California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would enact 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 authorize 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 allocates $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 established specified State goals for fuels treatment, vegetation management, and wildfire risk reduction. The bill would have also required the California Natural Resources Agency and the California Environmental Protection Agency to submit an annual report, beginning on or before January 1, 2023, on the progress made towards achieving these goals to the appropriate policy and budget committees of the Legislature. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee. 

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Summary

Would create 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, and requires 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 enact the Clean Economy and Clean Jobs Stimulus Act of 2021 and requires 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 allow 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 provide 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 requires 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

Spot bill related to the Scientific Review Panel on Toxic Air Contaminants. Remains in the Assembly Rules Committee.

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Summary

Would authorize a public entity to use, enter into, or require contractors to enter into, a community workforce agreement for construction projects as specified in the bill, including projects related to renewable energy and installation of emission controls in refineries. Was not heard in the Senate Governmental Organization Committee.

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Summary

Would have established the California Fire Safe Council (Council) in the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) consisting of 11 members, as specified.  The bill would have required the Council to identify and implement programs to address and minimize the risks of wildfire, to identify public and private programs that may be leveraged to facilitate structure-hardening and community resilience, to conduct public outreach to regional and local wildfire mitigation groups, and to make recommendations to the Legislature on how the programs identified by the Council can be coordinated to increase the effectiveness of those programs.  Upon appropriation by the Legislature, up to $7 million from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund would have been available to CNRA for the purposes of the bill.  Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have established the Resilient Economies and Community Health Pilot Program, administered by the Strategic Growth Council (SGC).  This bill would have created a grant pilot program for eligible community-based organizations to provide a comprehensive suite of coordinated incentives and services to disadvantaged communities.  The pilot program was intended to result in economic savings at the residential household level, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, and improved resiliency to the impacts of climate change.  This bill would have also required SGC to submit a report to the Legislature on the program by January 2026.  Held on suspense in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would require 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, and would require 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 is contingent on a $5 million appropriation from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund each year through the 2022–23 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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