Thursday, July 3, 2014 marks the last working day for the California State Assembly and Senate before their summer recess. The state legislature will reconvene on Monday, August 4, 2014 for the last push of work before the Interim Recess, which runs September 1, 2014 until the first week of January 2015. Despite the fact that there will be no Committees or Floor Sessions, staff and certain members will continue to engage in negotiations over the water bond issue and other key issues needing to reach compromise prior to the end of session. While state legislators are on break, the United States Congress resumes work next week throughout the month of July, and does not adjourn for its summer break until August.
For more information regarding state or federal legislative calendars, please contact the RCRC Governmental Affairs staff at (916) 447-4806.
AB 2241 (Eggman): Local Government: Agricultural Land. AB 2241 would change the rescission fee charged by a county when land under Williamson Act contract or land designated as a farmland security zone enters into a solar-use easement to 10 percent of the fair market value of the property, and allows for counties that choose to utilize this approach to retain half of the rescission fee until January 1, 2020. Status: Placed on the Senate Appropriations Committee Suspense File. RCRC Position: Support
SB 1292 (Hueso): Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. SB 1292 would increase the maximum amount of a construction grant award from $3 million to $5 million for a water system serving severely disadvantaged communities. Status: Placed on the Assembly Appropriations Committee Suspense File. RCRC Position: Support
SB 1353 (Nielsen): Local Government: Williamson Act. SB 1353 would eliminate the sunset date on the alternative Williamson Act funding program giving counties that opted into the program the ability to continue this alternative funding mechanism for the Williamson Act. The program works by shortening the length of Williamson Act contracts by 10 percent in exchange for the forfeit by landowners of no more than 10 percent of their tax benefit. Status: Passed out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support
SB 1399 (Galgiani): Agricultural Seed: County Seed Enforcement Subventions. SB 1399 would extend the sunset date of the seed enforcement subvention program through July 1, 2019. The subvention program, funded by the seed industry, provides counties with a source of revenue to cover a portion of their costs for enforcing the California Seed Law. Status: Passed out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Position: Support