California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would have enacted the Wildfire Prevention, Safe Drinking Water, Drought Preparation, and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2020, which if approved by voters, would have authorized the issuance of bonds for $5.51 billion to finance projects for wildfire prevention, safe drinking water, drought preparation, and flood protection.  This bond would have provided $50 million to CARB to fund projects that convert forest and vegetation waste to beneficial uses that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, provide local air quality benefits, and help to increase local community resilience against climate change impacts.  CARB would have also been required to define negative emissions and give preference to projects that provide negative emissions.  Remains at the Assembly Desk.

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Summary

Would have provided a partial income tax exemption to a resident leasing a solar electric generation system that meets or exceeds the compliance requirements of equipment used for purposes of complying with specified State buildings standards and the tangible personal property on a rental property.  Of interest to CARB, this bill would have required a transfer of the revenue value of the total dollar amount of solar tax exemptions provided by this bill from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to the General Fund.  Was not heard in the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee.

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Summary

Would have prohibited any high-speed train service that receives an operating subsidy from using the high-speed train system owned by the High-Speed Rail Authority (HSRA), regardless of whether the service is provided by the Authority directly or provided by a third party pursuant to a lease agreement with the HSRA.  Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have enacted the Economic Recovery, Wildfire Prevention, Safe Drinking Water, Drought Preparation, and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2020, which if approved by voters, would have authorized the issuance of bonds for $6.98 billion to finance projects for wildfire prevention, safe drinking water, drought preparation, and flood protection.  As part of the bill, the bond would have provided $50 million to CARB to fund projects that convert forest and vegetation waste to beneficial uses that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, provide local air quality benefits, and help to increase local community resilience against climate change impacts.  Remains in the Assembly Rules Committee.

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Summary

Would have directed the High-Speed Rail Authority, in the development and implementation of intercity high-speed rail service, to prioritize projects based on the following criteria: (1) providing the most overall benefit to the State; (2) increasing passenger rail ridership; (3) replacing automobile trips with passenger rail trips.  Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have suspended the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund appropriation to the High-Speed Rail Authority for the 2020–21 and 2021–22 fiscal years and transferred those amounts to the General Fund to support K–12 education and offset any funding reduction for K–12 education.  Was not heard in the Assembly Education Committee.

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Summary

Would have required the California Department of Food and Agriculture to provide the Environmental Farming Act Science Advisory Panel a report every two years with specified information on the implementation of the Healthy Soils Program and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) beginning after January 31, 2021.  The Healthy Soils Program and SWEEP receive, or have received, funding from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.  Was not heard in the Assembly Agriculture Committee.

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Summary

Would have required CARB to develop a carbon offset credit for whole orchard recycling.  This bill would have also appropriated an unspecified sum from the General Fund to the California Department of Food and Agriculture to provide grants to the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Division and the California State University for research to assess the co-benefits from healthy soil practices.  Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Would have required State agencies administering competitive Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) grant programs to ensure preferential points for specified populations and provide an application period of at least three months.  The bill also would have required State agencies that administer competitive grant programs involving housing, forestry, urban greening, or planning to develop application scoring categories to account for differences among urban, suburban, and rural communities during the application review process.  In addition, the bill would have added eight additional co-benefits for GGRF-funded projects and required the California Department of Finance to report on additional elements of GGRF grants in the California Climate Investments Annual Report, including information on applications that did not receive funding.  Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Removes the sunset for the Climate-Safe Infrastructure Working Group and for provisions that require State agencies to take the current and future climate change impacts into account in infrastructure projects.  The bill also clarifies that State agencies must account for the economic damages and financial liabilities associated with the climate change impacts. 

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