impacts of warehouse development projects.   Location: Assembly Dead   Status: 2/1/2022-From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  John (1)

AB 1608   (Gipson)   County officers: consolidation of offices.     Location: Assembly Public Safety   Status: 4/7/2022-Read second time and amended.   Position:   Oppose Unless Amended   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 1642   (Salas)   California Environmental Quality Act: water system well and domestic well projects: exemption.   Exempts from CEQA, vital projects to prevent or mitigate failure of a well that would leave residents without an adequate supply of drinking water. This exemption only applies to those wells in areas designated by the State Water Resources Control Board as being at high risk or medium risk in the state’s annual Drinking Water Needs Assessment.   Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 3/28/2022-Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

AB 1707   (Boerner Horvath)   Property tax postponement: Senior Citizens and Disabled Citizens Property Tax Postponement Fund.     Location: Assembly Appropriations Suspense File   Status: 3/30/2022-In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 1717   (Aguiar-Curry)   Public works: definition.   Assembly Bill 1717 requires prevailing wage to be paid for public works projects funded by public dollars related to community wildfire prevention, vegetation management and fuels treatment.   Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 3/17/2022-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (March 16). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Staci (1)

AB 1749   (Garcia, Cristina)   Community Air Protection Blueprint: community emissions reduction programs: toxic air contaminants and criteria air pollutants.   Prohibits approval or issuance of permits for projects that contribute to an increase in air pollutants or toxic air contaminants in a CalEnviroScreen disadvantaged community unless the agency finds that increased emissions caused by the project (combined with cumulative emissions from other sources) will not cause or contribute to additional negative public health impacts on individuals living and working in that community. Requires the state to identify measures to reduce criteria air pollutant and toxic air contaminant emissions in CalEnviroScreen disadvantaged communities.   Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 3/22/2022-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 3.) (March 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  John (1)

AB 1757   (Ward)   Groundwater sustainability agency.     Location: Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife   Status: 3/14/2022-Re-referred to Com. on W.,P., & W.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 1784   (Smith)   Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014: groundwater sustainability projects: grants and loans.      Location: Assembly Print   Status: 2/4/2022-From printer. May be heard in committee March 6.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 1814   (Grayson)   Transportation electrification: community choice aggregators.   Allows community choice aggregators to file applications with the state for approval of programs and investments to accelerate widespread transportation electrification.   Location: Assembly U. & E.   Status: 3/31/2022-In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

AB 1832   (Rivas, Luz)   Tidelands and submerged lands: hard mineral extraction.   Prohibits the State Lands Commission and local trustees of granted public trust lands from granting leases or issuing permits for extraction or removal of hard minerals (not including rock, gravel, sand, silt, and coal) from tidelands and submerged lands.   Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 3/22/2022-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (March 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  John (1)

AB 1851   (Rivas, Robert )   Public works: prevailing wage: hauling.     Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 3/17/2022-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (March 16). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  John (1)

AB 1879   (Mathis)   California regional water quality control boards: investigations.     Location: Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials   Status: 4/6/2022-In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 1906   (Stone)   Voluntary stream restoration: property owner liability: indemnification: claims.     Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 3/29/2022-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (March 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 1931   (Rivas, Luz)   Community water systems: lead pipes.     Location: Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials   Status: 3/29/2022-Re-referred to Com. on E.S. & T.M.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 1944   (Lee)   Local government: open and public meetings.     Location: Assembly Local Government   Status: 2/18/2022-Referred to Com. on L. GOV.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 1952   (Gallagher)   Infill Infrastructure Grant Program of 2019.    Exempts from the California Environmental Quality Act projects funded by the $500 million set aside for the Infill Infrastructure Grant Program of 2019.   Location: Assembly Housing and Community Development   Status: 2/18/2022-Referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and NAT. RES.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  John (1)

AB 1953   (Maienschein)   Drinking water: accessible water bottle refill stations.     Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 4/6/2022-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 1.) (April 5). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 1956   (Mathis)   Solid waste: woody biomass: collection and conversion.   Creates a new grant program administered by CalRecycle to fund woody biomass collection and disposal by rural counties with a population of 250,000 or less.   Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 3/24/2022-Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

AB 2081   (Garcia, Eduardo)   Municipal water districts: water service: Indian lands.     Location: Assembly Appropriations   Status: 3/23/2022-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (March 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 2173   (Petrie-Norris)   Public contracts: payment.     Location: Assembly Third Reading   Status: 4/7/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 2201   (Bennett)   Groundwater sustainability agency: groundwater extraction permit.     Location: Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife   Status: 3/21/2022-Re-referred to Com. on W.,P., & W.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 2208   (Kalra)   Fluorescent lamps: sale and distribution: prohibition.     Location: Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials   Status: 4/6/2022-In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  John (1)

AB 2258   (Wood)   Property Assessed Clean Energy program: wildfire safety improvements.     Location: Assembly Local Government   Status: 3/31/2022-Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  John (1)

AB 2374   (Bauer-Kahan)   Crimes against public health and safety: illegal dumping.     Location: Assembly B.&p.   Status: 4/7/2022-Read second time and amended.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

AB 2419   (Bryan)   Environmental justice: federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Justice40 Oversight Committee.     Location: Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials   Status: 4/7/2022-Read second time and amended.   Position:   Concerns   Staff:  Staci (1)

AB 2421   (Rubio, Blanca)   Water: unlicensed cannabis cultivation.     Location: Assembly Judiciary   Status: 4/5/2022-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (April 5). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 2449   (Rubio, Blanca)   Open meetings: local agencies: teleconferences.     Location: Assembly Local Government   Status: 3/3/2022-Referred to Com. on L. GOV.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 2451   (Wood)   State Water Resources Control Board: drought planning.     Location: Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife   Status: 3/3/2022-Referred to Com. on W.,P., & W.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 2454   (Jones-Sawyer)   Public contracts: protests: joint labor-management committee.     Location: Assembly Accountability and Administrative Review   Status: 3/10/2022-Referred to Com. on A. & A.R.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 2505   (Gray)   Water theft: irrigation districts.     Location: Assembly Local Government   Status: 3/28/2022-Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

ACA 1   (Aguiar-Curry)   Local government financing: affordable housing and public infrastructure: voter approval.    ACA 1 would lower the vote threshold to 55 percent for approval of local bonded-indebtedness and specially dedicated taxes imposed for specified uses.   Location: Assembly Local Government   Status: 4/22/2021-Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and APPR.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Tracy (1)

ACA 13   (Mathis)   Water infrastructure projects: minimum funding requirement and general obligation bonds.     Location: Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife   Status: 4/7/2022-Referred to Coms. on W.,P., & W. and NAT. RES.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

AJR 5   (Rivas, Luz)   Wild free-roaming horses and burros: protection: roundup moratorium.   AJR 5 would urge the federal government to declare a moratorium on all further wild horse and burro round-ups and would urge the United States Bureau of Land Management and the United States Forest Service to introduce and support populations in areas of California where wild horses and burros were historically present.   Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water   Status: 8/25/2021-Referred to Com. on N.R. & W.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sidd (1)

SB 11   (Rubio)   The California FAIR Plan Association: basic property insurance: exclusions.   Senate Bill 11, which would remove certain barriers to enable homes and structures used to conduct business on farmland to be covered through the California Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan.   Location: Senate Chaptered   Status: 7/23/2021-Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 128, Statutes of 2021.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

SB 12   (McGuire)   Local government: planning and zoning: wildfires.   Senate Bill 12 requires that the Office of Planning and Research, among other things, coordinate with appropriate entities, including state, regional, or local agencies, to establish a clearinghouse for climate adaptation information for use by state, regional, and local entities, as provided. This bill would require the safety element, upon the next revision of the housing element or the hazard mitigation plan, on or after July 1, 2024, whichever occurs first.   Location: Assembly 2 year   Status: 7/14/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(11). (Last location was H. & C.D. on 6/24/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022)   Position:   Pending   Staff:  Tracy (1)

SB 37   (Cortese)   Contaminated Site Cleanup and Safety Act.   Senate Bill 37 eliminates the ability to use a “common sense exemption” under the California Environmental Quality Act for any projects undertaken at over 40,000 sites throughout the state that appear on the Cortese List of currently or formerly contaminated properties. Instead allows specified types of projects to use either a statutory or categorical CEQA exemption is certain circumstances are met   Location: Assembly 2 year   Status: 9/10/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(15). (Last location was INACTIVE FILE on 9/8/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022)   Position:   Neutral   Staff:  John (1)

SB 38   (Wieckowski)   Beverage containers.   Replaces the existing Beverage Container Recycling Program (Bottle Bill) with a new recycling program administered by beverage container manufacturers and increases the CRV from $0.05 to $0.10 per container if the state fails to achieve specified recycling rates. Repeals the $10.5 million annually set aside for payments to cities and counties to address recycling and litter.   Location: Assembly Natural Resources   Status: 2/14/2022-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES. (Amended 2/14/2022)   Position:   Oppose Unless Amended   Staff:  John (1)

SB 54   (Allen)   Plastic Pollution Producer Responsibility Act.   SB 54 requires manufactures of single-use, disposable packaging and food service ware to ensure that those products sold, distributed, or imported into the state are either recyclable or compostable.   Location: Assembly Desk   Status: 1/24/2022-Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 29. Noes 7.) Ordered to the Assembly. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.   Position:   Support In Concept   Staff:  John (1)

SB 213   (Cortese)   Workers’ compensation: hospital employees.     Location: Assembly Desk   Status: 2/1/2022-In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 284   (Stern)   Workers’ compensation: firefighters and peace officers: post-traumatic stress.   Establishes a workers’ compensation system, administered by the Administrative Director of the Division of Workers’ Compensation, to compensate an employee for injuries sustained in the course of employment.   Location: Assembly 2 year   Status: 9/10/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(15). (Last location was INACTIVE FILE on 8/30/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022)   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 286   (Min)   Elections: Orange County Board of Education.   Senate Bill 286 would require the top-two vote-getters seeking election to a county office to face-off in a General Election.   Location: Assembly Desk   Status: 1/26/2022-Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 30. Noes 7.) Ordered to the Assembly. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.  

SB 316   (Eggman)   Medi-Cal: federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics.     Location: Assembly 2 year   Status: 9/10/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(15). (Last location was INACTIVE FILE on 9/9/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022)   Position:   Support   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 335   (Cortese)   Workers’ compensation: liability.   Senate Bill 335 prohibits a claim for workers’ compensation from being maintained unless within 30 days after the occurrence of the injury, the injured person, or in case of the death, a dependent, or someone on the injured person’s or dependent’s behalf, serves notice of the injury upon the employer.   Location: Assembly 2 year   Status: 7/14/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(11). (Last location was INS. on 6/10/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022)   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 359   (Caballero)   Climate change: Resilient Merced County Incentive Pilot Program.   Senate Bill 359 requires the Department of Conservation to develop and implement the Resilient Merced County Incentive Pilot Program to assist the County of Merced to develop and adopt a climate action plan through the use of a scenario-planning tool developed by the department and provide financial assistance to private landowners in implementing activities resulting from the use of the scenario-planning tool set forth in the adopted climate action plan.   Location: Senate Dead   Status: 2/1/2022-Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  Sidd (1)

SB 463   (Dahle)   Water: landowner or water right holder right to modify, repair, or replace jointly used conduits.     Location: Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife   Status: 3/18/2022-March 22 set for second hearing canceled at the request of author.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

SB 832   (Dodd)   Water rights: measurement of diversion.     Location: Senate Appropriations   Status: 4/6/2022-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  Sidd (1)

SB 833   (Dodd)   Community Energy Resilience Act of 2022.   Requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to develop and implement a grant program for local governments to develop community energy resilience plans.   Location: Senate Appropriations Suspense File   Status: 4/4/2022-April 4 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

SB 915   (Min)   Firearms: state property.     Location: Senate Appropriations Suspense File   Status: 4/4/2022-April 4 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 926   (Dodd)   Prescribed Fire Liability Pilot Program: Prescribed Fire Claims Fund.     Location: Senate Appropriations   Status: 4/7/2022-Set for hearing April 18.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

SB 938   (Hertzberg)   The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000: protest proceedings: procedural consolidation.     Location: Senate Third Reading   Status: 4/4/2022-Read second time and amended. Ordered to third reading.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 953   (Min)   Oil and gas leases: state waters: State Lands Commission.   Requires the State Lands Commission to terminate all remaining oil and gas leases under its jurisdiction in tidelands and submerged lands within state waters.   Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water   Status: 4/7/2022-April 19 set for second hearing canceled at the request of author.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  John (1)

SB 1012   (Glazer)   State parks: open fires.     Location: Senate Appropriations Suspense File   Status: 4/4/2022-April 4 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

SB 1100   (Cortese)   Open meetings: orderly conduct.     Location: Senate Judiciary   Status: 4/7/2022-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 1127   (Atkins)   Workers’ compensation: liability presumptions.     Location: Senate Appropriations Suspense File   Status: 4/4/2022-April 4 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 1186   (Wiener)   Medicinal Cannabis Patients’ Right of Access Act.     Location: Senate Gov. & F.   Status: 4/6/2022-Set for hearing April 21.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 1215   (Newman)   Responsible Battery Recycling Act of 2022.     Location: Senate Environmental Quality   Status: 3/29/2022-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E.Q.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

SB 1220   (Hurtado)   Sustainable Groundwater Management Act: groundwater sustainability plans.     Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water   Status: 3/25/2022-Set for hearing April 19.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

SB 1235   (Borgeas)   Air pollution: portable equipment: emergency events.     Location: Senate Environmental Quality   Status: 3/31/2022-Set for hearing April 25.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  John (1)

SB 1256   (Wieckowski)   Waste management: disposable propane cylinders.     Location: Senate Judiciary   Status: 3/30/2022-Set for hearing April 19.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  John (1)

SB 1326   (Caballero)   Cannabis: interstate agreements.     Location: Senate B., P. & E.D.   Status: 4/7/2022-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on B., P. & E.D.   Position:   Sponsor   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 1338   (Umberg)   Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program.     Location: Senate Judiciary   Status: 4/7/2022-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  Sarah (1)