California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would have enacted the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, and Workforce Development Bond Act of 2022, which, if approved by voters, would have authorized the issuance of bonds in the amount of $7.08 billion to finance projects for safe drinking water, wildfire prevention, drought preparation, flood protection, extreme heat mitigation, and workforce development programs. The bond would have allocated $30 million to CARB, and would require CARB to consult with the California Natural Resources Agency and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to fund projects that provide long-term capital infrastructure to convert forest and other vegetative waste removed for wildfire mitigation to uses that maximize reductions in the greenhouse gas emissions, provide local air quality benefits, and increase local community resilience against climate change impacts. Remains in the Assembly Rules Committee. 

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Summary

Would have created the Joint Legislative High-Speed Rail Oversight Committee consisting of three members of the Senate and three members of the Assembly to provide ongoing and independent oversight of the high-speed rail project by performing specified duties. The bill would have required the committee to make recommendations to the appropriate standing policy and budget committees of both houses of the Legislature to guide decisions concerning the State’s programs, policies, and investments related to high-speed rail. Was not heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee.

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Summary

Would have enacted the Clean Economy and Clean Jobs Stimulus Act of 2021 and require the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to procure newly developed eligible energy resources, and energy storage facilities associated with those resources, in an amount that satisfies 100 percent of the electricity procured to serve all State agencies by December 31, 2030. Additionally, the bill would have allowed DWR to recover the costs of any eligible energy resources it procures on behalf of State agencies from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Was not heard in the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee.

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Summary

Would have provided a partial income tax exemption to a resident leasing a solar electric generation system if the solar electric generation system is used to comply with specified State buildings standards and the tangible personal property on a rental property is used in specified activities. This bill would have also required a transfer 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 authorized a public entity to use, enter into, or require contractors to enter into, a community workforce agreement for construction projects, as specified, including projects related to renewable energy and installation of emission controls in refineries. Amended to deal with personal service contracts.

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Summary

Would have required the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) to provide a basic level of technological support to community organizations for wildfire risk reduction and resiliency, including technology for data, geospatial mapping, and data management, as well as software and limited technical support. The bill would have required CNRA to structure this wildfire technology support in the same way that technology support is provided for similar services for wildfire-program building, outreach, and planning. The bill would have been contingent on a $5 million appropriation from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund each year through the 2023–24 fiscal year to CNRA for purposes of providing the technological support described above. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Would have required the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) to research and provide a report to the Legislature with recommendations for, ways in which a community that undertakes science‑supported wildfire resilience actions can be recognized with a peer-reviewed, community-level certification in order to acknowledge and motivate wildfire resilience activity, on or before January 1, 2023. The bill would have been contingent on a $2 million appropriation from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund each year through the 2022–23 fiscal year to CNRA for purposes of this research and report. 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 give preferential points for specified populations and provide an application period of at least three months. The bill would have also 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. Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have required the California Natural Resources Agency to prepare a comprehensive, statewide inventory of the natural resources of the State and establish treatment measures necessary to protect those resources, and to post its initial inventory and annual updates on its internet website on or before January 1, 2023. The bill would have been contingent on an appropriation from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. 

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Summary

Would have prohibited the California High Speed Rail Authority from directly or indirectly using local, State, federal, or any other public or private funding to purchase, lease, operate, or maintain a passenger or freight train powered by a diesel engine or other type of fossil fuel combustion engine, and from enabling such a train to operate on authority-owned rail infrastructure designed for speeds in excess of 125 miles per hour, except as specified. Was not heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee. 

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