California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would have enacted the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, Clean Energy, and Workforce Development Bond Act of 2024, which, if approved by the voters, would have authorized the issuance of bonds in the amount of $15,995,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for safe drinking water, wildfire prevention, drought preparation, flood protection, extreme heat mitigation, clean energy, and workforce development programs. Was not heard in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee.

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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 Secretary of Transportation to submit a report to the Legislature discussing potential lower carbon emission versions of asphalt mixtures, cement, and concrete used in State transportation projects. The bill would have required the Department of Transportation to require bidders to submit environmental product declarations for, and the amounts of, asphalt mixtures and concrete used in a project. CARB would have been in a consulting role. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have required the California Energy Commission, on or before June 1, 2024, to adopt a strategy, with milestones, to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases for the building sector consistent with the targets and strategies identified in the most recent scoping plan. CARB would have been in a consulting role. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Makes several operational and technical changes to last year's AB 2446 (Holden, Chapter 352, Statutes of 2022) that requires CARB to establish a framework and strategy for embodied carbon in building materials to make the program workable. The bill also authorizes, instead of requires, CARB to establish an embodied carbon trading system.

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Summary 

Would have required CARB to annually produce an assessment of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the transportation of oil in California, as specified, and to include the assessment on CARB's internet website. Remains in the Senate Rules Committee.

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Summary 

Authorizes the CEC to set a maximum gross gasoline refining margin, petition a court to enjoin a refiner from exceeding the gross margin, and impose a civil penalty on a refiner for exceeding the gross margin. The bill requires CEC and CARB, by December 31, 2024, to prepare a Transportation Fuel Plan. The plan will be required to include how to ensure that the supply of petroleum and alternative transportation fuels is affordable, reliable, equitable, and adequate to meet the demand for those transportation fuels described in the most current scoping plan approved by the CARB.

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Summary 

This bill would have suspended the Low Carbon Fuel Standard regulation for one year and exempted suppliers of transportation fuels from the Cap-and-Trade program for one year. The bill would have also suspended motor vehicle fuel taxes and required the State Controller to transfer an amount equal to State motor vehicle fuel tax revenue from the General Fund to the Motor Vehicle Fuel Account. Finally, the bill would have  required the State Controller to transfer an amount equal to the sale of allowances to the suppliers of transportation fuels under the Cap-and-Trade program in the 2021-2022 fiscal year to the General Fund. Remains in the Senate Rules Committee.

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Summary 

This bill requires airports with greater than 50,000 takeoffs to report to CARB by June 1, 2024, on measures they’re taking to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions and requires CARB to approve the report or deem it insufficient. The bill requires CARB to develop a public process with local air districts to discuss options for remedying the report, which the airport must resubmit within 120 days. The bill requires CARB to notify the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) upon approval of a report and requires GO-Biz to provide technical assistance to qualified airports. The bill requires airports with greater than 50,000 private takeoffs to report to relevant local air districts on their efforts to mitigate impacts to disadvantaged communities. Failed passage in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee and was granted reconsideration.

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Summary 

Would have eliminated the requirement for CARB to credit dairy methane projects for a minimum of 10 years and prohibited

CARB from guaranteeing those credits if they would not otherwise generate credits in the program. The bill also  would have required CARB to include new specific emissions when calculating a carbon intensity value for dairy methane projects, limited credit generation to historical herd size, and required public disclosure of specified information in fuel pathway applications from dairy methane projects. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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