We advocate for Climate-Safe California
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Updated July 29, 2021
Throughout the 2021 legislative session this page will be updated weekly and a link to it will be published weekly in The Climate Center’s e-news.
Calendar Note: The legislature is out for summer recess and will reconvene on August 16. The Legislature adjourns for this year on September 10 and all bills must be passed by that date in order to go to the Governor for his signature. The Governor has until October 10 to sign or veto bills.
Below is a partial list of 101 bills we are tracking or have tracked in the 2021 legislative session listed in several categories, numerically in each category. For details on any bill listed below, click on the hyperlinked bill number and that will bring you to the State’s official legislative info page for that bill. For the complete list of 101 bills we are tracking, click HERE.
Please send any updates, corrections, or suggestions to woody@theclimatecenter.org
Categories below include:
- High priority bills that The Climate Center supports
- Bills that The Climate Center supports
- Assembly bills
- Senate bills
- Bills that The Climate Center is inclined to support, or support if amended
- Bills that The Climate Center is inclined to oppose, or oppose unless amended
- Bills that The Climate Center opposes
- Bills that The Climate Center is monitoring but for which we have not taken a public position
- Assembly bills
- Senate bills
- Bills that have become 2-year bills
- Bills that have died
- Bills signed by the Governor (Enacted)
HIGH PRIORITY Bills that The Climate Center supports
SB 99 (Dodd) This bill is sponsored by The Climate Center. The Community Energy Resilience Act of 2021 will require the California Energy Commission to develop and implement a technical assistance and grant program to support local governments in developing community energy resilience plans, prioritizing state support for the most vulnerable communities. The bill sets forth guiding principles for plan development, including equitable access to reliable energy, and integration with other existing local planning documents. For more information about this bill, read the author’s FACTSHEET and visit our Community Energy Resilience page. Also, read the organization SIGN-ON LETTER. Read the OpEd that came out in the Sacramento Bee April 19. Here is a link to easily SHOW YOUR SUPPORT. STATUS: Awaiting a hearing date in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 284 (R. Rivas) This bill would require the Air Resources Board, when updating the scoping plan and in collaboration with other relevant state agencies, to take specified actions by January 1, 2023, including, among others, identifying a 2045 climate goal, with interim milestones, for the state’s natural and working lands and identifying practices, policy incentives, market needs, and potential reductions in barriers that would help achieve the 2045 climate goal. The bill would require the ARB to develop standard methods for state agencies to consistently track GHG emissions reductions, carbon sequestration, and additional benefits from natural and working lands over time. Read The Climate Center’s Letter of Support. STATUS: Set for August 16 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
SB 27 (Skinner) Creates the California Carbon Sequestration and Climate Resilience Project Registry in order to maintain a list of eligible but unfunded projects, which then may be funded by public or private entities in order to mitigate California’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve climate resilience. Also directs the CA Air Resources Board to add carbon sequestration targets to the state’s climate protection efforts. Read The Climate Center’s Letter of Support. Read Testimony in support of SB 27 by Ellie Cohen. STATUS: Approved in policy committees, referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Bills that The Climate Center Supports
Assembly Bills
AB 39 (Chau) This bill will establish in statute the California-China Climate Institute, housed at UC Berkeley, in partnership with the Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development at Tsinghua University, China to foster collaboration to inform and shape climate policy and advance the goals of the Paris Agreement, advance joint policy research on major climate issues, support high-level dialogue on specific climate issues, and provide training to specified entities to advance climate and environmental policies. Read The Climate Center’s Letter of Support. STATUS: Placed in the Senate Appropriations Committee suspense file.
AB 43 (Friedman, Ting Chiu, Quirk) The bill would require the California Traffic Safety Program to identify and address locations with pedestrian and bicycle related crashes and would extend the period of time a lowered speed limit can be justified as necessary for safety (as opposed to being used as a speed trap) if there has been an increase in traffic-related crashes. Replaces the 85% rule for setting speed limits. The Climate Center supports this bill because it aims to improve active transportation safety. Active transportation (walking, bicycling) is an important part of GHG reductions in the transportation sector. STATUS: Set for August 16 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 339 (Cristina Garcia, Lee) Originally this is a bill aimed at improving on the existing open meetings laws (Ralph M. Brown, Bagley-Keene, and the Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Acts). It now focuses only on local government and the Brown Act, to ensure meaningful public participation in light of the increased use of remote access platforms. STATUS: Set for August 16 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 525 (Chiu) Introduced by Assembly Members Chiu, Cunningham, and Friedman (Assembly Coauthors: Bennett, Calderon, Quirk, and Ting) (Senate Co-authors: Eggman, Wiener) A bill to promote offshore wind-power development. Read The Climate Center’s Letter of Support. See author’s factsheet. STATUS: Set for August 16 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 585 (L.Rivas, et al) This bill would establish the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program to coordinate the state’s efforts to address extreme heat and to facilitate the implementation of regional and state climate change planning into effective projects through the awarding of competitive grants to eligible entities for implementation of those projects. The bill would require the Office of Planning and Research to administer the program. The bill would establish the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Fund in the State Treasury and would require the office, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to expend moneys in the fund for the implementation of the program. STATUS: Set for August 16 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 680 (Burke) This bill would would require the Labor and Workforce Development Agency to work with the Air Resources Board to update the funding guidelines for administering agencies to ensure that all applicants to grant programs funded by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund meet specified standards, including fair and responsible employer standards and inclusive procurement policies, and give preference to applicants that demonstrate a partnership with an educational institution or training program targeting residents of disadvantaged, tribal, and low-income communities. STATUS: Set for August 16 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 713 (C. Garcia) Would require state agencies to incorporate public health analyses into transportation policies, programs, and funding allocations. STATUS: Placed in Senate Appropriations Committee Suspense File.
AB 896 (Bennett) This bill would strengthen enforcement of payment of fines for hazardous idle oil & gas wells. Read the coalition Letter of Support that The Climate Center signed on to. STATUS: Set for August 16 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 1110 (R. Rivas) Existing law, the Charge Ahead California Initiative, administered by the Air Resources Board, includes goals of, among other things, placing in service at least one million zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by January 1, 2023, and establishing a self-sustaining California market for ZEVs in which ZEVs are a viable mainstream option for individual vehicle purchasers, businesses, and public fleets. This bill would establish the California Clean Fleet Accelerator Program (Program), administered by the Department of General Services. The Program will provide smaller local governments and rural public entities with the much needed technical and financial support to procure ZEVs for their fleets. AB 1110 is designed to ensure that the environmental benefits and fiscal cost savings associated with zero emission vehicle fleets are available to all public entities in our state. STATUS: Set for August 16 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 1177 (Santiago, et al) This bill, the California Public Banking Option Act (Act), would establish in state government the Public Banking Option Board to administer the BankCal Program, which the Act would create for the purpose of protecting one quarter of California residents who lack access to traditional banking services from predatory, discriminatory, and costly alternatives, by offering access to voluntary, zero-fee, zero-penalty, federally insured transaction account and debit card services at no cost to account holders. A public bank has the statutory authority to make its own climate-smart investments that support California’s economy and climate goals. Read the Author’s Factsheet. STATUS: Set for August 16 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 1346 (Berman/Gonzalez) This bill requires the Air Resources Board (ARB) to adopt regulations to prohibit emissions from new small off-road engines, to apply to engines produced on or after January 1, 2024, or as soon as ARB determines it is feasible, whichever is later. STATUS: Set for August 16 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 1389 (Reyes) This bill makes various changes to the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program, also known as the Clean Transportation Program (CTP). STATUS: Set for August 16 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 1401 (Friedman) This bill prohibits local governments from enforcing minimum automobile parking requirements for developments located close to public transit. STATUS: Set for August 16 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Bills that The Climate Center Supports
Senate Bills
SB 17 (Pan) Would establish a state Office of Racial Equity. STATUS: Approved June 30 in the Assembly Accountability and Administrative Review Committee. Referred to the Appropriations Committee.
SB 47 (Limón) Existing law prohibits CalGEM from spending more than $3 million in any one fiscal year for purposes related to hazardous wells, idle-deserted wells, hazardous facilities, and deserted facilities. This bill would indefinitely raise the cap on spending for these purposes to $10 million in any one fiscal year. STATUS: Approved July 7 in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. Referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
SB 68 (Becker) Building decarbonization: This bill requires the California Energy Commission to develop and publish guidance on best practices to help reduce barriers for building owners to transition to electric equipment and appliances, and install electric vehicle charging equipment. It also authorizes awarding of moneys from an existing grant program, funded by surcharges on energy ratepayer utility bills, for technological advancements that reduce the costs of electrifying building-related applications. STATUS: Placed in the Assembly Appropriations Committee Suspense File.
SB 372 (Leyva) This bill would require the California Pollution Control Financing Authority to establish a program to make financing tools and non-financial supports available to the operators of medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleets to enable those operators to transition their fleets to zero-emission vehicles. The bill would require the authority to consult with various state agencies and stakeholders in the development and implementation of the program. STATUS: In the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
SB 500 (Min) This bill prohibits the Department of Motor Vehicles from registering autonomous vehicles that are not a zero emission vehicles, beginning January 1, 2025. STATUS: In the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
SB 533 (Stern) This bill requires IOUs to identify which circuits are frequently de-energized and the steps taken to reduce the need for de-energization in their wildfire mitigation plans, and requires electrical corporations to collaborate with local governments, tribal governments, and CCAs to develop microgrids and other energy solutions. STATUS: In the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
SB 551 (Stern) This bill would establish the California Electric Vehicle Authority within the Governor’s office and would require the authority to coordinate activities among state agencies to advance electric vehicle and zero-emission charging infrastructure deployment as well as ensure related equity, workforce development, economic development, and other needs are addressed. STATUS: Approved in the policy committees, referred to the Asm Appropriations Committee.
SB 596 (Becker) SB 596 requires the Air Resources Board to establish a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the concrete and cement sector by 40% from 2019 levels by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality as soon as possible, but no later than 2045. Per the latest science and rapidly worsening climate reality, The Climate Center is working to accelerate these goals. Read The Climate Center’s Letter of Support. STATUS: Approved in Assembly policy committees, referred to Appropriations.
SB 726 (Gonzalez) This bill requires the development of a comprehensive transportation sustainability strategy and requires the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to set a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target for the whole transportation sector. This bill also revises and recasts the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program, administered by the California Energy Commission. STATUS: Approved in policy committees, referred to the Asm Appropriations Committee.
Bills that The Climate Center is inclined to support, or support if amended
SB 18 (Skinner) This is a bill that has several elements aimed at advancing green hydrogen in California. Read The Climate Center’s letter of conditional support with proposed amendments. STATUS: In the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Bills that The Climate Center is inclined to oppose, or oppose unless amended
None at this time.
Bills that The Climate Center opposes
None at this time.
Bills that The Climate Center is monitoring but for which we have not taken a public position
AB 117 (Boerner-Horvath) The bill would create the Electric Bicycle Rebate Pilot Project and appropriate $10 million from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) to the Air Resources Board for purposes of providing incentives for purchasing electric bicycles. STATUS: Set for an August 16 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 322 (Salas) This bill would require the California Energy Commission to allocate not less than 20% of the funds appropriated for the Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) program to bioenergy projects for biomass conversion. STATUS: Approved in the Senate Energy Committee, referred to Appropriations.
AB 416 (Kalra) The Deforestation-Free Procurement Act aims to eliminate contracts for goods and services procured by California that result in deforestation. See author’s factsheet. STATUS: Set for an August 16 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 843 (Aguiar-Curry) This is a bill that empowers Community Choice agencies (CCAs) to submit eligible bioenergy procurement contracts to the CPUC for cost recovery, as investor owned utilities (IOUs) are able to do. STATUS: Set for an August 16 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 965 (Levine) This bill would require the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Building Standards Commission, by July 1, 2024, or the publication of the next interim California Building Code, whichever comes first, to research, develop, and propose building standards regarding the installation of future electric vehicle charging infrastructure for parking spaces for existing multifamily dwellings. Read the author’s FactSheet. STATUS: Set for an August 16 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
AB 1124 (Friedman) This bill would revise the definition of “solar energy system” to include any structural design feature by eliminating the provision that it be a feature of a building. The bill would specify certain structural design features to be included in the definition, including solar racking, solar mounting, and elevated solar support structures, as specified, regardless of whether the feature is on the ground or on a building. STATUS: Out of committees, in the Floor process.
AB 1395 (Muratsuchi) This bill would declare the policy of the state to achieve carbon neutrality as soon as possible, but no later than 2045, and to achieve and maintain net negative greenhouse gas emissions thereafter. STATUS: Set for an August 16 hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
SB 1 (Atkins) Addresses sea level rise. This bill would create within state government the California Sea Level Rise State and Regional Support Collaborative. STATUS: In the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
SB 44 (Allen) Would provide expedited judicial review of CEQA challenges for Environmental Leadership Transit Projects, which are defined as major public transit rail line infrastructure projects that meet certain sustainability standards and labor requirements. STATUS: In the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
SB 83 (Allen) This bill would create the Sea Level Rise Revolving Loan Program within the I-Bank to provide low-interest loans to local jurisdictions for the purchase of coastal properties in their jurisdictions identified as vulnerable coastal property. STATUS: Approved in the Assembly policy committees. In the Assembly Appropriations Committee pending a hearing.
SB 84 (Hurtado) This bill revises and enhances the legislative reporting requirements of the California Geologic Energy Management Division’s idle oil and gas well program and related matters. STATUS: In the Appropriations Committee.
SB 339 (Wiener) This bill extends the Road Usage Charge Technical Advisory Committee until January 1, 2027 and requires the state Transportation Agency to implement a pilot program to test a road usage charge as specified. STATUS: In the Asm. Appropriations Committee.
SB 423 (Stern) This bill would build on 2018’s SB 100 (de León) and require the Air Resources Board and Energy Commission to, among other things, incorporate emerging renewable energy and firm zero-carbon resources into its energy and resource planning processes. STATUS: Approved in policy committees, referred to Asm. Appropriations Committee.
SB 589 (Hueso) This bill expands the types of projects eligible for funding from the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (also known as the Clean Transportation Program). STATUS: In the Assembly Transportation Committee.
SB 643 (Archuleta) This bill would create a working group to prepare a statewide assessment of the fuel cell electric vehicle fueling infrastructure and fuel production needed to support the adoption of zero-emission trucks, buses, and off-road vehicles at levels necessary for the state to meet specified goals and requirements relating to vehicular air pollution. STATUS: Approved in the policy committees, referred to the Asm. Appropriations Committee.
Two-Year Bills
AB 11 (Ward) Existing law requires the Strategic Growth Council to establish and administer a regional climate collaborative program to assist under-resourced communities, as defined, in a region to access statewide public and other grant moneys, as specified, for climate change mitigation and adaptation projects. This bill would require the Council to establish up to 12 regional climate change authorities to coordinate climate adaptation and mitigation activities in their regions and coordinate with other regional climate adaptation authorities, state agencies, and other relevant stakeholders. STATUS Held in the Natural Resources Committee.
AB 21 (Bauer-Kahan) Imposes new fines for electricity infrastructure owners regarding brush clearance and fire safety. STATUS: Approved March 24 in the Asm Natural Resources Committee, referred to Judiciary Committee. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
AB 30 (Kalra) The State Urban Parks and Healthy Communities Act requires the Director of Parks and Recreation to develop a competitive grant program to assist state parks, specified state conservancies, urbanized and heavily urbanized local agencies, and community-based organizations within those jurisdictions to provide outdoor educational opportunities. This bill would improve access to nature for all people in the state and provide for recreational and educational opportunities, with a specific emphasis on increasing access for economically disadvantaged communities. STATUS: Held in the Asm Appropriations committee. Two-year bill.
AB 50 (Boerner-Horvath) Existing law requires the Natural Resources Agency, in collaboration with the Ocean Protection Council, to create, and update biannually, a Planning for Sea Level Rise Database describing steps being taken throughout the state to prepare for and adapt to sea level rise. This bill would establish the Climate Adaptation Center and Regional Support Network in the Ocean Protection Council to provide local governments facing sea level rise with information and scientific expertise necessary to proceed with sea level rise mitigation. STATUS: Two-year bill.
AB 125 (R.Rivas) AB 125 is a $3 billion bond to build back a more resilient and equitable food and farm system that would protect and house our essential workers. The Equitable Economic Recovery, Healthy Food Access, Climate Resilient Farms and Worker Protection Bond Act (Rivas, AD 30), invests in 4 pillars of the food system: sustainable agricultural solutions to the climate crisis, farmworker safety and well-being, combating hunger and increasing healthy food access, and regional food economies. Read the Healthy Soils Coalition Bill Summary. STATUS: A two-year bill.
AB 564 (Gonzalez, Kalra) This bill would establish the Biodiversity Protection and Restoration Act and would provide that it is the policy of the state that all state agencies, boards, and commissions shall utilize their authorities in furtherance of the biodiversity conservation purposes and goals of certain executive orders. STATUS: Held in the Asm Accountability and Administrative Review Committee in April.
AB 1087 (Chiu) This bill would create an Environmental Justice Community Resilience Hubs Program, which would require each investor-owned utility (IOU) to award competitive grants to owners of critical community institutions and qualified housing for holistic community-driven building upgrade projects that demonstrate community engagement in all phases, demonstrate multi-stakeholder partnerships, reflect the geographic diversity of the state, and are installed on those properties. STATUS: Heard May 20 in the Asm Appropriations Committee: two year bill.
AB 1139 (L. Gonzalez) This bill would require the CPUC, no later than February 1, 2022, to develop a replacement for the 2nd net energy metering (NEM) standard contract or tariff (NEM 2.0), which may include net energy metering (NEM 3.0), for an eligible customer-generator with a renewable electrical generation facility that is a customer of a large utility, and would require that utility offer the standard contract or tariff to eligible customer-generators beginning no later than December 31, 2023. Read the original Coalition Letter of Opposition. STATUS: Failed on the Assembly Floor June 3, 2021.
AB 1325 (Burke) Sponsored by The Climate Center. This bill would require the California Public Utilities Commission (“Commission” or “CPUC”) to develop and implement a Clean Community Microgrid Incentive Program by 2022 to fund community microgrids that support the critical needs of vulnerable communities that utilize distributed energy resources for the generation of electricity. Read the author’s FACTSHEET. STATUS: AB 1325 is now a two-year bill.
AB 1365 (Bonta) This bill would add concrete to the state’s Buy Clean program to leverage California’s purchasing power in deploying low carbon technologies and best practices across the cement-concrete supply chain. STATUS: Tw0-year bill.
AB 1500 (Eduardo Garcia) This bill would place a $6.7 billion “Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, and Workforce Development Bond Act of 2022” ballot measure on the November 8, 2022 general election ballot. If approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $6,7 billion to finance projects for, well, safe drinking water, wildfire prevention, drought preparation, flood protection, extreme heat mitigation, and workforce development programs. STATUS: Heard May 10 in Appropriations, re-referred to same committee.
SB 25 (Hurtado) This bill relates to oil and gas well stimulation treatments, and earthquake and leak monitoring and reporting. STATUS: April 15 hearing in Nat. Resources Committee canceled at the request of the author.
SB 30 (Cortese) This bill, dubbed the “State Buildings and Assets Decarbonization Act of 2021” mandates that State buildings and assets achieve carbon-neutrality by 2035 and that the State divest from projects that are not zero emission by 2023. Beginning in 2022, all newly designed and constructed state buildings must be zero emission. SB 30 Fact Sheet. STATUS: Two-year bill.
SB 31 (Cortese) This bill, dubbed the “Decarbonization Programs Act” would develop new building decarbonization programs through the California Energy Commission and the Public Utilities Commission, with a particular emphasis on providing opportunities for low income customers. SB 31 Fact Sheet. Read The Climate Center’s Letter of Support. STATUS: Heard May 10 in Appropriations Committee, placed in Suspense File.
SB 32 (Cortese) This bill, dubbed the “Decarbonization Act of 2021” would require all cities and counties in California to update their General Plans with objectives, targets, and policies to fully decarbonize their building stock. SB 32 Fact Sheet. STATUS: Heard May 3 in Sen. Appropriations Committee, placed in Suspense File.
SB 45 (Portantino, et al) Would establish the Wildfire Prevention, Safe Drinking Water, Drought Preparation, and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2022 with a $5.5 billion general obligation bond. STATUS: Ordered to inactive file on request of Senator Portantino.
SB 55 (Stern, Allen) SB 55 will put California on the path toward fire-safe growth by prohibiting new residential, commercial and industrial development in very high fire hazard severity zones. STATUS: Tw0-year bill.
SB 67 (Becker) This bill aims to accelerate the state’s progress toward having 100% of electricity provided by renewable or other zero-carbon sources on a 24-hour, 7-day basis. STATUS: Pulled from April 26 agenda in the Senate Energy Committee – now a two-year bill.
SB 204 (Dodd) This bill proposes to codify an existing reliability and emergency demand response program, known as the Base Interruptible Program (BIP). The bill would establish specified incentive requirements and conditions for the continued use of the program. STATUS: Held in the Sen. Appropriations Committee.
SB 260 (Wiener, et al) This bill would require the Air Resources Board (ARB) to develop regulations requiring publicly traded corporations (covered entities) with annual revenues in excess of $1 billion that do business in California to publicly disclose their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to set science-based emissions reduction targets. STATUS: Parked in the Senate Appropriations Committee until January 2022 – a two year bill.
SB 322 (Laird) This bill would establish the California Conservation Ranching Incentive Program as a separate component of the California Farmland Conservancy Program. STATUS: Held in Senate Appropriations Committee.
SB 342 (Gonzalez) This bill would have added two members to the South Coast Air Quality Management District board, appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and the Speaker of the Assembly. The bill would require the two additional members to reside in and work directly with communities in the South Coast Air Basin that are disproportionately burdened by and vulnerable to high levels of pollution and issues of environmental justice. The Climate Center supports this bill with a friendly amendment to include the same provision at the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Read the Letter of Support with Amendment that The Climate Center signed on to. STATUS: Ordered inactive by author June 8.
SB 345 (Becker) This bill requires the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to establish common definitions of nonenergy benefits and attempt to determine consistent values for use in all distributed energy resource programs. Doing so will help ensure that California maximizes potential co-benefits, including (but not limited to) job creation, improved public health, and much more. The failure to include non-energy benefits in decisions has led to environmental justice communities being left behind, as demonstrated through data at the California Energy Commission and CPUC. Sponsored by the Greenlining Institute. Read The Climate Center’s Letter of Support. STATUS: Held in Appropriations.
SB 419 (Stern) This bill requires the use of a skilled and trained workforce, as defined for certain work performed on the state’s oil and gas wells and related production facilities. STATUS: July 7 hearing canceled at the request of author.
SB 449 (Stern) Californians and businesses based in the state face myriad risks associated with climate change, ranging from acute disasters to long-term trends such as droughts. Given the vast economic impacts that have occurred and will occur from climate-driven events, it is critical that businesses and financial institutions begin factoring those risks into their lending and investment decisions. SB 449 addresses this by requiring large California-based businesses to annually disclose their climate-related risks to the California Secretary of State, in accordance with the recommendations from the Task Force on Climate-Related Disclosure. These disclosures will include steps being taken by companies to reduce and adapt to climate-related risks. Read The Climate Center’s Letter of Support. STATUS: Held in Appropriations Committee.
SB 467 (Wiener, Limón) This bill would have imposed health & safety setbacks from oil & gas extraction operations, prohibited fracking and other extreme oil & gas extraction methods, and addressed a just transition for workers and their families. STATUS: Failed on April 13 in the Natural Resources Committee. Vote results: Ayes: Allen, Laird, Limón, Stern; Noes: Eggman, Grove, Jones; NVR (no vote recorded (means no)): Hertzberg, Hueso; Reconsideration was granted but failed to be agendized for lack of committee support.
SB 542 (Limón) SB 542 would provide two tax incentives for consumers who purchase a new medium- or heavy-duty zero-emission truck and would establish sales tax and DMV fee parity between medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) zero-emission trucks and their diesel or gasoline equivalent. STATUS: Moved to inactive file at request of author on June 1.
SB 582 (Stern) This bill would require the state board to ensure that statewide greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to at least 40% and up to 80% below the 1990 level by 2030. STATUS: Ordered to inactive file on June 3rd by author.
SB 612 (Portantino) ACTION ALERT – SB 612 was removed from the June 30 Energy Committee agenda by the Chair, Assemblymember Chris Holden. Read CalCCA’s URGENT ACTION ALERT. This bill would help resolve some of the longstanding issues revolving around the power charge indifference adjustment that is charged to CCA customers as a separate fee, but that all ratepayers pay. The bill would ensure fair and equal access to the benefits of legacy resources held in investor-owned utility (IOU) portfolios and address the management of these resources to maximize value for all customers. Read The Climate Center’s Letter of Support. Read the Author’s Factsheet. STATUS: Was set for a June 30 hearing in the Assembly Energy Committee. Contact Assembly Energy Committee members and urge them to place the bill back on the agenda. Review the member roster to see if your representative is a member of the committee.
SB 662 (Archuleta) This bill would require the CPUC to evaluate and implement policies to promote the development of equipment and infrastructure needed to facilitate the use of hydrogen to fuel low-emission vehicles. It would require the CPUC, in collaboration with the ARB and the California Energy Commission, to initiate a proceeding to authorize gas corporations to file applications for investments in programs to accelerate zero-emission vehicle transportation, as defined, provided those programs do not result in cost shifts in customer rates nor result in a net increase in energy sector emissions. . STATUS: Heard May 17 in the Senate Appropriations Committee. Placed in Suspense File. Held.
2021 bills that have died:
AB 5 (Fong) This bill would suspend the appropriation to the High-Speed Rail Authority for the 2023–24 and 2024–25 fiscal years and would require the transfer of those amounts from moneys collected by the state board to the General Fund. The bill would specify that the transferred amounts shall be available, upon appropriation, to augment funding for K–12 education and to support full-time in-person instruction for all students. STATUS: Heard March 15 and amended in Asm Transportation Committee, re-referred to same committee. Also referred to Nat. Resources Committee.
AB 52 (Frazier) Pursuant to the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Act), this bill would require the Air Resources Board, in each scoping plan update prepared by the Board after January 1, 2022, to include, consistent with the Act, recommendations for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions of emissions of greenhouse gases and black carbon from wildfires. The bill would also express the intent of the Legislature to appropriate an amount from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for wildfire mitigation and prevention. STATUS: Referred to Asm Natural Resources Committee.
AB 427 (Bauer-Kahan) As amended, this bill sets a deadline by which the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), in consultation with the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), must establish a capacity value for customer side of the meter resources (solar/storage) for purposes of participating in the state’s electricity markets. STATUS: Held (killed) May 20 in the Asm Appropriations Committee.
AB 699 (Salas) This bill would require the California Public Utilities Commission to establish the Flexible Demand Appliances Rebate Program to incentivize the deployment of qualified flexible demand appliances to certain residential ratepayers. STATUS: Died May 20 in Asm Appropriations Committee.
AB 1371 (Friedman) This bill would have prohibited online retailers that sell or deliver products in California from using single-use plastic packaging that consists of shipping envelopes, cushioning, or void fill to package or transport the products, on and after January 1, 2023, for large online retailers, and on and after January 1, 2025, for small online retailers. The bill would also prohibit using expanded polystyrene packaging to package or transport products. STATUS: Died in the Assembly Floor process.
AB 1453 (Muratsuchi) This bill would establish a Just Transition Advisory Commission in the Labor and Workforce Development Agency and would require the Commission to develop a Just Transition Plan that contains recommendations to transition the state’s economy to a climate-resilient and low-carbon economy that maximizes the benefits of climate actions while minimizing burdens to workers, especially workers in the fossil fuel industry, and their communities, especially communities that face disproportionate burdens from pollution. The bill would require the Commission to submit the plan to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2024. The Commission would sunset in January 1, 2028 unless reauthorized. STATUS: Held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
SB 617 (Wiener) This bill would require every city and county to implement an online, automated permitting platform that verifies code compliance and instantaneously issues permits for a residential solar-photovoltaic electricity system and an energy storage system paired with a residential solar-photovoltaic energy system. The bill also authorizes the California Energy Commission to provide technical assistance and grant funding to cities and counties in order to support the new requirements. Read The Climate Center’s Letter of Support. Read the Sponsor’s Fact Sheet. STATUS: Held (killed) May 20 in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
SB 730 (Bradford) Would have required that demand response products and tariffs required within the resource adequacy program be cost effective. STATUS: Introduced, never calendared.
Click HERE for a list of the priority bills we engaged in in 2020. For a complete list of the 131 bills we tracked in 2020, click HERE.
