California Air Resources Board

Summary 

Would have required the California Energy Commission to form a 21-member Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Taskforce, upon appropriation by the Legislature, and would have required the taskforce to prepare a report by January 1, 2027, with information on existing fueling infrastructure and recommendations for how it might be used in conjunction with alternative fuels infrastructure at retail gasoline fueling stations, among other things.

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning Senate Bill 983 without my signature.

This bill would require the California Energy Commission (CEC) to form the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Task Force to conduct a study with information and recommendations on existing fueling infrastructure and how it might be used in conjunction with alternative fuels infrastructure at retail gasoline fueling stations.

This bill's implementation would result in additional cost pressure on the CEC's primary operating fund. Additionally, many provisions of this bill are duplicative of existing law, which requires the CEC, in consultation with various state entities, to prepare a transportation fuels transition plan.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

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Summary

Would have required the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) to develop procedures, in consultation with CARB, for local jurisdictions to request technical assistance on meeting the State’s organic waste recycling requirements.

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Governor's Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning Senate Bill 972 without my signature.

This bill requires the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) to develop procedures for local jurisdictions to request technical assistance regarding the disposal of organic material in landfills. It also requires CalRecycle to consider providing technical assistance before exercising its enforcement authority, if a local jurisdiction has submitted a technical assistance request.

While I appreciate the author's intent to assist local jurisdictions in meeting California's organic waste reduction and diversion targets established in Senate Bill 1383 (Lara, 2016), this bill is unnecessary and duplicative of existing efforts. CalRecycle currently offers a suite of technical assistance materials and comprehensive staff assistance for all jurisdictions in the state specific to Senate Bill 1383. Further, the Local Assistance and Market Development branch within CalRecycle regularly meets with local jurisdictions, including monthly Senate Bill 1383 roundtables, and conducts annual site visits to provide customized assistance consistent with each jurisdiction's needs.

For this reason, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

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Summary 

Would have partially exempted from sales and use taxes (3.9375%) the sale or purchase of specified zero-emission transportation ferries to a public agency, from January 1, 2025, to January 1, 2030. This bill would have required the Legislative Analyst's Office to review the effectiveness of the tax exemption, and to submit a report by May 1, 2028, to the Legislature.

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 2061 without my signature.

This bill would enact a state sales and use tax exemption from July 1, 2025, until January 1, 2030, for a zero-emission public transportation ferry sold to a local public agency that provides transit services to the public.

I share the author's commitment to accelerating the adoption of zero-emission technologies within the public transit system by reducing upfront costs. The state has made unprecedented investments to support the clean transportation transition, dedicating billions of dollars to deliver cleaner mobility options for all Californians. Recent achievements include the electrification of Coltrain, the launch of the nation's first hydrogen hub, and the mobilization of a $1 .9 billion investment plan to create the country's most extensive zero-emission charging network. This bill, while laudable, should be considered in the context of the annual budget process given the general fund implications of a tax exemption.

In partnership with the Legislature this year, my Administration has enacted a balanced budget that avoids deep program cuts to vital services and protected investments in education, health care, climate, public safety, housing, and social service programs that millions of Californians rely on. It is important to remain disciplined when considering bills with significant fiscal implications that are not included in the budget, such as this measure. For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

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Summary 

Would have allowed the California Natural Resources Agency to authorize teal carbon demonstration projects and develop, with consultation from CARB and other parties, a teal carbon demonstration project program starting January 1, 2028. The bill would have also allowed the California Coastal Commission (Commission) to authorize blue carbon demonstration projects and develop, with CARB and other parties, a blue carbon demonstration project program. The bill would have allowed the Commission to require an applicant with a nonresidential project that impacts coastal wetland, subtidal, intertidal, or marine habitats or ecosystems to build or contribute to a blue carbon demonstration project. The bill would have required these provisions (both teal and blue carbon demonstration projects programs) to be implemented only upon an appropriation by the Legislature for its purposes.

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 1992 without my signature.

This bill would authorize the California Coastal Commission and the California Natural Resources Agency to facilitate the development of blue and teal carbon demonstration projects in certain coastal areas and inland wetlands.

California is a global leader in advancing nature-based carbon capture and sequestration solutions, having built and expanded our portfolio of actions over decades. In fact, between 2020 and 2023 alone, the State invested approximately $9.6 billion in nature-based solutions. Additionally, I signed Assembly Bill 1757 (C. Garcia) in 2022, which required the State to develop achievable carbon removal targets for natural and working lands. This same year, the Natural and Working Land Climate Smart Strategy cataloged over 350 efforts across State agencies to deliver meaningful nature-based solution climate action.

While I share the author's desire to accelerate novel nature-based climate solutions, this bill creates a new, unfunded program. In partnership with the Legislature this year, my Administration has enacted a balanced budget that avoids deep program cuts to vital services and protected investments in education, health care, climate, public safety, housing, and social service programs that millions of Californians rely on. It is important to remain disciplined when considering bills with significant fiscal implications that are not included in the budget, such as this measure.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

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Summary 

Would have prohibited CARB from requiring the San Francisco bar pilots, serving the bays of Monterey, San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun, to replace a pilot station boat before the end of the boat's useful life. CARB’s Commercial Harbor Craft regulation requires an earlier implementation date for the pilot vessels. The bill would have required the useful life to be between 25 and 35 years from the date the boat was commissioned and be determined by CARB in consultation with the Board of Pilot Commissioners and an accredited marine surveyor.

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 1296 without my signature.

This bill would prohibit state regulations, namely the Commercial Harbor Craft (CHC) regulation, from requiring the San Francisco Bar Pilots to replace pilot station vessels with lower-emitting vessels, unless such a regulation authorizes its replacement at the end of the vessel's useful life, prescribed as between 25 and 35 years.

In 2020, I issued Executive Order (EO) N-79-20, which directed the California Air Resources Board (CARB), among other things, to develop strategies to transition to 100 percent zero-emission off-road vehicles, vessels, and equipment by 2035, where feasible.  Under this EO, CARB amended the CHC regulation to accelerate emission reductions while providing safe, feasible, and flexible compliance options for affected vessels, including compliance extensions of up to six additional years for pilot station vessels beyond the compliance dates of December 2024 and December 2025.

While I recognize the challenges of adopting new technologies, California must work diligently to reduce air pollution that fouls our air and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to our rapidly changing climate.  In addition, this amendment to the CHC rule would require CARB to resubmit its request for authorization to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) - a step that would delay the U.S. EPA's final decision and undo months of work.  Delays in receiving that federal authorization would deprive local communities of the substantial public health benefits associated with the regulations and compromise the State's ability to meet our federally mandated air quality standards.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

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Summary 

Would have required CARB to replace the implementation schedule of the Commercial Harbor Craft regulation with a vessel’s individual Coast Guard inspection schedule or within 30 months, whichever occurred first after any applicable compliance extensions have expired. This bill would have also required a diesel particulate filter retrofitted onto a commercial harbor craft engine to include an override or bypass safety system, designed and installed by the manufacturer. This bill would have required the override/bypass to include an electric monitoring and tracking system to track each time the system was used.  This bill would have required, within 30 days of use of the system, the owner or operator to report the use of the override/bypass system to the manufacturer and to CARB.

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 1122 without my signature.

This bill would make multiple changes to the California Air Resources Board 's (CARB) Commercial Harbor Craft (CHC) regulation, including the delay of certain compliance dates and an override system for diesel particulate filter devices with a detailed monitoring, tracking, and reporting system.

In 2020, I issued Executive Order (EO) N-79-20 which directed CARB, among other things, to develop strategies to transition to 100 percent zero-emission offroad vehicles and equipment by 2035, where feasible.  Pursuant to this EO, CARB amended the CHC regulation to accelerate emission reductions while providing safe, feasible, and flexible compliance options for affected vessels.  Unfortunately, this bill undermines this balance and jeopardizes our clean air goals.

While I recognize the challenges and concerns of adopting new technologies and approaches, Californians deserve and benefit from clean air and from the avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to our rapidly changing climate.  With that, I encourage operators of the affected vessels to work towards meeting the CHC regulations, and if there are insurmountable challenges, to continue to work with CARB to explore additional and alternative compliance pathways.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

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Summary 

This bill requires the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) and the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) to create high road evaluation metrics and provide technical assistance to state agencies in their high road reporting requirements. Requires, by January 1, 2025, specified state agencies, including the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to enter into Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with the CWDB to incorporate high road evaluation metrics in the state agency’s procurement processes, contracts, and incentive programs. The bill also requires the MOUs to include advice and recommendations from CWDB to ensure state agency policies and regulated programs create or support high-quality jobs in the broadband, energy, resources, and transportation sectors and expand access to those jobs for priority populations through high-quality education and training.

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning Senate Bill 822 without my signature.

This bill creates the lnteragency High Road Act and requires the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) and the California Workforce Development Board [CWDB) to consult with stakeholders, including public input, on the development and evaluation of high road metrics. It also requires certain state agencies to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the CWDB to incorporate high road evaluation metrics in the state agency's procurement processes, contracts, and incentive programs.

I strongly support efforts to maximize state and federal funding opportunities while delivering high quality jobs that increase opportunity for all communities and decrease disparities in historically disadvantaged areas. To further this work, I issued an Executive Order to accelerate clean infrastructure projects with an all-of-government strategy for planning and development and tracking progress toward equity goals that support disadvantaged communities - including good jobs. California's Infrastructure Strike Team is also driving collaboration across state agencies - including in the area of workforce training and development. Additionally, the Department of General Services and the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development are supporting implementation of AB 2019 (2022), to advance equitable inclusion and utilization of small and diverse businesses in California's state procurement and contracting opportunities.

Additionally, I have signed several bills that ensure public contracting dollars are also investing in human infrastructure, including SB 150 that requires the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, Government Operations Agency, and the State Transportation Agency to convene relevant stakeholders and draft recommendations to ensure that investments maximize benefits to marginalized and disadvantaged communities. The recommendations are due by March 30, 2024.

It is advisable to allow time for those policies to be implemented before adding more requirements that may duplicate efforts.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

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Summary

Would have required the California Energy Commission, in consultation with CARB and the California Public Utilities Commission, to conduct an assessment, as specified, of the electric and hydrogen infrastructure needed to meet the deadlines in Executive Order No. N-79-20 for the transition of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to zero-emission vehicles. The bill would also have required CARB to incorporate a strategic plan to meet the deadlines in Executive Order No. N-79-20 for the transition of medium- and heavy-duty fleets to zero-emission vehicles and the various related assessments as specified into its Mobile Source Strategy.

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning Senate Bill 493 without my signature.

This bill would expand the scope of several assessments and strategies developed by the California Energy Commission (CEC) and California Air Resources Board (CARB) related to zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure.

However, this bill results in costs to the CEC's primary operating fund, which is currently facing an ongoing structural deficit, and thus exacerbates the fund's structural imbalance.

Additionally, many provisions of this bill are currently being incorporated into relevant ZEV infrastructure planning processes at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), in consultation with both the CEC and CARB. At best, this bill's provisions may duplicate these efforts and, at worst, may complicate this work and lead to misaligned interagency work streams.

We must ensure that the CPUC, CEC and CARB utilize their core competencies and focus their expertise and existing resources on improving ZEV infrastructure planning processes. This bill falls short of accomplishing this goal.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

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Summary 

Would have made it unlawful for a person to certify or issue a voluntary carbon offset, to maintain a voluntary carbon offset on a registry, or to market or sell a voluntary carbon offset under specified circumstances. This included when the person knows or should know that: the greenhouse gas reductions or removal enhancements are unlikely to be quantifiable, real, and additional. This also included when the person knows or should know that the durability of the offset's reductions is less durable than the atmospheric lifetime of carbon dioxide emissions or the atmospheric lifetime of the greenhouse gases associated with the project's reductions are less than the lifetime of carbon dioxide, unless the person explicitly markets the offsets with that information. 

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning Senate Bill 390 without my signature.

This bill makes certain actions related to voluntary carbon offsets subject to the False Advertising Law, including with respect to offsets that a person knows, or should have known, do not durably reduce greenhouse gases in an amount equal to the "atmospheric lifetime" of carbon dioxide emissions.

I support the author's intent to bring greater transparency to the verification, issuance, and sale of voluntary carbon offsets, and to address the problem of so-called "junk offsets." However, by imposing civil liability for even unintentional mistakes about offset quality, this bill could inadvertently capture well intentioned sellers and verifiers of voluntary offsets, and risks creating significant turmoil in the market for carbon offsets, potentially even beyond California. I encourage the author to consider an alternative approach to ensuring voluntary carbon offset quality that avoids these unintended consequences.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

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Summary

Would have prohibited a person from manufacturing, selling, delivering, distributing, holding, or offering for sale in the State: (1) a cleaning product that contains any intentionally added perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) beginning January 1, 2026, and (2) a floor sealer or a floor finish containing intentionally added PFAS beginning January 1, 2028.

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 727 without my signature.

This bill would prohibit, by 2026, the manufacture, distribution, or sale of cleaning products that contain intentionally added perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and would apply this ban, by 2028, to floor sealer or floor finish products.

This is one of three single-product chemical bans passed by the Legislature this year that attempt to address serious concerns with the presence of PFAS in consumer products. These bills do not identify or require any regulatory agency to determine compliance with, or enforce, the proposed statute.

While I strongly support the author's intent and have signed similar legislation in the past, I am concerned this bill falls short of providing enhanced protection to California consumers due to lack of regulatory oversight. Previously enacted single-product chemical bans, which also lack oversight, are proving challenging to implement, with inconsistent interpretations and confusion among manufacturers about how to comply with the restrictions.

In order to instill consumer confidence and effectively address public health and environmental concerns, I am directing the Department of Toxic Substances Control to engage with the author and the Legislature and consider alternative approaches to regulating the use of these harmful chemicals in consumer products.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

View Governor’s veto message here