California Climate Policy Recap for 2026: The Good, the Bad, and the Future

The 2026 California legislative session came to a close on August 31. During this webinar, climate advocates and Sacramento insiders joined us to explore which proposed climate policies did (and didn’t) become law and why. We discussed the future impact of bills signed into law — including SB 913, SB 905, and SB 868 — as well as opportunities to continue working on vetoed bills, such as AB 1813. Speakers covered several key themes that emerged this session, including how to provide clean and affordable electricity, addressing Big Oil’s influence in the legislative process, the fate of climate investments through the Cap and Invest program, and how Governor Newsom’s potential 2028 presidential run is shaping policy outcomes during his final year in office.

Presentations and Resources

• Dan Jacobson, Environment California (PDF)
• Gabriel Tolson, Planning and Conservation League (PDF)
• Faraz Rizvi, Asian Pacific Environmental Network (PDF)
• Allison Hilliard, The Climate Center (Moderator) (PDF)
• Q&A (CSV)
• Chat (TXT)
• You can endorse the No on 45 campaign as an individual or with your organization

Speakers

Dan Jacobson

Senior Advisor, Environment California

Dan provides campaign strategy and policy guidance for Environment California’s program and organizational plans. Prior to his current role, he worked as the state director of Environment California and the organizing director of Florida PIRG, among other roles. The Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies (CEERT) named Dan a Clean Power Champion in 2019, and Capitol Weekly named him one of the “Top 100 Lobbyists” in California in 2008.

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Gabriel Tolson

Environmental Policy Advocate, Planning and Conservation League

Gabriel is a policy professional with a background in water rights and environmental justice. He entered environmentalism through the arts, where he spent two years partnering with scientists at UCLA and UC Irvine to organize climate-focused exhibitions and public workshops. He later interned for the California State Assembly. He held a research role at the Annenberg Foundation’s Metabolic Studio–a laboratory of art, science, and policy–where he drafted water policy reforms for the Los Angeles basin. At PCL, Gabriel continues to advocate for the protection of California’s natural ecosystems and the communities they sustain.

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Faraz Rizvi

Campaign and Policy Manager, Asian Pacific Environmental Network

Faraz Rizvi is a writer and activist based out of Southern California. He studied Political Science at UC Riverside and began organizing through electoral work in the Inland Empire and conducting research with the Center for Working Class Politics. With a background in communications and environmental justice, he previously served at the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice (CCAEJ) and currently serves as Campaign and Policy Manager for APEN.

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Allison Hilliard (Moderator)

Government Affairs Director

Allison joined The Climate Center in January of 2025 as the Legislative Manager. In this role, she works closely with the initiative leaders and other staff to ensure California implements policies that effectively reduce climate pollution and secure resilient communities. Allison is The Climate Center’s voice in Sacramento, representing the organization to advocate and build coalitions and partnerships to support The Climate Center’s goals and secure a climate-safe future for all. 

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