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 Natural Resources and Water Status: 6/1/2022-In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. Position: Support Staff: Staci (1)
AB 1001 (Garcia, Cristina) Environment: mitigation measures for air quality impacts: environmental justice. Modifies the California Environmental Quality Act by: 1) Requiring air 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 Environmental Quality Status: 6/14/2022-In committee: Set, second hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. 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 Appropriations Status: 6/8/2022-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. 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 Appropriations Status: 6/16/2022-From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on APPR. In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. Position: Sponsor Staff: John (1)
AB 1249 (Gallagher) Income taxes: gross income exclusions: wildfires. Location: Senate Appropriations Suspense File Status: 6/13/2022-In committee: Referred to suspense file. Position: Support Staff: Staci (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 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 Gov. & F. Status: 5/25/2022-Referred to Coms. on GOV. & F. and PUB. S. 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: Senate Environmental Quality Status: 6/14/2022-In committee: Hearing postponed by committee. 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: Senate Appropriations Status: 6/8/2022-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. 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 Appropriations Status: 6/14/2022-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (June 13). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. Position: Oppose Staff: Staci (1)
AB 1757 (Haney) Groundwater sustainability agency. Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water Status: 6/1/2022-Referred to Com. on N.R. & W. Staff: Sidd (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 Transportation Status: 6/1/2022-Referred to Com. on TRANS. Position: Watch Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 1784 (Smith) Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014: groundwater sustainability projects: grants and loans. Location: Assembly Dead Status: 5/6/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(6). (Last location was A. PRINT on 2/3/2022) Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 1851 (Rivas, Robert ) Public works: prevailing wage: hauling. Location: Senate Appropriations Status: 6/15/2022-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. Position: Watch Staff: John (1)
AB 1879 (Mathis) California regional water quality control boards: unfounded or frivolous complaints. Location: Senate Environmental Quality Status: 6/6/2022-In committee: Hearing postponed by committee. Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 1906 (Stone) Voluntary stream restoration: property owner liability: indemnification: claims. Location: Senate Appropriations Status: 6/14/2022-From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on APPR. Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 1931 (Rivas, Luz) Community water systems: lead pipes. Location: Senate Environmental Quality Status: 6/8/2022-Referred to Com. on E.Q. 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 Gov. & F. Status: 6/8/2022-Referred to Coms. on GOV. & F. and JUD. 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: list of available products. Location: Senate Environmental Quality Status: 6/13/2022-From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E.Q. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
AB 2081 (Garcia, Eduardo) Municipal water districts: water service: Indian lands. Location: Senate Appropriations Status: 6/9/2022-In committee: Hearing postponed by committee. 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 Gov. & F. Status: 6/16/2022-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on GOV. & F. Position: Oppose Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 2208 (Kalra) Fluorescent lamps: sale and distribution: prohibition. Location: Senate Third Reading Status: 6/9/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Watch Staff: John (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 Transportation Status: 6/16/2022-Re-referred to Com. on TRANS. 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: Senate Appropriations Status: 6/14/2022-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. 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 Environmental Quality Status: 6/9/2022-From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E.Q. Position: Concerns Staff: Staci (1)
AB 2421 (Rubio, Blanca) Water: unlicensed cannabis cultivation. AB 2421 would amend the California State Water Code to provide authority to county counsels and city attorneys to civilly prosecute and enjoin water theft. It would also amend the California Fish and Game Code to authorize county counsels to civilly prosecute and enjoin water pollution. By removing existing limitations on prosecutorial authority, the bill provides more tools for local governments to use against the harmful community impacts of illicit cannabis cultivation as well as the degradation of our water and other natural resources. Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water Status: 6/14/2022-In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. Position: Support Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 2440 (Irwin) Responsible Battery Recycling Act of 2022. Location: Senate Environmental Quality Status: 6/8/2022-From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E.Q. 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 Gov. & F. Status: 6/15/2022-From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on GOV. & F. Position: Support Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 2451 (Wood) State Water Resources Control Board: drought planning. Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water Status: 6/13/2022-From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W. Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 2454 (Jones-Sawyer) Public contracts: protests: joint labor-management committee. Location: Senate Governmental Organization Status: 6/8/2022-Referred to Com. on G.O. 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: Senate Appropriations Status: 6/1/2022-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. Position: Sponsor Staff: John (1)
AB 2505 (Gray) Water theft: irrigation districts. Location: Assembly Enrolled Status: 6/16/2022-Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m. 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: Senate Gov. & F. Status: 5/25/2022-Referred to Com. on GOV. & F. 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 Judiciary Status: 6/8/2022-Referred to Com. on JUD. Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 2878 (Aguiar-Curry) Forest Biomass Waste Utilization Program. Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water Status: 6/9/2022-Action rescinded whereby the bill was referred to Com. on E.Q. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W. 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 Housing and Community Development Status: 6/15/2022-June 15 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author. Position: Pending Staff: Tracy (1)
SB 33 (Cortese) California Environmental Quality Act: judicial and administrative proceedings: limitations. For individuals who request to be notified any time CEQA notices are filed, requires a local agency to also notify that individual any time those notices are amended. Allows an individual to request CEQA notifications by e-mail. Tolls CEQA statutes of limitations until all individuals requesting notifications are mailed or e-mailed such notifications. Location: Assembly Natural Resources Status: 6/9/2022-Re-referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and JUD. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES. Position: Oppose Staff: John (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) Solid waste: reporting, packaging, and 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: Assembly Natural Resources Status: 6/16/2022-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES. Position: Support In Concept Staff: John (1)
SB 213 (Cortese) Workers’ compensation: hospital employees. Location: Assembly Insurance Status: 5/5/2022-Referred to Com. on INS. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on INS. 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 396 (Dahle) Forestry: electrical transmission or distribution lines: clearances: notice and opportunity to be heard. Location: Assembly Third Reading Status: 6/15/2022-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Oppose Staff: John (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 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 U. & E. Status: 6/15/2022-June 22 hearing postponed by committee. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
SB 884 (McGuire) Electricity: expedited utility distribution infrastructure undergrounding program. Location: Assembly U. & E. Status: 6/13/2022-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on U. & E. 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: Assembly Appropriations Status: 6/8/2022-Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (June 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 926 (Dodd) Prescribed Fire Liability Pilot Program: Prescribed Fire Claims Fund. Location: Assembly Natural Resources Status: 6/2/2022-Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and JUD. 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 Public Employment and Retirement Status: 6/14/2022-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on P.E. & R. (Ayes 8. Noes 1.) (June 14). Re-referred to Com. on P.E. & R. 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 Concurrence Status: 6/16/2022-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending. Position: Support Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 1012 (Glazer) State parks: open fires. Location: Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Status: 6/2/2022-Referred to Com. on W.,P., & W. 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 Natural Resources Status: 6/2/2022-Referred to Com. on NAT. RES. Position: Watch Staff: John (1)
SB 1044 (Durazo) Employers: state of emergency or 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 Labor and Employment Status: 6/13/2022-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on L. & E. 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: Assembly Judiciary Status: 6/16/2022-Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 6. Noes 2.) (June 15). Re-referred to Com. on JUD. 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 10 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 U. & E. Status: 6/9/2022-Referred to Com. on U. & E. 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 Insurance Status: 6/13/2022-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on INS. 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 B.&p. Status: 6/9/2022-Referred to Coms. on B. & P. and JUD. Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 1215 (Newman) Responsible Battery Recycling Act of 2022. Location: Assembly Natural Resources Status: 6/15/2022-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. (Ayes 8. Noes 1.) (June 14). Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
SB 1220 (Hurtado) Sustainable Groundwater Management Act: groundwater sustainability plans. Location: Senate Dead Status: 5/6/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(6). (Last location was S. N.R. & W. on 3/2/2022) Staff: Sidd (1)
SB 1256 (Wieckowski) Waste management: disposable propane cylinders. Location: Assembly Judiciary Status: 6/15/2022-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD. 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: 6/13/2022-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on REV. & TAX. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
SB 1297 (Cortese) Low-embodied carbon building materials: carbon sequestration. Requires state and local governments to prefer the use of building materials with low-embodied carbon, including recycled building materials, in bid specifications for public projects while opening the door for an increase in disputes from those who unsuccessfully bid on public projects. Location: Assembly Natural Resources Status: 5/27/2022-Referred to Com. on NAT. RES. Position: Oppose Unless Amended 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 Appropriations Status: 6/15/2022-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. 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 Judiciary Status: 6/16/2022-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD. Position: Concerns Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 1404 (Stern) California Environmental Quality Act: oak woodlands. Would have established a statewide threshold of significance for the removal of oak trees under CEQA and eliminated an important safe harbor under which a project’s implementation of locally-adopted mitigation measures is deemed to satisfy CEQA’s requirements related to the project’s effects on oaks and oak woodlands. Location: Senate Dead Status: 5/20/2022-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(8). (Last location was S. APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 5/9/2022) Position: Oppose Staff: John (1)
SB 1410 (Caballero) California Environmental Quality Act: transportation impacts. Location: Assembly Natural Resources Status: 6/2/2022-Referred to Com. on NAT. RES. Position: Support Staff: John (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)
