California Air Resources Board

Summary

Would have established the Equity, Climate Resilience, and Quality Jobs Fund in the State Treasury and required, to the extent authorized by the federal jobs acts, as defined, one percent of all qualified moneys from the federal jobs acts to be transferred into the fund to be utilized by the California Workforce Development Board for specified purposes. The bill would have also required the establishment of memorandums of understanding and reporting of labor standards’ outcomes from affected State agencies, such as CARB.

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Governor’s Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning Senate Bill 1375 without my signature.

This bill establishes the Equity, Climate Resilience, and Quality Jobs Fund and requires one percent of all qualified monies from the federal jobs acts to be transferred into the fund for specified purposes, including the development of poverty-reducing programs and labor standards.

California has long led the nation with strong worker protections, from robust health and safety standards to requiring livable wages to ensuring protections against discrimination in the workplace. For public works projects, state standards include both prevailing wage and minimum apprentice-to -journeyperson requirements to protect and promote these high-quality jobs. The state has also made historic investments in pre-apprenticeship programs to further reduce barriers. This structured pathway builds partnerships between the state, building and construction trades, local workforce boards, community colleges, and community-based organizations to recruit and support individuals from disadvantaged communities on their path to an apprenticeship program.

When the Biden-Harris Administration launched historic federal infrastructure investments, I issued an Executive Order creating an Infrastructure Strike Team within my Administration to coordinate work across all state agencies. This year, we launched www.build.ca.gov to highlight the state's key investments and issued guidelines for programs to embed equity in project development. Additionally, in March, my Administration established the California Jobs First Council to focus on streamlining the state's key economic and workforce development programs and create more jobs, faster.

I strongly support efforts to maximize state and federal funding opportunities to deliver high-quality jobs that increase opportunities for all communities and decrease disparities in historically disadvantaged areas. However, creating a memorandum of understanding process with potentially 200 independent agreements and establishing an entirely new regulatory framework, as envisioned by this bill, is unnecessary to accomplish this goal. Significant coordination between state agencies is well underway to build upon the state's existing strong workforce development programs and worker protection laws.

For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.

Sincerely,

Gavin Newsom

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Summary

Would have required the Senate to direct its policy committees to incorporate more effective equity considerations in their analyses of future energy and climate legislation and would have resolved the Senate to explore methods to integrate equity more formally into its daily activities. Remains in the Senate Rules Committee.

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Summary

Would have required CARB to conduct an assessment of the socioeconomic impacts, as defined, of a proposed rule or regulation with an economic impact of $10 million or more that will significantly affect air quality or emissions limitations. The bill also would have authorized CARB to contract with a third party to conduct the required assessment of socioeconomic impacts. The bill would have specified minimum standards for the assessment of socioeconomic impacts and required CARB or a third-party contractor to include in the assessment of socioeconomic impacts specified information and various economic analyses. The bill would have prohibited CARB from approving an assessment of socioeconomic impacts that fails to meet these requirements. The bill would have had similar provisions for local air districts regarding third party contractors and made changes to the socioeconomic analysis carried out by local air districts for rulemakings. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Would have required CARB to conduct an assessment of the socioeconomic impacts, as defined, of a proposed rule or regulation with an economic impact of $10 million or more that will significantly affect air quality or emissions limitations. The bill also would have authorized CARB to contract with a third party to conduct the required assessment of socioeconomic impacts. The bill would have specified minimum standards for the assessment of socioeconomic impacts, and required CARB or a third-party contractor to include in the assessment of socioeconomic impacts, specified information and various economic analyses, along with the disproportionate impact of the proposed rule or regulation on specified race and ethnicities, as well as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals and women. The bill would have prohibited CARB from approving an assessment of socioeconomic impacts that fails to meet those requirements. The bill would have had similar provisions regarding third party contractor and disproportionate impact analysis for the local air districts. Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Requires the Department of General Services and the Department of Transportation and their contractors to enter into a Labor Peace Agreement and adhere to High Road Jobs Standards, as defined, for contracts for zero-emission transit vehicles or electric vehicle supply equipment valued at $10,000,000 or more.

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Summary

Allows a private, nonprofit corporation that provides services to zero-emission transportation systems or facilities, including, but not limited to, finance, design, construction, operation, or maintenance, to enter into a joint powers agreement with a public agency to facilitate the development, construction, and operation of zero-emission transportation systems or facilities that lower GHGs, reduce vehicle congestion and VMT, and improve public transit connections. Requires that a board of directors govern the joint agency formed, board membership determined by the participating public agencies, and prohibits the representation of corporations on the board from exceeding 50 percent. The bill will be repealed on January 1, 2032.

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Summary

Would create the Jobs Plan Program, under which private entities bidding on a covered public contract, as defined, over $10 million issued by a relevant public agency must include as part of their application a California Jobs Plan (CJP) form stating information about transportation infrastructure jobs created and retained. If federal funds are used in a covered public contract, the bill would require that applicants use a United States Jobs Plan (USJP). The bill would define "relevant public agency" as the Department of General Services, the California Department of Transportation, and local school districts. The bill, beginning December 1, 2022, would require CJP or USJP to be scored as a part of the overall application for the covered public contract, as specified, and be included in the awarded contract or subsidy as a material term. The bill would require Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) to create the CJP and USJP forms and procedures and criteria for public agencies to evaluate applicants for covered public contracts. The bill would require LWDA to develop a public web-based portal to which recipients of covered public contracts must upload progress reports on the commitments made in a CJP or USJP. The bill could impact contracts for electrical chargers. Moved to Assembly Inactive File.

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