The Barbed Wire - May 10, 2019

Governor Newsom Releases May Revision of the 2019-20 State Budget

On Thursday, Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled his May Revision of the 2019-20 State Budget (May Revision) – his first since taking office in January.  The Governor’s May Revision is an attempt to more accurately reflect revenue and expenditure projections, and then apply those projections to the overall spending package originally proposed in January.  The $213.5 billion budget reflects a spending plan that includes $147 billion in General Fund expenditures, as well as $65 billion in funding allocations derived from special funds, federal dollars, and bond proceeds. 

Enjoying the inheritance of a budget surplus, in January Governor Newsom highlighted his Administration’s commitment to building budget resiliency, and paying down the state’s unfunded pension liabilities in an effort to “build the foundation for the California dream.” With revenue projections $3.2 billion higher than anticipated in January, these commitments remain, while the Governor’s May Revision also prioritizes one-time investments to tackle the “affordability crisis that California families face on health care, housing, early education and higher education.”

The Rural Rundown, RCRC’s analysis of the Governor’s 2019-20 May Revision of the State Budget, can be accessed here.

Commentary: Empower Local Communities to Close the Digital Divide

Greg Norton, RCRC President & CEO

The deployment of broadband infrastructure supporting speed-of-commerce connectivity is among the most critical missing components needed to drive economic development in California’s rural communities. Broadband access is essential to connecting rural communities to the 21st century economy. Yet the barriers to deploying infrastructure continue to inhibit access in some of California’s most disadvantaged communities in both rural and urban areas.  Read More…

Commentary: Ready or Not, Wildfires Are Coming

CAFWA Offers Preparedness Tips

Justin Caporusso, CAFWA Chair and RCRC Vice President External Affairs

California is home to nearly 40 million residents, the world’s 5th largest economy, and a collection of cutting-edge and entrepreneurial leaders in the arena of public policy.  These are traits that most states, and many nations, would gladly call their own. However, the glistening shine of the Golden State cannot hide the reality that California is also home to a devastating wildfire epidemic.  An epidemic that has dramatically threatened lives, property, the air we breathe, and California’s water supply.  Read More…

RCRC Officially Endorses Secretary Karen Ross to the California Department of Food and Agriculture

Last Thursday, the RCRC Executive Committee took action to officially endorse the appointment of Karen Ross as the Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).

In January 2019, Secretary Ross was reappointed to serve as the Secretary of CDFA by Governor Gavin Newsom.  Secretary Ross was initially appointed by Governor Jerry Brown Jr. in 2011. 

Secretary Ross has always been very accessible and sympathetic to RCRC member county concerns, and has worked with RCRC staff on issues relating to environmental stewardship to find workable solutions.  Secretary Ross has unmatched leadership experience in agricultural issues nationally, internationally, and in California.  Secretary Ross’ confirmation by the State Senate is likely to occur later this spring.

In March, the RCRC Board of Directors adopted a new policy to offer a support position for Gubernatorial appointees during the California State Senate’s confirmation process.  RCRC’s confirmation support letter can be accessed here.

Thom Porter Officially Confirmed as Chief of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

On May 2^nd, the California State Senate officially confirmed Thom Porter as Chief of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) with a 38-0 vote.  Last month, Staci Heaton, RCRC Regulatory Affairs Advocate, testified in support of Chief Porter during his confirmation hearing in the Senate Rules Committee following RCRC’s official endorsement. 

In March, the RCRC Board of Directors adopted a new policy to offer a support position for Gubernatorial appointees during the California State Senate’s confirmation process.  As one of their official actions regarding this new policy, RCRC officially endorsed the confirmation of Thom Porter as Chief of CAL FIRE. 

RCRC’s confirmation support letter can be accessed here.

Adventure Trails Bill Passes Senate Appropriations Committee

On Monday, Senate Bill 402 related to the extension of a pilot program for the use of Off-Highway Vehicles on the Adventure Trails system in Inyo County unanimously passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Chair Matt Kingsley (Inyo) was in Sacramento earlier this month to testify before the Senate Natural Resources Committee in support of the legislation.  

Existing law allows local designation of combined-use (having non-registered vehicles such as “quads” and “ATVs”) roadways for up to three miles, per approval from the California Highway Patrol (CHP).  In 2011, the Legislature enacted Assembly Bill 628 (Conway) which permitted Inyo County, with approval from the Board of Supervisors and the CHP, to allow combined-use designations for up to ten miles.  Inyo County has unique circumstances that warrant this pilot project.  Less than two percent of its ten thousand square miles is privately-owned and many of its nearly eighteen thousand residents use a OHVs as a common mode of transportation.  In addition, Inyo County’s economy relies on tourism as it constitutes the largest financial contributor. 

In 2016, the Legislature enacted Senate Bill 1345 (Berryhill) to continue the pilot until January 1, 2020.  The current pilot, as authorized under both AB 628 and SB 1345, does not create new trails or roads and only speaks to converting existing public county roads for combined-use.  The intent is to create a better network of trails by connecting recreational areas to motorist services.  SB would simply continue a pilot project for Inyo County to better regulate, manage, and analyze their combined-use roadways with OHVs. 

Senator Borgeas’ press release on SB 402 passing out of the Senate Appropriations Committee can be accessed here.  RCRC’s support letter can be accessed here.

Rural Broadband Update

On Tuesday, the House passed by voice vote HR 1328, the ACCESS BROADBAND Act.  Introduced by Representative Paul Tonko (D-New York), the bill would establish the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth (Office) within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.  The Office would hold regional workshops to share best practices and effective strategies for promoting broadband access and adoption.  

The bill requires the Office consult with any agency offering federal assistance for broadband deployment to streamline the application process and, to the greatest extent practicable, create one application that can be universal across the government.  The Office is responsible for streamlining federal broadband assistance programs to prevent duplicity and waste.

A Senate version of the bill was introduced by Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), Cory Gardner (R-Colorado), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), Doug Jones (D-Alabama), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee).  Supporters hope the legislation will spur the Trump Administration into updating its approach to rural broadband assistance and improve return on investment for public funds spent on rural broadband deployment.

Cannabis Banking Update

On Wednesday, thirty-eight state and territorial Attorneys General cosigned a letter to Congress endorsing the Secure and Safe Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, a proposal that would grant marijuana related businesses access to the banking industry.  In a rare show of bipartisan unity from the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), the authors urged Congress to enact the SAFE Banking Act and provide certainty to the banking and cannabis industries.  

The cannabis industry is estimated to exceed $25 billion in sales by 2025 and this revenue will be handled outside of the federally regulated banking system.  The gray market resulting from the excess cash creates several legal and public safety problems for states that have legalized marijuana.  To address these concerns, the undersigned attorneys general urged Congress to advance the SAFE Banking Act or other legislation that provides a similar safe harbor.

The legislation is expected to pass the House by the end of the month and the attorney general letter was released after remarks from Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) last week that his committee would not consider cannabis banking legislation.

RCRC Board Members to Attend NACO’s Western Interstate Region Conference

Next week, Supervisors Kevin Cann (Mariposa) and Lee Adams (Sierra) will join RCRC staff at the National Association of Counties’ (NACo) Western Interstate Region (WIR) 2019 Conference in Spokane County, Washington.  Supervisor Cann serves as First Vice President of WIR, and Supervisor Adams serves as RCRC’s WIR representative. 

WIR is dedicated to the promotion of western state interests, and the WIR Conference brings together county officials, federal, state, and regional policymakers to focus on unique pressing issues affecting rural communities.  This year’s conference will feature notable speakers, including James Hubbard, Undersecretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s for Natural Resources and Environment, and Kim Wyman, Secretary of State of the State of Washington.

Each year, the WIR Conference is hosted by a county within the fifteen Western states and provides attendees with the opportunity to interact with federal, state and regional policymakers, participate in educational sessions and take home tools to address challenges.  Recently, RCRC, the California State Association of Counties, and Mariposa joined forces to bring the NACO’s WIR Conference to California in 2020.  The NACO’s WIR 2020 Conference will be hosted at the world-renowned Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite in Mariposa County. 

Your Voice Matters: California Arts Council 2020 Strategic Framework Stakeholder Survey and Rural Think Tank

The California Arts Council has begun work to develop an up-to-date and relevant strategic framework to guide their work for the next five to seven years serving California's communities through culture, creativity, and the arts.  Placing equity and community at the center of this planning project, the state arts agency has created an online/mail in survey, with the intention for as many new voices as possible to be heard during its research and analysis phase.  

Additionally, a telephone think tank focused on gathering perspectives from rural communities will take place on Thursday, May 29. There’s a seat at the table for anyone with a rooted interest in the future of arts, culture, and community in our state. 

Click here to take the survey

Click here to register for the rural-focused telephone think tank

Bill of the Week: Assembly Bill 1516 (Friedman) – Fire Prevention: Defensible Space Fuel Reduction

RCRC has lent its support to Assembly Bill 1516, authored by Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale).  AB 1516 makes various changes to improve California’s fire prevention policies including its defensible space requirements.  AB 1516 will improve defensible space and compliance with defensible space mandates in a number of ways. 

Specifically, AB 1516 establishes a 0-5 feet noncombustible zone from structures, codifies the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s (CAL FIRE) goal to inspect every structure in the State Responsibility Area at least once every three years, requires the use of “right tree right place” for future planting under electrical lines in high fire hazard areas, and requires CAL FIRE to provide vital assistance to local governments including water and power utilities to help prevent fire and institute appropriate vegetation management.

AB 1516 reduces risk of ignition to homes in high fire hazard severity zones, reinforce the State’s commitment to enforcing defensible space mandates, and helps prevent future ignitions near powerlines. 

RCRC’s support letter can be accessed here.  AB 1516 currently awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  Please contact Staci Heaton, RCRC Regulatory Affairs Advocate, at (916) 447-4806 or sheaton@rcrcnet.org for more information.

THE RURAL RUNDOWN PODCAST

The Rural Rundown discusses the legislative and regulatory issues impacting California’s rural counties, featuring commentary and interviews from individuals committed to improving the quality of life in rural California. 

The Rural Rundown can be accessed here. 

BULLETIN BOARD

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

Upcoming Cannabis Cultivation Regulation Workshop

On Thursday, May 30^th, the California Association of Environmental Health Administrators, the California Environmental Health Association, and the California Association of Code Enforcement Officers will be sponsoring a workshop to discuss environmental and safety issues associated with cannabis cultivation.  The purpose of the workshop is to review and discuss environmental and safety issues related to regulated and illegal cultivation of cannabis. 

The workshop attendees will be greeted by RCRC Delegate and Calaveras County Board of Supervisors Chair Jack Garamendi.  The workshop will feature notable speakers, including Dr. Mourad Gabriel from the Integral Ecology Research Center, Shivawn Brady from the Sonoma County Growers Alliance, and Dr. Van Bustic from the Berkeley Department of Environmental Science.  Representatives from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the California Water Quality Control Board will also be present. 

The cost of registration goes up on Wednesday, May 15, 2019.  Policy makers, regulators, law enforcement officers, and community members are encouraged to participate.

The workshop will be held Thursday, May 30, at the Ironstone Vineyards: 894 6 Mile Road, Murphys, California.  Meeting materials, including agenda/registration form can be accessed here.

United Policyholders Hosts California Supervisors Roundtable Discussion on the Wildfire and Insurance Crisis

Webinar: Click here

Applications Now Being Accepted for Local Government Commission’s CivicSpark Fellowship Program

Webinar: Click here

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

RCRC members are encouraged to share letters addressed to state and federal representatives and regulatory bodies with RCRC’s Government Affairs staff.  

Assembly Bill 134 (Bloom): Safe, Clean, Affordable, and Accessible Drinking Water. Assembly Bill 134 would require funding from a Safe Drinking Water Fund or Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund to be displayed in the Governor's annual budget and requires at least every five years the Legislative Analyst Office's to provide an assessment of the effectiveness of expenditures. Status:  AB 134 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Position: Watch

Assembly Bill 217 (Garcia, E.): Safe and Affordable Drinking Water. Assembly Bill 217 establishes the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund in the State Treasury and provides that moneys in the fund are available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the State Water Resources Control Board to provide a stable source of funding to secure access to safe drinking water for all Californians, while also ensuring the long-term sustainability of drinking water service and infrastructure. Status:  AB 217 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Position: Pending

Assembly Bill 247 (Dahle): Disaster Relief: Carr and Klamathon Fires. Assembly Bill 247 provides that the state share for disaster project allocations to local agencies is up to 100% of total state eligible costs connected with the Klamathon fire that started on July 5, 2018, in the County of Siskiyou, and the Carr Fire that started on July 23, 2018, in the County of Shasta. Status:  AB 247 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 297 (Gallagher): Emergency Average Daily Attendance. Assembly Bill 297 would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to extend the period during which it is essential to alleviate continued reductions in average daily attendance attributable to a state of emergency declared by the Governor in November 2018, for a school district where no less than five percent of the residences within the school district or district facilities were destroyed by the qualifying emergency. Status: AB 297 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 343 (Patterson) Forestry: Biomass Energy. Assembly Bill 343 would require the California Natural Resources Agency to create and implement a program to offset the costs of transporting fuels to a biomass energy facility. Status: AB 343 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 394 (Obernolte): California Environmental Quality Act: Exemption: Fire Safety. Assembly Bill 394 expedites fire safety improvements for subdivisions that are at significant fire risk and lack a secondary escape route. Status: AB 394 awaits consideration in the Senate Environmental Quality and the Senate Natural Resources & Water Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 616 (Patterson) California Forest Carbon Plan: Report. Assembly Bill 616 would  require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, in collaboration with the Natural Resources Agency and California Environmental Protection Agency, to prepare and submit to the Legislature and appropriate legislative policy and budget committees, on or before January 1, 2021, and by January 1 of each year thereafter, until January 1, 2025, a report on the progress made and policies and resources needed to achieve specified wildland fire prevention goals for fuel treatment and vegetation management. Status: AB 616 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 883 (Dahle) Fish and Wildlife: Catastrophic Wildfires: Report. Assembly Bill 883 would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife, in consultation with Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, on or before a certain date, and by certain day of each year and thereafter, to study, investigate, and report to the Legislature on the impacts on wildlife and wildlife habitat resulting from any catastrophic wildfire that occurred during that calendar year. Status: AB 883 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 1080/Senate Bill 54 (Gonzalez): Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction. AB 1080/SB 54 would establish the California Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction Act, which would require the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery to adopt regulations to source reduce and recycle 75 percent of single use packaging and products sold or distributed in California by 2030. Status: AB 1080/SB 54 await consideration in their respective Appropriations Committees.  RCRC Status: Support if Amended

Assembly Bill 1111 (Friedman): Office of Sustainable Outdoor Recreation. Assembly Bill 1111 would stablish the Office of Sustainable Outdoor Recreation in state government. Requires the office to undertake certain activities, including supporting the outdoor recreation economy of the state by engaging in specified activities. Requires the office to create an advisory committee to provide advice, expertise, support, and service to the office. Authorizes the office to receive the assistance and funds from public and private sources. Status: AB 1111 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 1144 (Friedman): Self-Generation Incentive Program. Assembly Bill 1144 requires the California Public Utilities Commission to establish pilot projects to install energy storage systems to back up critical infrastructure in high-fire threat districts.  Status: AB 1144 67 awaits consideration in the Senate Energy, Utilities & Communications Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 1236 (Lackey): Public Resources: Greenhouse Gases. Assembly Bill 1236 seeks to increase in-state recycling and help local governments comply with Senate Bill 1383 organic waste recycling mandates by, among other things, requiring CalRecycle to develop a program environmental impact report for compost facilities, thereby reducing costs, delays, and the risk of litigation for those projects.  Status: AB 1236 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 1356 (Ting): Cannabis: Local Jurisdictions: Commercial Cannabis. Assembly Bill 1356 provides that if more than 50 percent of the voters of a local jurisdiction voted in favor of Proposition 64, these local jurisdictions must issue a minimum number of licenses authorizing retail cannabis activity within that jurisdiction. Status: AB 1356 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Oppose

Assembly Bill 1375 (Bigelow): Disaster Relief: Dead and Dying Tree Removal. Assembly Bill 1375 would provide that the state share for removal of dead and dying trees in connection with the Governor's Proclamation of a State of Emergency issued on October 30, 2015, is not more than a certain percentage of total eligible costs. Status: AB 1375 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Bill 1486 (Ting): Local Agencies: Surplus Land. Assembly Bill 1486 adds more specificity to the types of agencies subject to the Surplus Land Act, by adding sewer, water, utility, and local and regional park districts, joint powers authorities, successor agencies to former redevelopment agencies, housing authorities, and other political subdivisions of this state to the list of agencies that are mandated to follow certain requirements before disposing of surplus land.  AB 1486 also redefines and substantially broadens the term “dispose of” to include the sale, transfer, or other conveyance of any interest in real property.  Status: AB 1486 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Oppose Unless Amended

Assembly Bill 1516 (Friedman): Fire Prevention: Defensible Space Fuel Reduction. Assembly Bill 1516 would make various changes to improve California’s fire prevention policies including its defensible space requirements. Status: AB 1516 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Position: Support

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 66 (Aguiar-Curry): Officer Natalie Corona Memorial Highway. ACR 66 would designate a portion of Interstate 5 in the County of Colusa as the “Officer Natalie Corona Memorial Highway.” Status: ACR 66 awaits consideration in the Senate Transportation Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 73 (Bigelow): California Fairgrounds Appreciation Month. ACR 73 would designate May 2019 as the California Fairgrounds Appreciation Month. Status:  ACR 73 awaits consideration in the Assembly Rules Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 19 (Dodd): Water Resources: Stream Gages. Senate Bill 19 requires the California Department of Water Resources to develop a plan to deploy a network of stream gages that includes a determination of new needs as well as opportunities for reactivating existing gages. Status:  SB 19 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 45 (Allen): Wildfire, Drought, and Flood Protection Bond Act 2020. Senate Bill 45 enacts the Wildfire, Drought, and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2020, which, if approved by voters, authorizes the issuance of bonds to finance projects to restore fire damaged areas, reduce wildfire risk, create healthy forests and watersheds, reduce climate impacts on urban areas and vulnerable populations, protect water supply and water quality, protect rivers, lakes and streams, reduce flood risk, protect fish and wildlife from climate impacts, and protect coastal lands and resources. Status: SB 45 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 62 (Dodd): Endangered Species: Accidental Take. Senate Bill 62 extends the sunset date on a provision allowing an “accidental take” of candidate, threatened, or endangered species resulting from acts that occur on a farm or a ranch in the course of otherwise lawful routine work. Status: SB 62 passed out of the Senate, and now awaits action in the Assembly. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 67 (McGuire): Cannabis: Temporary and Provisional Licenses. Senate Bill 67 would extend the time-period for which a temporary license is valid when issued by state cannabis licensing entities, and would ease the process for cannabis operators to obtain a provisional cannabis license as a step toward full licensure. Status: SB 67 awaits consideration in the Assembly Agriculture Committee and the Assembly Business & Professions Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 190 (Dodd): Fire Safety: Building Standards. Senate Bill 190 creates a model defensible space program for local governments and requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) to provide training resources for local building officials, builders, and fire service personnel to improve building fire safety standards. Status: SB 190 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 200 (Monning): Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund. Senate Bill 200 establishes the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund in the State Treasury and provides that moneys in the fund are available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the State Water Resources Control Board to provide a stable source of funding to secure access to safe drinking water for all Californians, while also ensuring the long-term sustainability of drinking water service and infrastructure. Status: SB 200 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Pending

Senate Bill 209 (Dodd): California Wildfire Warning Center: Weather Monitoring. Senate Bill 209 would establish the California Wildfire Warning Center, a statewide network of automated weather and environmental monitoring stations to conduct fire weather forecasting and threat assessment to aid in wildfire prevention and response.  Status: SB 209 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 462 (Stern): Community Colleges: Forestland Restoration Workforce. Senate Bill 462 would require the Chancellor's Office of the California Community Colleges, working in collaboration with the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, to establish a model curriculum for a forestland restoration workforce program that could be offered at campuses of the California Community Colleges. Status: SB 462 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support

Senate Bill 669 (Caballero): Water Quality: Safe Drinking Water Fund. Senate Bill 669 establishes the Safe Drinking Water Fund in the State Treasury Status: SB 669 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Pending

Senate Bill 724 (Stern): California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter. Senate Bill 724 makes a number of changes to the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act (commonly known as the Bottle Bill).  In addition to providing regulatory relief to retailers, the bill adjusts payments and incentives to stabilize existing recycling businesses and bring more recyclers to rural and unserved areas. Status: SB 724 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support