The Barbed Wire - March 26, 2021

Board of Forestry Approves Fire Safe Regulations Proposal

On Monday, the Board of Forestry (BOF) approved its Fire Safe Regulations proposal for submission to the Office of Administrative Law (OAL).  Supervisors and county staff from 20 RCRC member counties made oral comments during the meeting, unanimously requesting that the BOF delay moving the proposal forward until it convenes a multidisciplinary working group of local government planning and fire safety experts to collaborate on the rulemaking language.  Of the eight members present and voting, only BOF members Husari and Los Huertos voted not to approve the proposal for submission to OAL.  Once the proposed rulemaking is published in the Regulatory Notice Register, the formal 45-day public comment period will begin.

The revised draft proposal released March 15th makes substantial changes to the previous version that was released in early February.  The proposed rules continue to condition the rebuilding of homes destroyed by wildfire and appears to expand the number of roads subject to the pre-development upgrade requirements. Several portions of the draft language are unclear and create questions on applicability.

The State Fire Safe regulations set forth basic wildfire protection standards for development in the State Responsibility Area and, beginning July 1, 2021, the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones of the Local Responsibility Area.

For updates from the BOF on the Fire Safe Regulations and other activities of the BOF Resource Protection Committee, subscribe to email updates here. And, for more information, please contact RCRC Senior Legislative Advocate,Tracy Rhine.

Bill of the Week: Assembly Bill 339 (Lee) - State and Local Government: Open Meetings

This week, RCRC, as part of a diverse coalition of local public agencies, expressed opposition to Assembly Bill 339, authored by Assembly Member Alex Lee (D-San Jose). AB 339, which builds upon California’s Brown Act, will add significant unfunded costs on local public agencies related to the conduct of public meetings and access/participation to those meetings.

As introduced, AB 339 mandates that local public agencies provide both call-in and internet-based options for attendance and public comment.  This creates immediate technological challenges further compounded by existing resource limitations affecting agencies, particularly those that are small and those that are advisory.  The bill also requires local public agencies to employ translators and provide live translation services above and beyond the Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act, which applies translation requirements accordingly. 

As noted above, AB 339 not only impacts the primary legislative bodies (city councils/boards of supervisors) covered under the Brown Act, but also the myriad of advisory bodies that advise and make recommendations to primary legislative bodies.  

For a list of coalition partners and to read the opposition letter in its entirety, see here. For more information, contact Staci Heaton, RCRC Senior Regulatory Affairs Advocate, by email or call (916) 447-4806.
 

Hometown California Goes to Washington D.C. to Check In on the National Political Pulse

Last week, Hometown California visited Washington D.C. to check in on the national political pulse. In the newest episode, host, Paul A. Smith, speaks with Leah Askarinam, Editor-in-Chief of the Hotline at the National Journal. With a new administration in the White House, a change of control in the U.S. Senate, and a razor-thin margin of control in the U.S. House of Representatives as a result of the last election, Paul and Leah discuss what’s going on in the White House and Congress. Find out more about the politics of the American Rescue Plan, the pandemic and how things are shaping-up for the 2022 General Election - which congressional seats are up for election, who is retiring, who will be facing primary challenges, and how this impacts policy-making at the federal level. 

Listen to the latest from Washington D.C. right here, and watch for the next episode in our D.C. series when Hometown California takes a deeper look at the early days of the 117th Congress.  Earlier episodes of Hometown California are available on your favorite listening app, or check them out here.
 

Governor Newsom Extends Price Gouging Protections for 2020 Wildfire Victims

Governor Newsom issued an Executive Order on Wednesday once again extending prohibitions on price gouging in areas impacted by the devastating 2020 wildfires.  California's price gouging law prohibits raising prices by more than 10% on housing, gas, food and other essential supplies.  The Governor's recently-signed order extends those protections through May 22, 2021, specifically citing the fact the many homes are yet to be rebuilt and so protections are still needed. The full text of the Governor’s Executive Order can be read here.

State Senate Confirms RCRC-Supported Candidate as Chief Deputy Director of the California Department of Social Services

On Thursday, the State Senate confirmed Chevon R. Kothari as the Chief Deputy Director of the California Department of Social Services, completing Ms. Kothari’s appointment to the post.  Prior to the appointment, Ms. Kothari served as the Director at the Mariposa County Health and Human Services Agency.

RCRC supported Ms. Kothari’s confirmation due to her deep understanding and expertise within social services particularly at the local level.  As the Director of the Mariposa County Health and Human Services Agency, Ms. Kothari was a voice for rural counties and served as a resource to many counties –  large and small – on a variety of issues pertaining to social services.  Ms. Kothari understands the unique challenges of local governments and the manner in which social services are delivered in rural counties. We expect that during her tenure as Chief Deputy of the Department of Social Services, she will serve as a bridge between counties and the State of California in helping to deliver quality and much-needed services to the state’s vulnerable and needy populations.

RCRC congratulates Chevon Kothari on her appointment and looks forward to continuing a strong relationship with her into the future.  RCRC’s letter of support for Chevon Kothari confirmation can be viewed here.     
 

State Expands COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Starting April 1

On March 25, 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the State’s plan to expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility. Individuals 50+ will be eligibility to make an appointment on April 1 and individuals 16+ will be eligibility to make an appointment on April 15.  The decision to expand eligibility is based on current estimates of federal vaccine allocation to the state.  California is slated to be allocated approximately 2.5 million first and second doses per week in the first half of April, with an increase to more than 3 million the second half of April.  The state is currently receiving approximately 1.8 million doses per week.  The state has the capacity to administer more than 3 million vaccines per week and is building the capacity to administer 4 million vaccines weekly by the end of April.

The new eligibility requirements will be incorporated into the vaccine allocation methodology with the transition starting March 22 over a four-week period.  The current distribution allocation is based on the 65+ population, workers in the agriculture and food, education and childcare, and emergency services sectors and will move to distribution based on the 16+ population across the state.  This transition will be done in conjunction with the completion of the move to the third party administrator directly allocating vaccines to providers.  In addition, the State provided guidance on prioritization for currently eligible populations in high-impact areas.  The State will continue to double the amount of vaccine allocated to communities in the lowest quartile of Health Place Index as announced on March 4.

President Biden’s Infrastructure Plan

President Biden’s economic advisors are poised to present him and congressional leaders with a $3 trillion proposal to boost the economy, reduce carbon emissions, and narrow economic inequality.  The legislative strategy for advancing the sweeping package through Congress remains to be seen. However, media reports indicate the economic advisors will pitch a piece-meal approach, whereby Congress would tackle traditional infrastructure before turning to a second package that would include more “human infrastructure” focused proposals such as free community college, universal prekindergarten, and a national paid leave program. The traditional infrastructure portion of the package — which is expected to offer significant funding of rural roads, bridges, and broadband — would be funded mostly by taxes on businesses, including raising the corporate tax rate to 28 percent from 21 percent and increasing the global minimum tax paid to 21 percent from about 13 percent.  Internal discussions continue about whether some or all of these infrastructure investments could be enacted via the budget reconciliation process that Congress employed to pass the American Rescue Plan, which has the main benefit of requiring a majority vote rather than 60 votes to effectively pass in the Senate. 
 

Water Infrastructure Bill Moves Forward in the U.S. Senate

On Wednesday, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee advanced legislation to authorize $35 billion for water projects.  The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (S.914) includes key provisions for California water projects, including funding for ensuring safe drinking water for vulnerable communities and tackling California’s water debt crisis.  In particular for California, the bill includes:

• The reauthorization of the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, known as WIFIA, which has provided $3.3 billion in financing for California water projects.
• Grants to assist small and disadvantaged communities that do not have safe drinking water, which is critical as California enters a second year of drought.
• And a new Environmental Protection Agency pilot program to address water affordability, the Rural and Low-Income Drinking Water Assistance Pilot Program, which will provide direct financial assistance and debt relief to water systems serving predominantly low-income households.

KEEPING UP

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

Jennifer Jean O'Keefe, 43, of Salinas, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Monterey County Superior Court. O’Keefe has served as Chief Deputy Public Defender at the Monterey County Office of the Public Defender since 2017, where she has served as a Deputy Public Defender since 2010. She has been a Professor at the Monterey College of Law since 2015. O’Keefe served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Fresno County Office of the Public Defender from 2005 to 2010. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Catholic University of America School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Efren N. Iglesia. O’Keefe is a Democrat.

Troye Kendall Shaffer, 47, of Windsor, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Sonoma County Superior Court. Shaffer has served as a Commissioner at the Sonoma County Superior Court since 2019. She served as Chief Deputy District Attorney at the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office from 2015 to 2019, where she was a Deputy District Attorney from 2000 to 2015. Shaffer was an Associate at Bowles and Verna LLP from 2000 to 2001. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. Shaffer fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Robert S. Boyd. Shaffer is a Democrat.

Christopher Chase, 48, of Mount Shasta, has been reappointed to the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, where he has served since 2017. Chase has been General Manager of California Operations at Timber Products Company and Michigan-California Timber Company since 2019, where he has held multiple positions since 1997, including Timberland Manager, Timber Procurement Manager, Resource Manager for the Michigan Hardwood Veneer and Lumber Division, Plywood and Veneer Mill Product Specialist, and Log Buyer. He is a member of the American Forest Resource Council, California Forestry Association, California Licensed Foresters Association and Federal Timber Purchasers Committee. Chase earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Southern Oregon University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Chase is registered without party preference. 

Sherry R. Hao, 44, of South Lake Tahoe, has been appointed to the Tahoe Transportation District. Hao will be Energy Services Program Director at the Sierra Business Council beginning April 2021. She has been Director of Non-Profit Strategy at Carney Communications since 2016. Hao was Senior Energy Resources Project Manager at EN2 Resources Inc. from 2014 to 2021. Hao was an Instructor at Lake Tahoe Community College from 2014 to 2019. She was Senior Project Manager for Energy Solutions from 2008 to 2013. Hao was Project Manager at Asian American LEAD from 2004 to 2007. She was Director at the Campaign to Protect Chinatown from 2001 to 2003. Hao was a Mechanical Engineer at Product Genesis Inc. from 1998 to 2000. Hao is a member of the South Lake Tahoe 100% Renewable Committee. She is a board member for the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Hao is a Democrat.

Einar M. Nyborg, 54, of Ukiah, has been reappointed to the Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun, where he has served since 2017. Nyborg has been a Pilot at the San Francisco Bar Pilots since 1995. He was a Harbor Tug Captain at Crowley Maritime Services from 1991 to 1995, Tank Vessel Deck Officer at the Keystone Shipping Company from 1989 to 1993 and First Officer and Deck Boss for Arctic Alaska Seafoods in 1988. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Nyborg is a Republican.

Janet Kappmeyer, 64, of St. Helena, has been reappointed to the State Mining and Geology Board, where she has served since 2017. Kappmeyer has been Manager of Grower Relations at Constellation Brands since 2009. She was an Assistant Winemaker at Peju Province Winery from 2008 to 2009, Enologist at Miner Family Winery from 2007 to 2008 and a Wine-Making Intern at Franciscan Estate from 2006 to 2007. Kappmeyer was President and Principal Geologist at Cypress Environmental Inc. from 1992 to 2004, Director of Operations at On-Site Technologies from 1990 to 1992, Senior Project Manager at Emcon Associates from 1984 to 1990 and a Geologist at Exxon Company, USA from 1982 to 1984. Kappmeyer is a member of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture, Saint Helena Community Band, and St. Helena Choral Society. She earned a Master of Science degree in geology from the University of Michigan. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Kappmeyer is a Democrat.

BULLETIN BOARD

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

California Air Resources Board to Examine Changes to Small Off-Road Engine Regulations

On March 24th, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) will hold a virtual workshop (from 10am to Noon) to discuss potential changes to the Small Off-Road Engine (SORE) Regulations, such as tighter emission standards and transition to zero-emission equipment. SORE—19 kilowatts or less—are often used in lawn and garden equipment, industrial equipment and specialty vehicles. For more information on SORE, including meeting details, see here. CARB will answer questions at this workshop and accept written public comments on the SORE Workshop no later than April 8, 2021.

CAL FIRE to Host Online Workshops: Fire Prevention and Forest Health Grants

CAL FIRE will host online workshops regarding fire prevention and forest health grants.Due to COVID-19 restrictions, participation will be limited to online workshops via Microsoft Teams. NO registration is necessary.
  
Fire Prevention

The workshop dates have passed. Visit the Fire Prevention Grants webpage for Grants Guidelines & a recording of the workshop

Forest Health, Forest Legacy & Research

• April 7, 2021, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM PDT

Microsoft Teams meeting | Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting

Or call in (audio only) +1 650-564-3271,,969798025#
Phone Conference ID: 969 798 025#

Visit the Forest Health Grants webpage for Grants Guidelines & a recording of the workshop.

Plumas County Seeks Redistricting Consultant Services

Plumas County has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking professional redistricting consultant services. The submission deadline is 3:00 p.m. on April 7, 2021. More information is available here.

California Air Resources Board Offers Webinars on Regulatory Compliance Training

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is offering a variety of training webinars for regulatory compliance on issues affecting public fleets such as Off-Road Regulations, Truck and Bus Rules, and Diesel Truck Rules. 

The In-Use Off-Road Diesel-Fueled Fleets Regulation (Off-Road Regulation) requires fleet owners to report to CARB, label their off-road vehicles, and reduce emissions from older equipment.  This course provides detailed information to help fleet owners understand and comply with the Off-Road Regulation: 

Date:               May 13, 2021
Time:               1:00 p.m.
Webinar:         Register

The CARB Diesel Truck Rules course will discuss compliance options and reporting requirements for 2021 and beyond for those that own, operate or dispatch heavy-duty diesel trucks in California. If your vehicles are not compliant, you need to know what the current and future requirements are. If your vehicles are compliant, you may need to report to remain compliant. 

Date:               April 29, 2021
Time:               1:00 p.m.
Webinar:         Register

CARB’s Air Regulatory Overview for Public Agencies course provides training to for public agency employees and fleet managers about the basic regulatory requirements for heavy-duty diesel vehicles and provide awareness on which elements of the regulations these agencies may be accountable for, such as idling limitations; On-Road Public Fleet Regulation; In-Use Off-Road Diesel Vehicle Regulation; Periodic Smoke Inspection Program; & Portable Equipment Registration Program (PERP). 

Date:               April 1, 2021
Time:               1:00 p.m.
Webinar:         Register

The Compliance Overview: Truck & Bus Rule, Off-Road Regulation, and Portable Equipment course includes the following topics:

Truck and Bus Regulation:

• Regulation Applicability
• Engine Model Year Schedule
• Exemptions & Extensions
• How to Report for Regulation Flexibilities
• Broker and Dispatcher Requirements
• DMV Registration

Periodic Smoke Inspection Program (PSIP):

• Regulation Applicability
• Program Updates

Advanced Clean Truck (ACT):

• Manufacturers ZEV Sales Requirements
• One-Time Reporting
• Future ZEV Rules

In-Use Off-Road Diesel Vehicle Regulation:

• Regulation Applicability
• Requirements Currently in Effect
• Future Compliance Deadlines

Portable Equipment Registration Program (PERP) & Airborne Toxic Control Measure (ATCM):

• PERP Eligibility
• Program Requirements
• ATCM Program & Updates
• Enforcement & Inspections

Date:               April 22, 2021
Time:               1:00 p.m.
Webinar:         Register

California Public Utilities Commission to Hold Workshop on Execution of 2020 PSPS Events

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold an upcoming public workshop with Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) and PacifiCorp on the execution of their 2020 Public Safety Power Shut-off (PSPS) events; Southern California Edison will participate in the latter half of the workshop. This workshop will include two roundtable discussions covering local government, tribes, and the Access and Functional Needs community. More information, including a full agenda, will be made available here. 

WHEN: Monday, March 29, 2021 from 9am to 5pm
WHERE: Online viewing only. Webcast available here.
HOW: To participate and make public comments, the call-in number is 1-800-857-1917, passcode is 5180519.

Save the Date for Forest Stewardship Workshop

The University of California Cooperative Extension has announced upcoming training opportunities to help landowners develop sustainable plans to improve and protect their forest lands. Online workshops will be offered weekly from March 22, 2021 through May 27, 2021, with an in-person session scheduled in Humboldt County on Saturday, April 24, 2021. For more information, see here.

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) ASSISTANCE

Resource pages, deadline extensions, and available programs to assist communities impacted by COVID-19.

DWR Provides Tips for Holding Online Meetings to Address Groundwater Sustainability Plans

As Groundwater Sustainability Plans are being developed to meet the January 2022 deadline, several counties (and water agencies) have asked for advice for engaging stakeholders and interested parties through online resources.  In response to community interest, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) Sustainable Groundwater Management Office has put together examples, tips, and tactics to consider. The DWR tips are available here.

Coronavirus Relief Available from the Small Business Administration

The federal Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering several coronavirus relief options to help alleviate the financial hardships resulting from the coronavirus (COVID-19). The programs have received an overwhelming number of applications from businesses, so be sure to check the SBA website for the latest updates on the status of these programs.

• The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) provides loan forgiveness for retaining employees by temporarily expanding the traditional SBA 7(a) loan program. After initial funding was quickly depleted, the program received an infusion of an additional $310 billion, allowing the SBA to resume the program on April 27, 2020. Be sure to check the SBA website for the most recent information on the application process and availability of funds.
• The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Emergency Advance provides up to $10,000 of economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing temporary difficulties.
• SBA Express Bridge Loans can be used to bridge the gap for businesses while applying for a direct SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan; small businesses who currently have a business relationship with an SBA Express Lender to access up to $25,000 quickly.
• SBA Debt Relief provides a financial reprieve to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you are interested in programs for other disasters, the SBA Disaster Loan Assistance portal is available here.

Economic Development Resources for Communities and Businesses Impacted by the Coronavirus

The California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED) has assembled resources for communities and business impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19). The page will be continually evolving as new resources become available. To go directly to the CALED resources, click here.

Use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds for Infectious Disease Response

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds may be used for a range of eligible activities that prevent and respond to the spread of infectious diseases such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Check out the Quick Guide to CDBG Eligible Activities to Support Infectious Disease Response for guidance and additional information.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) County Resource Page Available

The California State Association of Counties (CSAC), RCRC’s local government partner, continues to provide excellent up-to-date state and federal information to counties on this ever-changing pandemic event.  We encourage visiting CSAC’s COVID-19 resource page, which contains vital links to all CSAC COVID-19 advocacy letters and resources.  CSAC’s staff continues to work around the clock to update activities so that all of California’s counties can remain properly informed.

LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY UPDATE

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

ACA 1 (Aguiar-Curry): Local Government Financing: Affordable Housing. ACA 1 would lower the vote threshold to 55 percent for approval of local bonded-indebtedness and specially dedicated taxes imposed for specified uses. Status: ACA 1 has been recently introduced and awaits consideration from the Assembly.  RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 1 (C. Garcia): Hazardous Waste: Assembly Bill 1 establishes several new governance, policy, and fiscal reforms to improve the Department of Toxic Substances Control, including significantly increasing several fees and repealing several important fee exemptions. Status: AB 1 is awaiting consideration by the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee. RCRC Status: Pending

Assembly Bill 297 (Gallagher) Fire Prevention. Increases funding for forest health improvement and wildfire risk reduction projects and makes other substantive changes to help expedite project completion.  Status: AB 297 awaits consideration in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 318 (Levine): Hazardous waste: Assembly Bill 318 excludes from classification as hazardous waste green waste that has not been contaminated by a hazardous or toxic chemical during production, harvest, or processing.  Requires those green wastes to be disposed in a permitted solid or hazardous waste landfill or composting operation.  Status:  AB 318 is awaiting consideration by the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee. RCRC Status:  Pending

Assembly Bill 322 (Salas): Energy: Electric Program Investment Charge program: Requires the Energy Commission to allocate at least 20% of all funds appropriated for the Electric Program Investment Charge program (roughly $25 million annually) to bioenergy projects for biomass conversion. Status: AB 322 is awaiting consideration in the Assembly Utilities and Energy and Natural Resources Committee.  RCRC Status: Support 

Assembly Bill 332 (ESTM): Hazardous waste: treated wood waste: Seeks to reestablish a statutory pathway for the alternative management and disposal of treated wood waste in a landfill.  Status:  AB 332 is awaiting consideration by the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee.  RCRC Status:  Support.

Assembly Bill 648 (Fong) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: Healthy Forest and Fire Prevention: Appropriation. Continuously appropriates $200 million annually for forest health improvement and wildfire risk reduction projects Status: AB 648 awaits consideration in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 732 (Quirk) Increases the Environmental Fee paid by businesses with 50 or more employees to fund oversight of hazardous waste management and disposal and to remediate orphan and legacy contaminated properties. Status: AB is awaiting consideration by the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee. RCRC Status: Pending

Assembly Bill 819 (Levine) Requires lead agencies to post California Environmental Quality Act notices and documents on their internet websites and to submit CEQA documents to the State Clearinghouse in electronic form.  Status: AB 819 awaits consideration from the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Watch

Assembly Bill 843 (Aguiar-Curry): California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program: renewable feed-in tariff: Allows Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs) to access the CPUC BioMAT program that provides funding for renewable bioenergy electricity projects, including biomass and biogas. Status: AB 843 awaits consideration from the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 881 (Gonzalez) Plastic waste: diversion: recycling: export. Repeals the ability for local governments to claim diversion credit for mixed plastic waste that is exported for recycling. Status: AB 881 awaits consideration from the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Watch

Assembly Bill 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.  Status: AB 1078 awaits consideration from the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 1086 (Aguiar-Curry) Organic waste: implementation strategy. Requires the state to prepare an implementation strategy to achieve the state’s organic waste, climate change, and air quality mandates, goals, and targets.  Status: AB 1086 awaits consideration from the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Pending.

Assembly Bill 1154 (Patterson) California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: egress route projects: fire safety. Exempts from the California Environmental Quality Act egress route projects undertaken by a public agency and that are recommended by the Board of Forestry to improve fire safety of an existing subdivision.  Status: AB 1154 awaits consideration from the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 1311 (Wood) Recycling: beverage containers: certified recycling centers. Will seek to made modest changes to the Beverage Container Recycling Act to increase consumer access to redemption opportunities. Status: AB 1311 awaits consideration from the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. RCRC Status: Pending

Assembly Bill 1350 (Patterson) Department of Toxic Substances Control: environmental fee: exemption. Until 1/1/2025, exempts businesses with 50-100 employees from having to pay the Environmental Fee, which funds oversight of hazardous waste management and disposal and to remediate orphan and legacy contaminated properties. Status: AB 1350 awaits consideration from the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee. RCRC Status: Watch

Assembly Bill 1344 (Arambula) State Department of Public Health: needle and syringe exchange services. State Department of Public Health: Needle and Syringe Exchange Services.  Exempts needle and syringe exchanges services from the California Environmental Quality Act and public nuisance litigation, including for any reasonable and foreseeable consequences of providing those services.  Status: AB 1344 awaits consideration in the Assembly Health and Natural Resources Committees. RCRC Status: Oppose 

Assembly Bill 1403 (Levine) Emergency Services. Assembly Bill 1403 clarifies that deenergization events (also known as PSPS events) qualify as events for which a state of emergency or local emergency can be declared under the California Emergency Services Act. Status: AB 1403 awaits consideration in the Assembly Emergency Management Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 4 (Gonzalez): Communications: California Advanced Services Fund. Senate Bill 4 would modernize and increase the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) by exploring ways to facilitate streamlining of local land use approvals and construction permit processes for projects related to broadband infrastructure deployment and connectivity. Status: SB 4 awaits consideration from the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 30 (Cortese): Building Decarbonization: Prohibits state agencies from designing or constructing a state facility that is connected to the natural gas grid and prohibits state agencies from funding projects for the construction of residential and nonresidential buildings that are connected to the natural gas grid. Status: Senate Bill 30 awaits consideration by the Senate Governmental Organization Committee. RCRC Status: Oppose unless Amended

Senate Bill 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. Status: SB 38 awaits consideration by the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Oppose unless Amended

 Senate Bill 42 (Wieckowski): Department of Toxic Substances Control:  Establishes a new Board of Environmental safety to oversee the Department of Toxic Substances Control, consider permit appeals, and propose regulatory changes and establishes an ombudsperson to make and receive public complaints and suggestions.  SB 42 is anticipated to be amended to also include many of the fiscal changes suggested by the Administration to address DTSC’s structural deficit. Status: SB 42 awaits consideration by the Senate Environmental Quality committee. RCRC Status: Watch

Senate Bill 52 (Dodd): State of Emergency: Power Outages. Senate Bill 52 clarifies that deenergization events (also known as PSPS events) qualify as events for which a state of emergency or local emergency can be declared under the California Emergency Services Act. Status: SB 52 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 55 (Stern): Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone: Development. Senate Bill 55 would prohibit all retail, commercial, industrial, or residential development in specified fire-prone areas of the state. Status: SB 55 awaits consideration by the Senate Governance and Finance Committee.  RCRC Status: Oppose

Senate Bill 99 (Dodd): Community Energy Resilience Act of 2021: Senate Bill 99 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. It also sets forth guiding principles for plan development, including equitable access to reliable energy and integration with other existing local planning documents. Status: SB 99 awaits consideration in the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee.  RCRC Status: Pending

Senate Bill 207 (Dahle): Photovoltaic Recycling Advisory Group: Senate Bill 207 seeks to spur the recycling and reuse of solar photovoltaic panels by requiring an advisory group to make recommendations to ensure that, to the extent possible, all solar photovoltaic panels in the state are reused or recycled at the end of their lives in a safe and cost-effective manner. Status: SB 207 awaits consideration by the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status:  Support

Senate Bill 244 (Archuleta): Lithium-ion batteries: illegal disposal: fire prevention: Senate Bill seeks to prevent lithium-ion battery fires by requiring the state to develop training and best practices for the detection, safe handling, and suppression of fires that originate from discarded lithium-ion batteries in solid waste collection vehicles, transfer and processing stations, and disposal facilities.  Status: SB 244 awaits consideration from the Senate Environmental Quality and Natural Resources and Water Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 261 (Allen) Regional Transportation Plans:  Sustainable Communities Strategies.  Requires the Air Resources Board (ARB) to adopt new greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) reduction targets for incorporation into the sustainable communities strategies prepared by the state’s 18 metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs).  Status: SB 261 awaits consideration in the Senate Transportation Committee. RCRC Status: Oppose

Senate Bill 289 (Newman) Recycling: batteries and battery-embedded products.: Requires producers of battery and battery-embedded products to create stewardship organizations and programs for the collection, transportation, and recycling of those products. Status: SB 289 awaits consideration in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee.    RCRC Status:  Support   Senate Bill 341 (McGuire) Makes several changes to increase oversight and accountability of telecommunications service outages. Status: SB 341 awaits consideration from the Senate Governmental Organization Committee. RCRC Status: Support 

 Senate Bill 343 (Allen) Prohibits the sale of any product or packaging using a deceptive or misleading claim about its recyclability, including using the chasing arrows symbol unless CalRecycle determines the product or packaging is recyclable.  Requires CalRecycle to identify the types of plastic products and packaging from which a claim of recyclability may be made. Status: SB 343 awaits consideration from the Senate Judiciary Committee. RCRC Status: Pending   

Senate Bill 533 (Stern) Require electrical corporations to ensure electrical transmission and distribution systems achieve the highest level of safety, reliability, and resiliency by modernizing, upgrading, replacing, hardening, or undergrounding any portion of its transmission and distribution wires or poles that experiences a specified number of recurring deenergization events.  Requires the CPUC to create a database of critical facilities, infrastructure, and circuits located in high fire threat districts. Status: SB 533 awaits consideration from the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee. RCRC Status: Pending

Senate Bill 619 (Laird) Will seek to provide local governments with additional flexibility and funding to achieve the state’s organic waste recycling requirements.  Status: SB 619 awaits consideration from the Senate Rules Committee. RCRC Status: Support