California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would have requested that the California Council of Science and Technology (CCST) undertake and within 12 months of entering into a contract, submit a report to the Legislature that provides an implementation strategy to achieve the State's organic waste, and related climate change and air quality mandates, goals, and targets. The bill would have required the implementation strategy to include recommendations on policy and funding support for the beneficial reuse of organic waste. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to provide relief from solid waste recycling, composing, and organic waste recycling requirements due to COVID-19. Remains at the Assembly Desk.

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Summary

Would require CARB to develop and adopt, prior to January 1, 2024, regulations to establish greenhouse gas emissions reporting standards and disclosure requirements for “covered corporations” whose annual revenues exceed $100,000,000, are located in the State, and are a publicly traded domestic or foreign corporation. The bill also would require CARB to develop and adopt regulations on the same timeframe to require disclosure of the potential financial impacts of, and any risk management strategies relating to the physical and transition risks associated with climate change, establish a minimum social cost of carbon, and develop climate scenario analyses. The bill would require “covered corporations” to provide its disclosures and report annually beginning January 1, 2025, and annually thereafter. Was not heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.

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Summary

Would have required CARB, in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, to conduct a comprehensive health analysis as part of the Scoping Plan and integrate the analysis into the Scoping Plan. The bill would have specified the components of the health analysis, including specific factors impacting health, an analysis of health impacts of outcomes associated with the Scoping Plan, and quantitative assessment of nontrivial health impacts. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would require the Department of Transportation to develop a pilot program for the purpose of issuing a special permit for specified vehicles hauling raw milk. The bill would require the fuel used in permitted vehicles to have an LCFS carbon intensity rating of 65 or lower and require the Department of Transportation, in consultation with CARB, to submit a report to the Legislature identifying among other things, the emission reductions as a result of the program. Was not heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee.

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Summary

Would have established the California Deforestation-Free Procurement Act. The bill would have required a contractor, and specified subcontractors, for any contract entered, extended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024, contracting with a State agency for the procurement of products comprised wholly or in part of forest-risk commodities, to certify that the commodities were not grown, derived, harvested, reared, or produced on land where tropical deforestation occurred on or after January 1, 2022.

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 416 without my signature.

This bill would require the Department of General Services to issue a Deforestation-Free Code of Conduct covering contracts involving "forest-risk commodities," including wood, paper, rubber, palm oil, beef, and soy. It would require state contractors that provide products to the state that include forest-risk commodities to have a No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation (NDPE) policy and to make detailed certifications to the origin of each product. These contractors would be required to publicly disclose their supply chains back to the farm or forest where the commodity was grown or harvested.

Deforestation is a major contributor to the climate crisis that California and the world is facing right now. I share the author's commitment to preventing tropical deforestation. Unfortunately, this bill's extensive requirements would create a significant burden on California businesses - particularly small businesses - that are looking to participate in state contracts.

For example, under this bill, every time the state purchases a product that contains soy, the vendor providing that product would need to disclose the exact location where the soybeans were grown, who the farmer was, and where the soybeans were processed. Most small business suppliers do not have access to that information, and with nearly all the U.S. soybean supply coming from domestic producers, this requirement would place a significant burden on businesses without impacting the stated goal of preventing tropical deforestation.

For these reasons I cannot sign this bill; however, I remain committed to working with the author to advance our shared environmental goals and will consider future legislation that better targets those supply chains that directly impact tropical deforestation.

Sincerely,
Gavin Newsom

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Summary

Would require CARB, when updating the Scoping Plan, to identify a 2045 climate goal, with interim milestones, for the State’s natural and working lands, and identify policies to help achieve the 2045 climate goal. The bill would also require CARB, by January 1, 2024, to develop standard methods for State agencies to consistently track greenhouse gas emissions reductions, carbon sequestration, and other benefits from natural and working lands. Moved to the Senate Inactive File.

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Summary

Authorizes the regents of the University of California, subject to availability of funds, to establish the California-China Climate Institute, as specified, and in partnership with the Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development at Tsinghua University and other entities and institutions in China and California. The bill requires the institute to foster collaboration to inform and shape climate policy, and advance the goals of the Paris Agreement, advance joint policy research on major climate issues, support high-level dialogue on specific climate issues, and provide training to specified entities to advance climate and environmental policies.

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Summary

Spot bill related to the Trade Corridor Enhancement Account. Remains in the Senate Rules Committee

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Summary

Requires the California Transportation Commission (CTC), in coordination with CARB, California Public Utilities Commission, California Energy Commission, and the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, to develop a Clean Freight Corridor Efficiency Assessment (Assessment) and incorporate the recommendations into their respective funding programs for freight infrastructure and technology. The bill also codifies existing CTC guidelines for eligible projects for the Trade Corridor Enhancement Program to include the Assessment's findings and requires the findings and recommendations to be included in the California Transportation Plan and the California Freight Mobility Plan. 

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