California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would have required a State agency that receives and disburses funds provided under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act or other federal recovery funds to consider projects’ potential impact on specified goals, including restoring frontline communities and rapidly accelerating achievement of environmental justice and climate goals, as well as uplifting vulnerable workers by prioritizing high road employers. The bill would have required State agencies to document how proposed projects meet or align with the specified goals and requires the Labor and Workforce Development Agency to establish an internet website where the public can track the expenditure of federal ARP funds by the State and how funded projects meet the specified goals. Was not heard in Senate Governmental Organization Committee.

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Summary

Would have required a nonvehicular civil penalty in an amount over $10,000 for a nonvehicular violation in a disadvantaged community collected by a specified local air district, minus the cost of prosecution and district administration, investigation, attorney fees, and other reasonable district costs, to be used to mitigate the effect of air pollution in the community affected by the violation. The bill would have modestly raised the maximum amount of nonvehicular civil penalties regarding strict liability and negligence listed in statute. Moved to the Senate Inactive File.

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Summary

Would have required CARB to undertake specified interventions if the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD) remains in nonattainment for a national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). These interventions would have included developing a program, rules, or regulations that CARB deems necessary for SJVAPCD to attain NAAQS after a public hearing on CARB’s review of the SJVAPCD attainment plan, rules, regulations, programs, and enforcement practices. This bill also would have required CARB to coordinate with SJVAPCD to provide additional monitoring and enforcement for stationary sources and conduct outreach to under-resourced communities.

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 2550 without my signature.

This bill requires the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to intervene and undertake specified activities if the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District does not attain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

My Administration is committed to ensuring that the San Joaquin Valley is on a path to attainment of the NAAQS. Statute already allows CARB to reject a local air district's State Implementation Plan element if CARB finds, after a public hearing, that it does not meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act, including if the plan will not provide attainment by the deadline. As such, this bill is unnecessary.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

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Summary

Would have added two environmental justice members, one appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and one appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, to the South Coast Air Quality Management Board. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Encourages the State and its agencies to consult on a government-to-government basis with federally recognized, and consult with nonfederally recognized tribes and tribal organizations, in order to allow tribal officials the opportunity to provide meaningful input in the development of policies, processes, programs, and projects that have tribal implications. The bill requires designated State officials to complete by January 1, 2025 specified training that includes training elements on tribal sovereignty, jurisdiction, form, and sacred sites.

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Summary

Requires the circulation element of a general plan to include specified contents related to bicycle plans, pedestrian plans, and traffic calming plans, and requires the implementation of those plans.

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Summary

Would have prohibited the land use element from designating land uses that have the potential to significantly degrade local air, water, or soil quality or to adversely impact health outcomes in disadvantaged communities to be located, or to materially expand, within or adjacent to a disadvantaged community or a racially and ethnically concentrated area of poverty. Was not heard in the Senate Committee on Government and Finance.

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Summary

Would have established a Racial Equity Commission, appointed by the Governor and Legislature, to develop a racial equity framework based on existing research, in consultation with specified public and private stakeholders, and perform other outreach, engagement, and assessment tasks to improve equity in State government. Moved to the Assembly Inactive file.

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Summary

Would have required a minimum of 40percent of funds received by the State as part of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to be allocated to projects with direct benefits to disadvantaged communities and an additional 10 percent to be allocated for projects that provide benefits to low-income communities. It would have also established the Justice40 Advisory Committee to provide a recommendation for projects to fund under these requirements. Held on suspense in Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Establishes, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the position of Deputy Secretary for Climate within the Labor and Workforce Development Agency to assist in the oversight of California's workforce transition to a sustainable and equitable carbon neutral economy. The Deputy Secretary is to coordinate with relevant agencies, including CARB.

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