Information related to the current status of legislation impacting California’s rural counties.
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 Third Reading Status: 8/2/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Support Staff: Staci (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: Assembly Concurrence Status: 8/18/2022-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 29. Noes 4.). In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after August 20 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77. 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 Dead Status: 8/12/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(15). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 8/2/2022) Position: Sponsor Staff: John (1)
AB 1249 (Gallagher) Income taxes: gross income exclusions: wildfires. Location: Senate Third Reading Status: 8/17/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Support Staff: Staci (1)
AB 1608 (Gipson) County officers: consolidation of offices. AB 1608 would remove county authority to combine the duties of the Sheriff with the duties of the Coroner. The bill appears to require counties with a combined Sheriff-Coroner function to either combine the Coroner with another authorized elected office, transition to a standalone elected Coroner, or replace the Coroner model with a Medical Examiner office. Location: Senate Third Reading Status: 8/11/2022-From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 11). Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Oppose 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: Senate Third Reading Status: 8/2/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
AB 1644 (Flora) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: California Jobs Plan Act of 2021. The California Jobs Plan Act of 2021 requires the state board to work with the Labor and Workforce Development Agency to update, by July 1, 2025, Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund funding guidelines for administering agencies to ensure that all applicants to grant programs funded by the fund meet specified standards, including fair and responsible employer standards and inclusive procurement policies, as provided. Existing law exempts from these standards applicants for certain types of projects. This bill would exempt applicants for projects for healthy forest and fire prevention programs and projects, and the completion of prescribed fire and other fuel reduction projects from these standards. Location: Assembly Enrolled Status: 8/18/2022-Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m. Position: Support Staff: Staci (1)
AB 1696 (Lee) Elections: nonpartisan candidates’ party preference. Current constitutional and statutory law prohibits including the party preference of a candidate for nonpartisan office, defined as any judicial, school, county, or municipal office, including the Superintendent of Public Instruction, on the ballot for that office. This bill would require the ballot for the above offices, except for judicial offices, to contain the candidate’s party preference or, if applicable, lack of party preference. Location: Assembly Dead Status: 4/29/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(5). (Last location was ELECTIONS on 3/10/2022) Position: Oppose 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: Senate Third Reading Status: 8/11/2022-From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 11). Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Oppose Staff: Staci (1)
AB 1778 (Garcia, Cristina) State transportation funding: freeway projects: poverty and pollution: Department of Transportation. Would require Caltrans to review highway expansion projects in areas of concern identified by the Healthy Places Index (a non-state generated index of localities affected by certain environmental impacts), and would preclude state funding in areas that fall within the bottom 50th percentile of that index. Location: Senate Dead Status: 7/5/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(14). (Last location was S. TRANS. on 6/1/2022) Position: Oppose Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 1851 (Rivas, Robert ) Public works: prevailing wage: hauling. Location: Senate Third Reading Status: 8/11/2022-From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 11). Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Watch Staff: John (1)
AB 1879 (Mathis) California regional water quality control boards: unfounded or frivolous complaints. Location: Senate Third Reading Status: 8/2/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 1906 (Stone) Voluntary stream restoration: property owner liability: indemnification: claims. Location: Senate Third Reading Status: 8/11/2022-From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 11). Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 1931 (Rivas, Luz) Community water systems: lead service lines. Location: Senate Dead Status: 8/12/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(15). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 8/2/2022) Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 1944 (Lee) Local government: open and public meetings. AB 1944 would authorize members of local legislative bodies to teleconference from a remote location without making the address of that location public. Additionally, the bill requires that – for those local agencies that elect to use teleconferencing for its legislative body meetings – a video stream is made available to members of the public, including an opportunity to provide public comment via telephone or videoconference option. Location: Senate Dead Status: 7/5/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(14). (Last location was S. GOV. & F. on 6/8/2022) Position: Support Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 1953 (Maienschein) Drinking water: accessible water bottle refill stations. Location: Assembly Dead Status: 5/20/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(8). (Last location was A. APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 4/27/2022) Position: Oppose Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 1985 (Rivas, Robert ) Organic waste: recovered organic waste product procurement targets. Phases in CalRecycle's SB 1383 local organic waste procurement requirements by requiring local jurisdictions to procure 30% of regulatory targets by 2023, 65% by 2024, and 100% by 2025. Location: Senate Third Reading Status: 8/11/2022-From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 11). Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
AB 2081 (Garcia, Eduardo) Municipal water districts: water service: Indian lands. Location: Senate Third Reading Status: 6/21/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 2201 (Bennett) Groundwater sustainability agency: groundwater extraction permit: verification. This bill would prohibit a county, city, or any other water well permitting agency from approving a permit for a new groundwater well or for an alteration to an existing well in a basin subject to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and classified as medium- or high-priority unless it obtains a written verification, from the groundwater sustainability agency that manages the basin that, among other things, the extraction by the proposed well is consistent with any sustainable groundwater management program established in any applicable groundwater sustainability plan adopted by that groundwater sustainability agency or an alternate plan approved or under review by the Department of Water Resources. Location: Senate Third Reading Status: 8/15/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Oppose Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 2237 (Friedman) Transportation planning: regional transportation improvement plan: sustainable communities strategies: alternative planning strategy: state transportation funding. This bill would require that those projects and programs included in each regional transportation improvement program also be consistent with the most recently prepared sustainable communities strategy of the regional transportation planning agency or county transportation commission, or, if applicable, the alternative planning strategy, and state and federal air quality standards. The bill would prohibit funds collected from any local transportation tax measure passed on or after January 1, 2023, from being spent until the transportation projects or programs to be funded by the tax measure are included in the most recently adopted sustainable communities strategy of the applicable regional transportation planning agency or county transportation commission or, if applicable, the alternative planning strategy. The bill would presumably extend the requirement that RTPAs and other local non-metropolitan transportation agencies develop a sustainable communities strategy or alternative planning strategy. Location: Senate Dead Status: 7/5/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(14). (Last location was S. TRANS. on 6/16/2022) Position: Oppose Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 2258 (Wood) Local government: wildfire safety improvements. Location: Assembly Dead Status: 5/6/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(6). (Last location was A. B. & F. on 4/20/2022) Position: Pending Staff: John (1)
AB 2374 (Bauer-Kahan) Crimes against public health and safety: illegal dumping. Increases the maximum fine for the dumping of commercial quantities of waste by a business that employs more than 10 employees from $3,000 to $5,000 for the first conviction, from $6,000 to $10,000 for the second conviction, and from $10,000 to $20,000 for the third and any subsequent convictions. Clarifies that the dumping of commercial quantities of waste includes waste dumped on another person's residential property. Location: Assembly Enrollment Status: 8/18/2022-In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
AB 2419 (Bryan) Environmental justice: federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Justice40 Advisory Committee. This bill would require a minimum of 40% of funds received by the state under the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to be allocated to projects that provide direct benefits to disadvantaged communities as designated by the CalEnviroScreen Tool and a minimum of an additional 10% be allocated for projects that provide direct benefits to low-income households and low-income communities, as provided. The bill would create a California Justice40 Advisory Committee to advise state agencies on administration of the funds. Location: Senate Dead Status: 8/12/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(15). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 8/2/2022) Position: Concerns Staff: Staci (1)
AB 2440 (Irwin) Responsible Battery Recycling Act of 2022. Requires producers of batteries to establish a stewardship program for the collection, transportation, recycling, and management of those products. Location: Senate Third Reading Status: 8/15/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
AB 2449 (Rubio, Blanca) Open meetings: local agencies: teleconferences. AB 2449 would authorize remote participation in local public meetings if at least a quorum of the members of the legislative body participates in person from a location clearly identified on the agenda that is also open to the public and situated within the boundaries of the local agencies. In order to do so, the local agency must appropriately post agendas, members of the legislative body attending the meeting by teleconference must participate in both audio and video formats, and members of the public must have call-in and internet-based access for attending and participating in the meetings. Location: Senate Third Reading Status: 8/9/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Removal of Opposition Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 2451 (Wood) State Water Resources Control Board: drought planning. Location: Senate Dead Status: 8/12/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(15). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 8/8/2022) Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 2454 (Jones-Sawyer) Public contracts: protests: joint labor-management committee. Location: Senate Dead Status: 7/5/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(14). (Last location was S. G.O. on 6/8/2022) Position: Pending Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 2481 (Smith) Household hazardous waste: facilities: transportation and acceptance. Makes several changes to laws related to transportation of household hazardous waste (HHW) and operation of household hazardous waste collection facilities (HHWCFs). AB 2481 is intended to clarify and resolve ambiguities in existing law while reducing administrative and financial burdens on local governments that administer HHWCFs; provide flexibility for operation of local HHWCFs; and facilitate proper disposal of hazardous waste. Location: Assembly Concurrence Status: 8/18/2022-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 0.). In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after August 20 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77. Position: Sponsor Staff: John (1)
AB 2505 (Gray) Water theft: irrigation districts. Location: Assembly Chaptered Status: 6/20/2022-Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 23, Statutes of 2022. Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 2647 (Levine) Local government: open meetings. This measure would clarify that writings distributed to the majority of a local legislative body less than 72 hours before a meeting can be posted online to satisfy the Brown Act if physical copies are made available for public inspection at the beginning of the next regular business day at a public office or designated location. Location: Assembly Concurrence Status: 8/18/2022-In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after August 20 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77. Position: Support Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 2677 (Gabriel) Information Practices Act of 1977. Would remove the exemption of local agencies from the Act, which deals with the collection, storage, and disclosure of personal information. Location: Senate Third Reading Status: 8/15/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Neutral Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 2878 (Aguiar-Curry) Forest Biomass Waste Utilization Program. Requires the state to undertake various actions to consider and promote the use of biomass energy generation and wood products manufacturing. Location: Senate Dead Status: 8/12/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(15). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 8/8/2022) Position: Sponsor Staff: John (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 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 Dead Status: 7/5/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(14). (Last location was A. H. & C.D. on 5/24/2022) 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 54 (Allen) Solid waste: reporting, packaging, and plastic food service ware. 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: Senate Chaptered Status: 6/30/2022-Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 54, Statutes of 2022. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
SB 213 (Cortese) Workers’ compensation: hospital employees. Location: Assembly Dead Status: 7/5/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(14). (Last location was A. INS. on 5/5/2022) Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 396 (Bradford) Forestry: electrical transmission or distribution lines: clearances: notice and opportunity to be heard. Exempts electrical utilities from liability for vegetation management activities undertaken to reduce wildfire risk. Location: Senate Concurrence Status: 8/17/2022-From committee: That the Assembly amendments be taken up for consideration. (Ayes 8. Noes 3.) Position: Oppose Staff: John (1)
SB 832 (Dodd) Water rights: measurement of diversion. Location: Senate Dead Status: 5/20/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(8). (Last location was S. APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 4/25/2022) 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: Assembly Dead Status: 8/12/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(15). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 8/3/2022) Position: Support Staff: John (1)
SB 884 (McGuire) Electricity: expedited utility distribution infrastructure undergrounding program. Establishes an expedited process for the state's review and approval of electrical utility undergrounding projects. Location: Assembly Third Reading Status: 8/16/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Watch Staff: John (1)
SB 915 (Min) Firearms: state property. SB 915, which would prohibit the sale of firearms on any state- or county-owned property, including fairgrounds from holding gun shows and, as a result, erode the revenue stream that would be derived from legal gun shows on these premises. Location: Senate Chaptered Status: 7/21/2022-Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 145, Statutes of 2022. Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 926 (Dodd) Prescribed Fire Liability Pilot Program: Prescribed Fire Claims Fund. Location: Senate Concurrence Status: 8/18/2022-Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending. Position: Support Staff: Staci (1)
SB 931 (Leyva) Deterring union membership: violations. Authorizes PERB claim alleging employer deterred or discouraged union membership, up to $100,000 fine ($1,000 per employee impacted) and attorney’s fees for employee organization. Location: Assembly Third Reading Status: 8/16/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Oppose Unless Amended Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 938 (Hertzberg) The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000: protest proceedings: procedural consolidation. Location: Senate Chaptered Status: 7/1/2022-Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 89, Statutes of 2022. Position: Support Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 1012 (Glazer) State parks: open fires. Location: Assembly Dead Status: 8/12/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(15). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 8/3/2022) Position: Support Staff: Staci (1)
SB 1013 (Atkins) Beverage container recycling: reports: electronic submittal: wine and distilled spirits. Expands the state's Beverage Container Recycling Program, for which consumers must pay a $0.05 or $0.10/container deposit, to wine and distilled spirits. Location: Assembly Third Reading Status: 8/15/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Watch Staff: John (1)
SB 1044 (Durazo) Employers: emergency condition: retaliation. SB 1044 would prohibit an employer from taking or threatening any adverse action against any employee for refusing to report to, or leaving, a workplace because the employee feels unsafe due to a state of emergency or an emergency condition, and (2) permit employees to access their mobile device or other communications device. Location: Assembly Third Reading Status: 8/16/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 1100 (Cortese) Open meetings: orderly conduct. SB 1100 would clarify the rules around when individuals can be removed for willfully interrupting a meeting. Location: Senate Enrolled Status: 8/10/2022-Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m. Position: Neutral Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 1109 (Caballero) California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program: bioenergy projects. Extends SB 901 BioRAM biomass energy facility contracts by an additional five years. Requires any incremental procurement of electricity products from bioenergy resources by a new BioRAM contract or contract extension of 5 years or longer in duration to be from a resource that meets emission limits equivalent to, or more stringent than, the best available retrofit control technology determined at the time of procurement. Location: Assembly Third Reading Status: 8/15/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
SB 1127 (Atkins) Workers’ compensation: liability presumptions. SB 1127 proposes to shorten the time provided for employers to investigate claims from 90 to 30 days for any claim covered by a presumption statute, and 60 days for all other claims. The bill proposes new and unprecedented penalties all claims covered by presumption statutes up to $100,000. Location: Assembly Third Reading Status: 8/16/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 1186 (Wiener) Medicinal Cannabis Patients’ Right of Access Act. SB 1186 undermines the intent of MAUCRSA by (1) eliminating a local jurisdiction's ability to prohibit medical cannabis retail activities, regardless of the needs or conditions in the jurisdiction, and (2) restricting the ability for the large number of jurisdictions that permit and regulate cannabis retailers to set appropriate local regulations which are developed in a public process. Location: Assembly Third Reading Status: 8/16/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 1215 (Newman) Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003: covered battery-embedded products. Imposes "covered electronic device" fees on battery embedded products at the point of sale to pay for the management and disposal of those products. Location: Assembly Third Reading Status: 8/16/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Watch Staff: John (1)
SB 1256 (Wieckowski) Waste management: disposable propane cylinders. Prohibits the sale of disposable propane cylinders beginning January 1, 2028. Location: Senate Enrollment Status: 8/16/2022-Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 27. Noes 9.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. Position: Watch Staff: John (1)
SB 1266 (Borgeas) Income taxes: credits: designated wildfire zones. Provides a tax credit of 50 percent of the amount paid, up to $3,500, for the purchase of a backup power generator ($5,000 for purchase of a solar battery) for use in a residence or by a small business located in a very high fire hazard severity zone. Location: Assembly Revenue and Taxation Status: 6/20/2022-June 20 hearing: Heard for testimony only. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
SB 1326 (Caballero) Cannabis: interstate agreements. SB 1326 would allow the cross jurisdictional import and export to other states, of cannabis and cannabis products by authorizing the Governor to enter into an agreement to provide lawful interstate commerce. SB 1326 requires the agreement to include public health, safety, and labeling standards, a system to regulate and track cannabis items, collection of applicable taxes, and that out of state cannabis items delivered to California be tested, packaged, and labeled in compliance with California state law. Location: Assembly Third Reading Status: 8/18/2022-Read third time and amended. Ordered to third reading. Position: Sponsor Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 1338 (Umberg) Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program. SB 1338 reflects Governor Newsom’s vison for creating a new civil court process to reach and treat individuals living with untreated schizophrenia spectrum and psychiatric disorders. These new Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Courts would work with public defenders, county behavioral health, and a new class of trained “supporters” to assist individuals with treatment, medication, and housing. CARE Courts require significant engagement and resources from counties. Location: Assembly Third Reading Status: 8/16/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Concerns Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 1426 (Caballero) Cannabis: water pollution crimes. Would make it a misdemeanor or felony to plant, cultivate, harvest, dry, or process more than 50 living cannabis plants, or any part thereof, and where that activity involves theft of groundwater, unauthorized tapping into a water conveyance or storage infrastructure, digging an unpermitted, illegal well, or the pollution of groundwater, as specified. This bill would also clarify that causing substantial environmental harm to public resources includes groundwater. Location: Senate Appropriations Suspense File Status: 5/19/2022-May 19 hearing: Held in committee and under submission. Position: Support Staff: Sarah (1)
