The Barbed Wire - May 7, 2021

Hometown California Sits Down with Patrick “Pat” Blacklock, RCRC President and CEO

In the latest episode of Hometown California, our host, Paul A. Smith, sits down for a conversation with Patrick "Pat" Blacklock, the new President and CEO of RCRC. Learn how Pat's journey in the county family began, what led him to RCRC, and his vision for RCRC's advocacy and support of rural counties.  At what Californians hope may be the tail end of pandemic shutdowns, in a redistricting year with new challenges brought about by the pandemic, and with a gubernatorial recall election on the horizon, hear how Pat is looking toward the future as he begins to lead RCRC in these unique times.

Having worked as CAO of both Amador and Yolo counties, Pat shares his perspective on the similarities and differences of rural California counties. Listen in to hear what Pat sees as priorities for RCRC, his plans for setting the organization’s path for the future, and his secret to maintaining work/life balance when counties run 24/7. Download the episode now, and find other episodes of Hometown California right here.

Bill of the Week: $225 Million Budget Request for Local Organic Waste Recycling Assistance

On Wednesday, RCRC joined the California State Association of Counties, League of California Cities, and Californians Against Waste to submit a budget request to the Legislature seeking $225 million for local assistance to help cities and counties develop and begin implementing organic waste recycle programs required under regulations recently adopted by CalRecycle.

CalRecycle’s new SB 1383 regulations adopted last November require local governments to reduce landfill disposal of organic waste 75 percent by 2025 and to increase edible food waste recovery by 20 percent. These new SB 1383 Regulations are the most far-reaching solid waste management changes in decades and CalRecycle has estimated implementation will cost $20 to $40 billion over the next decade, including the addition of 50 to 100 new organic waste recycling facilities.

The budget request seeks $225 million from the General Fund for the Controller to allocate directly as grants to cities and counties, with a minimum award of $200,000 for each county and $125,000 for each city.  The remaining $153 million would be allocated to cities and counties on a per-capita basis.  Funds are proposed to be used by cities and counties to hire staff and consultants necessary to design and implement SB 1383 organic waste recycling programs, develop the various ordinances, programs, services, education and outreach activities, and organic waste recycling capacity planning requirements, and any other requirements imposed under the SB 1383 Regulations, and to fund initial implementation costs.

While this funding request alone is not sufficient to achieve the state’s organic waste recycling targets, especially in light of the estimated $20 to $40 billion anticipated total implementation cost, it will go a long way to help local governments and accelerate the development of the programs necessary to achieve those goals and to carry out early implementation activities.

To see the request, click here.  For more information, contact John Kennedy by email or call (916) 447-4806.

Rural California to Provide the 2021 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree

The USDA Forest Service has announced that this year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will be coming from the Six Rivers National Forest in California’s North Coast. RCRC is proud to be partnering with the U.S. Forest Service to highlight rural California as the tree makes its way across the State before it makes the long journey east to Washington, DC.

Every year since 1970, the USDA Forest Service has provided the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. Providing the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree—also known as “The People’s Tree” includes a public engagement campaign to create connections to and celebrate our national forests. The initiative brings together USDA Forest Service staff, communities throughout the respective state and across the country, and local and national partners to celebrate the spirit of the season and our great outdoors.

The West Lawn tree will require nearly 4,000 large ornaments. Separately, the forest and nearby communities will provide an additional 130 smaller companion trees to light up offices of the California congressional delegation, as well as leadership at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of the Interior, and the USDA Forest Service throughout Washington, D.C., for the 2021 holiday season. These trees require approximately 11,000 smaller ornaments and 130 tree skirts.

With a newly selected theme of “Six Rivers, Many Peoples, One Tree,” all California residents are invited to help showcase the diverse peoples and ecology of California and its North Coast, as well as their creativity, by making ornaments and tree skirts for the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree and the smaller companion trees. In addition to capturing California’s diversity, the U.S. Forest Services is encouraging the use of recycled, recyclable, and natural materials as part of Woodsy Owl’s 50th birthday celebration highlighting its “Give a Hoot – Don’t Pollute” catchphrase.

Ornament and tree skirt examples are available to view as a reference at www.uscapitolchristmastree.com. Following are requirements for ornaments and tree skirts:

• Ornaments – U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree: 9 to 12 inches, colorful, reflective, and weatherproof to withstand the elements (wind, rain, and snow). 4,000 needed.
• Ornaments – 130 smaller companion trees: 4 to 6 inches, lightweight and colorful; however, durability is not a concern as they will be indoors. 11,000 needed.
• Tree skirts: 5 feet in diameter. It may be possible for tree skirts to be returned; however, no guarantees can be made. 130 needed.

U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree ornaments and tree skirts may not include logos, political, or religious affiliation or symbols, drug or alcohol references, be divisive or offensive. Ornaments cannot be returned.

Ornaments and tree skirts are due by September 1, 2021, and may be mailed to: U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, 1330 Bayshore Way, Eureka, CA 95501; or taken to drop-off sites listed at www.uscapitolchristmastree.com.

For additional information about ornaments or tree skirts for the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree and how your group or community can get involved, contact Maritza Guzman at maritza.guzman@usda.gov or (707) 672-3184.

California Public Lands Package Introduced in Senate

On Monday, Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla introduced The Protecting Unique and Beautiful Landscapes by Investing in California (PUBLIC) Lands Act, which would expand protections for over one million acres of California’s public lands.  The bill would also designate nearly 600,000 acres of new wilderness, more than 583 miles of new wild and scenic rivers, and expand an existing national monument by more than 100,000 acres.  The legislative package consists of three bills that were originally introduced in the House including:

• The Northwest California Wilderness, Recreation, and Working Forests Act – introduced by Representative Jared Huffman (D-Marina),
• The Central Coast Heritage Protection Act – introduced by Representative Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara)
• The San Gabriel Mountains Foothills and Rivers Protection Act - introduced by Representative Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park)

The PUBLIC Act also compliments Governor Gavin Newsom’s “30 by 30” effort, which would conserve 30 percent of land and coastal water by the year 2030.

A one-pager on the PUBLIC Lands Act can be found here. Full text of the PUBLIC Lands Act can be found here.

U.S. Department of the Interior Approves Solar Energy Project in California Desert

On Monday, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced that the Bureau of Land Management has given final approval to a new solar energy project on public lands in the California desert.  The $550 million Crimson Solar Project will be sited on 2,000 acres of federal land west of Blythe, California — between Riverside and Imperial Counties — and will reportedly be capable of powering nearly 90,000 homes.  The project will include a battery storage system and will be sited on land designated for renewable energy development by the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, an agreement formulated between California and the Obama Administration that set aside areas for wind and solar projects. 

Senate Passes Water Infrastructure Bill

Last week, the Senate passed the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (S. 914) by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 89 to 2 to authorize $35 billion for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects.  The bill is being hailed by Republicans and Democrats alike as evidence that bipartisan compromise is possible on infrastructure initiatives; however, lawmakers in both parties have indicated that such spirit of deal-making could be fleeting.  The Senate measure would reauthorize two critical Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) programs—the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund — which provide financial aid to localities’ drinking water systems and to state safe water programs, as well as loan financing and assistance for communities for a range of water infrastructure projects. Senators Alex Padilla and Dianne Feinstein co-introduced an amendment to the bill that allows more California water recycling projects to receive EPA funding. 

Attention now turns to the House, where the current proposal contains much more money overall for the aforementioned programs than the Senate legislation.  Two House committees — the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee — have jurisdiction over drinking water and wastewater respectively and, according to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR), are intent on moving the legislation (H.R. 1915) through the House “and getting it signed into law because clean water can’t wait.”

Register Today! RCRC Presents a Live Webinar - Resources for Local Governments, Hosted by California Treasurer Fiona Ma

RCRC is pleased to present a webinar hosted by California Treasurer Fiona Ma entitled Resources for Local Governments. The webinar is scheduled to occur on Wednesday, May 26th at 10:00 a.m.

Treasurer Ma has identified programs within the Treasurer’s Office that offer both direct and indirect benefits to local governments. Indirect benefits include those programs that provide financial resources and/or tax credits to businesses in your communities, thus reducing the cost of operations and encouraging capital investment and job creation in local communities.Treasurer Ma will be joined by professional staff from each of the programs presented. There will be an opportunity for Q&A as the webinar unfolds.

Local Agency Investment Fund Program

The Local Agency Investment Fund (LAIF) Program offers local agencies the opportunity to participate in a major portfolio using the investment expertise of the Treasurer’s Office – at no additional cost to the taxpayer.

Director Kristin Szakaly-Moore and LAIF Administrator Christina Sarron will discuss the benefits of and recent changes to the LAIF Program.

California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority (CAEATFA)

The Authority has a number of programs that work collaboratively with public and private partners to provide innovative and effective financing solutions for California’s renewable energy, energy efficiency, and advanced transportation and manufacturing industries.

David Gibbs, Program Manager of the California Hub for Energy Efficiency Financing will present the Small Business Energy Efficiency Financing Program which provides financing options for energy efficiency retrofits for small-to-medium businesses.

Xee Moua with the Sales and Use Tax Exclusion Program will discuss the tax benefits for equipment purchases that promote alternative energy and advanced transportation companies in your communities.

Gabrielle Stevenson from the California Pollution Control Finance Authority will discuss the low-cost innovative financing solutions targeting California businesses and environmental industries, as well as the California Capital Access Program (CalCAP) which encourages financial institutions to make loans to small businesses.

CalSavers

CalSavers is California’s new retirement savings program created for the millions of Californians who do not have a way to save at their job. CalSavers was created by legislation passed in 2016 requiring California employers that do not already sponsor a retirement plan to participate in CalSavers – an automatic enrollment individual retirement account (IRA) with no employer fees and employers are not fiduciaries. For California workers, enrollment is easy, investing is simple, and accounts are portable.

Jonathan Herrera from CalSavers will present this program.

Register now and join RCRC and Treasurer Fiona Ma for this informative overview of programs that can benefit your community and the businesses that call it home.

ICYMI: CSAC and RCRC Redistricting Webinar Series Now Available for Viewing

This spring, CSAC and RCRC teamed up to bring you a 2021 Redistricting Webinar Series, breaking down all you need to know about redistricting for your county. Part 1 focused on the legal requirements, including the Voting Rights Act and changes as a result of AB 849 (2019), to provide a working knowledge of the technical aspects of redistricting. A thorough presentation by Chris Skinnell and Marguerite Leoni of Nielsen Merksamer and Douglas Johnson of the National Demographics Corporation provided counties with knowledge and insight to assist with the technicalities of redistricting. The final segment, What to Expect When You’re Redistricting, featured panelists Paul Mitchell of Redistricting Partners and Political Data Inc., David Twa, retired Chief Administrative Officer of Contra Costa County, and Supervisor Bruce Gibson of San Luis Obispo County. Participants received insights beneficial for developing an effective timeline, gathering public input, methods of line drawing, and so much more. View the recorded presentations and download the slides here.

BULLETIN BOARD

Announcements regarding hearings, grants, and public comment notices of importance to California's rural counties.

State Water Board Awarding O&M Grants To Disadvantaged Public Drinking Water Systems

The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) is soliciting letters of interest from public agencies, public water systems or nonprofit organizations to award a total of $27.5 million from uncommitted Proposition 68 funds for disadvantaged communities (DACs) treatment of contaminated groundwater. Specifically, operations and maintenance (O&M) costs are eligible for DAC water systems over a period of three to five years, including (but not limited to) permitting, monitoring and reporting, chemicals, and/or plant operator labor. Letters of interest are due to the SWRCB’s Division of Financial Assistance by July 12, 2021. For more information, see here.

State Department Offers Free Domestic Well Water Quality Testing
 

The Department of Pesticide Regulation’s (DPR’s) Groundwater Protection Program is seeking volunteers with domestic wells to allow water quality samples be collected. These samples would be collected over time through a passive sampler and give DPR a better understanding of groundwater quality, specifically as it relates to pesticides. All equipment and testing is free to the volunteer. For more information, see here or contact gwpp@cdpr.ca.gov. 

Forest Stewardship Workshop

The University of California Cooperative Extension is offering training opportunities to help landowners develop sustainable plans to improve and protect their forest lands.

• Online every Wednesday, (6-7:30pm) starting April 21, 2021 through June 16, 2021, and in-person Saturday, May 15th in San Bernardino County
• Online every Tuesday, (6-7:30pm) starting June 1, 2021 through July 27, 2021, and in-person, Saturday, June 26th in Sonoma County

For more information, see here.

Free Training Webinar for How to Use the California Vegetation Treatment Program

The Board of Forestry and Fire Protection is offering a free training webinar about how to use the California Vegetation Treatment Program (CalVTP) Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to streamline California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance for vegetation treatment projects. 

The training course will cover the following topics: 

Part 1: Overview of the CalVTP Program EIR

• Treatment types and activities
• Treatable landscape
• Eligible project proponents

Part 2: Preparing a CEQA Document Using the CalVTP Program EIR

• CEQA Fundamentals – Program EIRs
• Project-Specific Analysis
• Project-Specific Analysis/Addendum
• Decision Documentation and Approval Process
• MMRP Implementation

Wrap Up: CalVTP Training Resources

Date: Thursday, May 13, 2021
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PDT
Register here

Date: Thursday, May 20, 2021
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PDT
Register here

Visit the How to Use the CalVTP webpage for training materials.

California Air Resources Board Offers Webinars on Regulatory Compliance Training

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is offering a variety of training webinars for regulatory compliance on issues affecting public fleets such as Off-Road Regulations, Truck and Bus Rules, and Diesel Truck Rules. 

The In-Use Off-Road Diesel-Fueled Fleets Regulation (Off-Road Regulation) requires fleet owners to report to CARB, label their off-road vehicles, and reduce emissions from older equipment.  This course provides detailed information to help fleet owners understand and comply with the Off-Road Regulation: 

Date:               May 13, 2021
Time:               1:00 p.m.
Webinar:         Register

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) ASSISTANCE

Resource pages, deadline extensions, and available programs to assist communities impacted by COVID-19.

Coronavirus Relief Available from the Small Business Administration

The federal Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering several coronavirus relief options to help alleviate the financial hardships resulting from the coronavirus (COVID-19). The programs have received an overwhelming number of applications from businesses, so be sure to check the SBA website for the latest updates on the status of these programs.

• The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) provides loan forgiveness for retaining employees by temporarily expanding the traditional SBA 7(a) loan program. After initial funding was quickly depleted, the program received an infusion of an additional $310 billion, allowing the SBA to resume the program on April 27, 2020. Be sure to check the SBA website for the most recent information on the application process and availability of funds.
• The Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Emergency Advance provides up to $10,000 of economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing temporary difficulties.
• SBA Express Bridge Loans can be used to bridge the gap for businesses while applying for a direct SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan; small businesses who currently have a business relationship with an SBA Express Lender to access up to $25,000 quickly.
• SBA Debt Relief provides a financial reprieve to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you are interested in programs for other disasters, the SBA Disaster Loan Assistance portal is available here.

Economic Development Resources for Communities and Businesses Impacted by the Coronavirus

The California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED) has assembled resources for communities and business impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19). The page will be continually evolving as new resources become available. To go directly to the CALED resources, click here.

Use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds for Infectious Disease Response

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds may be used for a range of eligible activities that prevent and respond to the spread of infectious diseases such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Check out the Quick Guide to CDBG Eligible Activities to Support Infectious Disease Response for guidance and additional information.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) County Resource Page Available

The California State Association of Counties (CSAC), RCRC’s local government partner, continues to provide excellent up-to-date state and federal information to counties on this ever-changing pandemic event.  We encourage visiting CSAC’s COVID-19 resource page, which contains vital links to all CSAC COVID-19 advocacy letters and resources.  CSAC’s staff continues to work around the clock to update activities so that all of California’s counties can remain properly informed.

LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY UPDATE

Information related to the current status of legislation and regulations impacting California’s rural counties.

Assembly Bill 1 (C. Garcia): Hazardous Waste: Assembly Bill 1 establishes several new governance, policy, and fiscal reforms to improve the Department of Toxic Substances Control, including significantly increasing several fees and repealing several important local government fee exemptions. Status: AB 1 awaits consideration by the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Concerns

Assembly Bill 9 (Wood): Fire safety: wildfires: fire adapted communities: Assembly Bill 9 seeks to codify the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity (RFFC) program, which creates a new regional approach to collaboratively planned strategies for wildfire risk reduction project development. Status: AB 9 awaits consideration from the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 32 (Aguiar-Curry): Assembly Bill 32 requires a health care service plan contract or health insurance policy issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2021, to specify that coverage is provided for health care services appropriately delivered through telehealth on the same basis and to the same extent as in-person diagnosis, consultation, or treatment. Status: AB 32 awaits consideration from the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 246 (Quirk) Contractors: disciplinary actions. Assembly Bill 246 allows the Contractors State Licensing Board to take disciplinary actions against a contractor who violates state or local laws prohibiting illegal dumping.  Status: AB 246 awaits referral by the Senate Rules Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 267 (Valladeres): California Environmental Quality Act: Assembly Bill 267 extends until 2026 exemptions from the requirements of CEQA prescribed fire, thinning, or fuel reduction projects undertaken on federal lands to reduce the risk of high-severity wildfire that have been reviewed under the federal National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 that are being performed using state funds or as part of a Good Neighbor Authority agreement. Status: AB 267 awaits consideration in the Senate Rules Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 297 (Gallagher) Fire Prevention. Increases funding for forest health improvement and wildfire risk reduction projects and makes other substantive changes to help expedite project completion.  Status: AB 297 has become a two-year bill. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 318 (Levine) Hazardous waste: Assembly Bill 318 requires the Department of Toxic Substances Control to provide guidance to certified unified program agencies on how to characterize green waste under hazardous waste control laws.  Status:  AB 318 is awaiting consideration by the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status:  Watch

 Assembly Bill 322 (Salas): Energy: Electric Program Investment Charge program: Requires the Energy Commission to consider bioenergy projects for biomass conversion when awarding funds under the Electric Program Investment Charge program. Status: AB 322 is awaiting consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Status: Support    

 Assembly Bill 332 (ESTM): Hazardous waste: treated wood waste: Reestablishes a statutory pathway for the alternative management and disposal of treated wood waste in a landfill.  Status:  AB 332 is awaiting consideration on the Assembly Floor (Third Read File).  RCRC Status:  Support

Assembly Bill 339 (Lee): Local government: open and public meetings. Assembly Bill 339 requires all open and public meetings to include an in-person public comment opportunity, except in specified circumstances during a declared state or local emergency. The bill would require all meetings to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on proposed legislation in person and remotely via a telephonic or an internet-based service option, as provided. Status: AB 339 awaits consideration from the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Oppose

Assembly Bill 361 (Rivas): Open meetings: local agencies: teleconferences. Assembly Bill 361 authorizes a local agency to use teleconferencing without complying with the teleconferencing requirements imposed by the Ralph M. Brown Act when a legislative body of a local agency holds a meeting for the purpose of declaring or ratifying a local emergency. Status: AB 361 awaits consideration on the Assembly Floor. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 428 (Mayes):  Assembly Bill 428 requires each county to have a board of supervisors and provides for the organization and powers of the board of supervisors. Current law allows the board of supervisors of any general law or charter county to adopt or the residents of the county to propose, by initiative, limit or repeal a limit on the number of terms a member of the board of supervisors may serve on the board of supervisors. Status: AB 428 awaits consideration on the Assembly Floor. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 431 (Patterson): Forestry: timber harvesting plans: defensible space: exemptions: Assembly Bill 431 prohibits a person from conducting timber operations, as defined, unless a timber harvesting plan prepared by a registered professional forester has been submitted to, and approved by, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Status: AB 431 is awaiting consideration from the Senate Rules Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 648 (Fong) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: Healthy Forest and Fire Prevention: Appropriation. Continuously appropriates $200 million annually for forest health improvement and wildfire risk reduction projects. Status: AB 648 has become a two-year bill. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 792 (Flora): Forestry: prescribed burning agreements. Assembly Bill 792 authorizes the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection to enter into an agreement for prescribed burning or other hazardous fuel reduction for specified purposes, such as vegetation management and forest improvement. Status: AB 792 awaits consideration from the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 819 (Levine) California Environmental Quality Act: notices and documents: electronic filing and posting.  Requires lead agencies to post California Environmental Quality Act notices and documents on their internet websites and to submit CEQA documents to the State Clearinghouse in electronic form.  Status: AB 819 awaits referral by the Senate Rules Committee. RCRC Status: Watch

Assembly Bill 1078 (Patterson) Energy: building standards: photovoltaic requirements. Exempts residential buildings damaged or destroyed in a disaster during the 2020 calendar year from having to install solar energy systems under the California Energy Commission’s recently adopted building requirements.  Status: AB 1078 has become a 2-Year bill. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 1179 (Carrillo): Employer provided benefit: backup childcare: require an employer to provide an employee, on or after January 1, 2022, who works in California for the same employer for 30 or more days within a year from the commencement of employment, with up to 60 hours of paid backup childcare benefits, to be accrued and used as provided. Status: AB 1179 awaits consideration from the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Status: Oppose

Assembly Bill 1311 (Wood) Recycling: beverage containers: certified recycling centers. Makes modest changes to the Beverage Container Recycling Act to increase consumer access to redemption opportunities. Status: AB 1311 awaits consideration from the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 1344 (Arambula) State Department of Public Health: Needle and Syringe Exchange Services.  Exempts needle and syringe exchanges services from the California Environmental Quality Act.  Status: AB 1344 awaits consideration in the Assembly Appropriations Committees. RCRC Status: Neutral

Assembly Bill 1403 (Levine) Emergency Services. Assembly Bill 1403 clarifies that deenergization events (also known as PSPS events) qualify as events for which a state of emergency or local emergency can be declared under the California Emergency Services Act. Status: AB 1403 awaits referral by the Senate Rules Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Assembly Bill 1431 (Fraizer): Forestry: forest carbon plan: state goals: Assembly Bill 1431 codifies various portions of the 2018 California Forest Carbon Plan, and requires the Natural Resources Agency and the California Environmental Protection Agency, on or before January 1, 2023, to submit a report to the appropriate policy and budget committees of the Legislature on the positions and resources needed to achieve those state goals. Status: AB 1431 awaits consideration from the Assembly Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: RCRC Sponsored Bill

Assembly Bill 1454 (Bloom) Beverage Container and Litter Reduction Act.  Assembly Bill 1454 makes several changes to the Beverage Container Recycling Program, including creation of a new $25,000 startup loan for the creation of new recycling centers in unserved or underserved areas.  Status: AB 1454 Awaits consideration by the Assembly Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Status: Support if Amended

Assembly Bill 1458 (Fraizer): Fish and wildlife protection and conservation: lake and streambed alteration agreements: Assembly Bill 1458 exempts vegetation management or fuels treatment projects undertaken, carried out, or approved by a state or local governmental agency necessary to prevent or mitigate the threat or intensity of a wildfire from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Lake and Streambed Alteration agreement requirements.  Status: AB 1458 awaits consideration on the Assembly Floor (2-Year). RCRC Status: RCRC Sponsored Bill

Senate Bill 11 (Rubio): The California FAIR Plan Association: basic property insurance: Senate Bill 11, which would remove certain barriers to enable homes and structures used to conduct business on farmland to be covered through the California Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan.  Status: SB 11 has passed in the Senate Appropriations Committee on Consent Calendar. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 30 (Cortese): Building Decarbonization: Prohibits state agencies from designing or constructing a state facility that is connected to the natural gas grid and prohibits state agencies from funding projects for the construction of residential and nonresidential buildings that are connected to the natural gas grid. Status: Senate Bill 30 is now a 2-Year bill. RCRC Status: Oppose Unless Amended

Senate Bill 38 (Wieckowski): Beverage Containers: Replaces the existing Beverage Container Recycling Program (Bottle Bill) with a new recycling program administered by beverage container manufacturers and increases the CRV from $0.05 to $0.10 per container if the state fails to achieve specified recycling rates.  Repeals the $10.5 million annually set aside for payments to cities and counties to address recycling and litter. Status: SB 38 awaits consideration by the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Oppose Unless Amended

Senate Bill 52 (Dodd): State of Emergency: Power Outages. Senate Bill 52 clarifies that deenergization events (also known as PSPS events) qualify as events for which a local emergency can be declared under the California Emergency Services Act. Status: SB 52 awaits referral by the Assembly Rules Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 54 (Allen) Plastic Pollution Producer Responsibility Act.  SB 54 requires manufactures of single-use, disposable packaging and food service ware to ensure that those products sold, distributed, or imported into the state are either recyclable or compostable.  Status: SB 54 awaits consideration from the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support in Concept.

Senate Bill 99 (Dodd): Community Energy Resilience Act of 2021. Senate Bill 99 requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to develop and implement a grant program for local governments to develop community energy resilience plans. Status: SB 99 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 207 (Dahle): Photovoltaic Recycling Advisory Group: Senate Bill 207 seeks to spur the recycling and reuse of solar photovoltaic panels by requiring an advisory group to make recommendations to ensure that, to the extent possible, all solar photovoltaic panels in the state are reused or recycled at the end of their lives in a safe and cost-effective manner. Status: SB 207 awaits consideration by the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status:  Support

Senate Bill 208 (Dahle):Sierra Nevada Conservancy: Sierra Nevada Region: subregion:  Senate Bill 208 requires the Sierra Nevada Conservancy to make an annual report to the Legislature and to the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency regarding expenditures, land management costs, and administrative costs. This bill would modify areas listed under the definitions of the “Sierra Nevada Region” and its “subregions,” as specified, for these purposes. Status: SB 208 awaits consideration from the Senate Appropriations Committee (Suspense File). RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 219 (McGuire): Property Tax Payments: Shelter-in-Place Order. Senate Bill 219 codifies a county tax collector’s ability to cancel late payment penalties for taxpayers who have experienced financial hardship due to shelter-in-place orders. Status: SB 219 secured passage in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 244 (Archuleta): Lithium-ion batteries: illegal disposal: fire prevention: Senate Bill 244 seeks to prevent lithium-ion battery fires by requiring the state to develop training and best practices for the detection, safe handling, and suppression of fires that originate from discarded lithium-ion batteries in solid waste collection vehicles, transfer and processing stations, and disposal facilities.  Status: SB 244 awaits consideration from the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 261 (Allen) Regional Transportation Plans:  Sustainable Communities Strategies.  Requires the Air Resources Board (ARB) to adopt new greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) reduction targets for incorporation into the sustainable communities’ strategies prepared by the state’s 18 metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs).  Status: SB 261 is now a two-year bill. RCRC Status: Oppose

Senate Bill 264 (Min): Firearms: state and county property: Senate Bill 264 prohibits the sale of firearms and firearm components on state property, most notably District Agriculture Associations-operated fairs.  Status: SB 264 awaits consideration from the Senate Appropriations Committee.  RCRC Status: Oppose

Senate Bill 286 (Min): County Officer Elections Top-Two Advance. Senate Bill 286 would require the top-two vote-getters seeking election to a county office to face-off in a General Election.  Status: SB 286 awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Oppose

Senate Bill 335 (Cortese) Workers’ compensation: liability: Senate Bill 335 prohibits a claim for workers’ compensation from being maintained unless within 30 days after the occurrence of the injury, the injured person, or in case of the death, a dependent, or someone on the injured person’s or dependent’s behalf, serves notice of the injury upon the employer. Status: SB 335 awaits consideration from the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Oppose

Senate Bill 341 (McGuire) Makes several changes to increase oversight and accountability of telecommunications service outages. Status: SB 341 awaits consideration on the Senate Floor. RCRC Status: Support 

Senate Bill 456 (Laird) Fire prevention: forest health: action plan: reports. Senate Bill 456 requires the department to be responsible for, among other things, fire protection and prevention, as provided. The former Governor, Edmund G. Brown Jr., issued an executive order relating to, among other subjects, the streamlining of permitting for landowner-initiated projects for the improvement of forest health and the reduction of forest fire fuels on their properties. Status: SB 456 awaits consideration from the Senate Appropriations Committee RCRC Status: Support  

Senate Bill 462 (Borgeas): Disaster relief: Creek Fire: allocation to local agencies: Senate Bill 462, which would add the Creek Fire of 2020 in Madera County and Fresno County to the emergencies eligible for the state to pay up to 100 percent of the costs out of the California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA) fund. Status: Awaits consideration in the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 533 (Stern) Electrical corporations: wildfire mitigation plans: deenergization events: microgrids. Requires electrical corporations to ensure electrical transmission and distribution systems achieve the highest level of safety, reliability, and resiliency by modernizing, upgrading, replacing, hardening, or undergrounding any portion of its transmission and distribution wires or poles that experiences a specified number of recurring deenergization events.  Requires the CPUC to create a database of critical facilities, infrastructure, and circuits located in high fire threat districts. Status: SB 533 awaits consideration from the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 592 (Dahle) Fish and wildlife: working group: catastrophic wildfires: Senate Bill 592 require the Director of Fish and Wildlife to establish a working group, composed of the director or the director’s representative, the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection or their representative, and a county government representative from each county impacted by any catastrophic wildfire being studied by the workgroup, as described below. Status: SB 592 awaits consideration from Senate Appropriations Committee.   RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 619 (Laird) Organic waste: reduction regulations. Will seek to provide local governments with additional flexibility to achieve the state’s organic waste recycling requirements.  Status: SB 619 awaits consideration from the Senate Appropriations Committee. RCRC Status: Support

Senate Bill 709 (Dahle) Senate Bill 709 eliminate extensions for timber harvesting plans approved by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection from January 1, 2010, to August 31, 2012, inclusive, and instead allow for a timber harvesting plan that is approved by the department from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2015, inclusive, to be extended for an additional 2 years if certain conditions are met. The bill would make other no substantive changes to these provisions. Status: SB 709 awaits consideration on the Senate Floor.  RCRC Status: Support