Information related to the current status of legislation impacting California’s rural counties.
AB 14 (Aguiar-Curry) Communications: California Advanced Services Fund: deaf and disabled telecommunications program: surcharges. Assembly Bill 14 establishes the State Department of Education in state government and vests the department with specified powers and duties relating to the state’s public-school system. This bill would authorize local educational agencies to report to the department their pupils’ estimated needs for computing devices and internet connectivity adequate for at-home learning. Location: Assembly Chaptered Status: 10/8/2021-Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 658, Statutes of 2021. Position: Pending Staff: Tracy (1)
AB 32 (Aguiar-Curry) Telehealth. 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. Location: Senate 2 year Status: 7/14/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(11). (Last location was HEALTH on 6/9/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022) Position: Support Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 215 (Chiu) Planning and Zoning Law: housing element: violations. Location: Assembly Chaptered Status: 9/28/2021-Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 342, Statutes of 2021. Position: Oppose Staff: Tracy (1)
AB 240 (Rodriguez) Local health department workforce assessment. This bill would require the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to contract with an appropriate and qualified entity to conduct an evaluation of the adequacy of local health department infrastructure, including an assessment of future staffing, workforce, and resource needs. Location: Senate 2 year Status: 8/27/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(12). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 7/5/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022) Position: Support Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 522 (Fong) Forestry: Forest Fire Prevention Exemption. The Z’berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 authorizes the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to exempt specific forest management activities, including the harvesting of trees for the purpose of reducing the rate of fire spread, and duration, intensity, fuel ignitability, or ignition of tree crowns, known as the Forest Fire Prevention Exemption. Assembly Bill 522 extends the sunset of the Forest Fire Prevention Exemption to January 1, 2026 to aid forest landowners with wildfire prevention activities. Location: Senate Rules Status: 1/27/2022-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. Position: Support Staff: Staci (1)
AB 537 (Quirk) Communications: wireless telecommunications and broadband facilities. Location: Assembly Chaptered Status: 10/4/2021-Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 467, Statutes of 2021. Position: Removal of Opposition Staff: Tracy (1)
AB 602 (Grayson) Development fees: impact fee nexus study. Location: Assembly Chaptered Status: 9/28/2021-Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 347, Statutes of 2021. Position: Oppose Unless Amended Staff: Tracy (1)
AB 759 (McCarty) Elections: county officers. Assembly Bill 759 would require an election for all county-wide offices (sheriff, assessor, district attorney, etc.) be held at the presidential general election. Initially, this bill only applied to the county sheriff but recent amendments expand it to all county-wide offices. In addition, this bill would require that these officeholder elections occur at the 2024 General Election thereby requiring affected officeholders to hold a two-year term (assuming election in 2022). Location: Senate 2 year Status: 9/10/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(15). (Last location was INACTIVE FILE on 9/8/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022) Position: Watch Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 870 (Santiago) Hazardous materials: liens. Provides that when the Department of Toxic Substances Control determines that a contaminated site must be remediated, and issues a cost estimate to the property owner for the estimated cost of remediation, the amount in the cost estimate shall constitute a lien on the property that takes priority over all other liens, including liens for local property taxes and special assessments. Location: Assembly Dead Status: 2/1/2022-From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. Position: Concerns Staff: John (1)
AB 925 (Dahle, Megan) Sexual assault forensic examinations: reimbursement. Would authorize the appropriate local law enforcement agency to seek reimbursement from the Office of Emergency Services, using the specified federal funds, for the cost of conducting the medical evidentiary examination of a sexual assault victim. Location: Senate 2 year Status: 8/27/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(12). (Last location was APPR. on 6/29/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022) Position: Support Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 989 (Gabriel) Housing Accountability Act: appeals: Office of Housing Appeals. Location: Senate 2 year Status: 9/10/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(15). (Last location was INACTIVE FILE on 9/10/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022) Position: Oppose Unless Amended Staff: Tracy (1)
AB 1001 (Garcia, Cristina) Environment: mitigation measures for air and water quality impacts: environmental justice. Modifies the California Environmental Quality Act by: 1) Requiring air and water quality impacts to a disadvantaged community to be mitigated in that community; 2) Requiring local agencies to give consideration to the principles of environmental justice by ensuring the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of people of all races, cultures, incomes, and national origins. Location: Senate Rules Status: 3/9/2022-Referred to Com. on RLS. Position: Oppose Staff: John (1)
AB 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. Location: Senate Rules Status: 1/27/2022-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 61. Noes 0. Page 3410.) In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
AB 1124 (Friedman) Solar energy systems. Location: Assembly Chaptered Status: 9/23/2021-Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 235, Statutes of 2021. Position: Oppose Staff: Tracy (1)
AB 1154 (Patterson) California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: egress route projects: fire safety. Exempts from the California Environmental Quality Act secondary egress route projects undertaken by a public agency for a subdivision in a high fire threat area that was evaluated by the Board of Forestry. Location: Senate Rules Status: 1/27/2022-Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
AB 1218 (McCarty) Zero-emission new passenger vehicle and light-duty truck goals. AB 1218 would codify Governor Gavin Newsom's Executive Order N-79-20, which requires the California Air Resources Board to adopt measures to increase the number of zero emission vehicles sold in the state to reach a goal of 100% by the year 2035. Location: Assembly Dead Status: 2/1/2022-Died on third reading file. Position: Concerns Staff: Staci (1)
AB 1434 (Friedman) Urban water use objectives: indoor residential water use. Location: Assembly Dead Status: 2/1/2022-From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. Position: Concerns Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 1454 (Bloom) The California 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 and increased payments to redemption centers with an even greater increase in rural areas. Location: Senate 2 year Status: 9/10/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(15). (Last location was E.Q. on 6/16/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022) Position: Support Staff: John (1)
AB 1547 (Reyes) Air pollution: warehouse facilities. AB 1547 allows the Air Resources Board to regulate indirect sources of air pollution and requires local governments to undertake many other actions to identify and address the potential environmental impacts of warehouse development projects. Location: Assembly Dead Status: 2/1/2022-From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. Position: Oppose Staff: John (1)
AB 1608 (Gipson) County officers: consolidation of offices. Location: Assembly Local Government Status: 1/14/2022-Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and PUB. S. Position: Pending Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 1642 (Salas) California Environmental Quality Act: water system well and domestic well projects: exemption. Exempts from CEQA, vital projects to prevent or mitigate failure of a well that would leave residents without an adequate supply of drinking water. This exemption only applies to those wells in areas designated by the State Water Resources Control Board as being at high risk or medium risk in the state’s annual Drinking Water Needs Assessment. Location: Assembly Natural Resources Status: 1/20/2022-Referred to Com. on NAT. RES. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
AB 1644 (Burke) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: California Jobs Plan Act of 2021 The California Jobs Plan Act of 2021 requires the state board to work with the Labor and Workforce Development Agency to update, by July 1, 2025, Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund funding guidelines for administering agencies to ensure that all applicants to grant programs funded by the fund meet specified standards, including fair and responsible employer standards and inclusive procurement policies, as provided. Existing law exempts from these standards applicants for certain types of projects. This bill would exempt applicants for projects for healthy forest and fire prevention programs and projects, and the completion of prescribed fire and other fuel reduction projects from these standards. Location: Assembly Labor and Employment Status: 1/20/2022-Referred to Coms. on L. & E. and NAT. RES. Position: Support Staff: Staci (1)
AB 1707 (Boerner Horvath) Property tax postponement: Senior Citizens and Disabled Citizens Property Tax Postponement Fund. Location: Assembly Revenue and Taxation Status: 3/14/2022-In committee: Hearing postponed by committee. Position: Support Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 1717 (Aguiar-Curry) Public works: definition. Assembly Bill 1717 requires prevailing wage to be paid for public works projects funded by public dollars related to community wildfire prevention, vegetation management and fuels treatment. Location: Assembly Appropriations Status: 3/17/2022-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (March 16). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. Position: Oppose Staff: Staci (1)
AB 1749 (Garcia, Cristina) Community Air Protection Blueprint: community emissions reduction programs: toxic air contaminants and criteria air pollutants. Prohibits approval or issuance of permits for projects that contribute to an increase in air pollutants or toxic air contaminants in a CalEnviroScreen disadvantaged community unless the agency finds that increased emissions caused by the project (combined with cumulative emissions from other sources) will not cause or contribute to additional negative public health impacts on individuals living and working in that community. Requires the state to identify measures to reduce criteria air pollutant and toxic air contaminant emissions in CalEnviroScreen disadvantaged communities. Location: Assembly Natural Resources Status: 3/15/2022-Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES. Position: Oppose Staff: John (1)
AB 1814 (Grayson) Transportation electrification: community choice aggregators. Allows community choice aggregators to file applications with the state for approval of programs and investments to accelerate widespread transportation electrification. Location: Assembly U. & E. Status: 2/18/2022-Referred to Com. on U. & E. Position: Watch Staff: John (1)
AB 1832 (Rivas, Luz) Tidelands and submerged lands: hard mineral extraction. Prohibits the State Lands Commission and local trustees of granted public trust lands from granting leases or issuing permits for extraction or removal of hard minerals (not including rock, gravel, sand, silt, and coal) from tidelands and submerged lands. Location: Assembly Natural Resources Status: 2/18/2022-Referred to Com. on NAT. RES. Position: Pending Staff: John (1)
AB 1944 (Lee) Local government: open and public meetings. Location: Assembly Local Government Status: 2/18/2022-Referred to Com. on L. GOV. Position: Pending Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 1952 (Gallagher) Infill Infrastructure Grant Program of 2019. Exempts from the California Environmental Quality Act projects funded by the $500 million set aside for the Infill Infrastructure Grant Program of 2019. Location: Assembly Housing and Community Development Status: 2/18/2022-Referred to Coms. on H. & C.D. and NAT. RES. Position: Pending Staff: John (1)
AB 1956 (Mathis) Solid waste: woody biomass: collection and conversion. Creates a new grant program administered by CalRecycle to fund woody biomass collection and disposal by rural counties with a population of 250,000 or less. Location: Assembly Natural Resources Status: 2/18/2022-Referred to Com. on NAT. RES. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
AB 2208 (Kalra) Fluorescent lamps: sale and distribution: prohibition. Location: Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Status: 2/24/2022-Referred to Com. on E.S. & T.M. Position: Watch Staff: John (1)
AB 2258 (Wood) Property Assessed Clean Energy program: wildfire safety improvements. Location: Assembly Local Government Status: 3/3/2022-Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and B. & F. Position: Pending Staff: John (1)
AB 2374 (Bauer-Kahan) Crimes against public health and safety: illegal dumping. Location: Assembly Public Safety Status: 3/3/2022-Referred to Coms. on PUB. S. and B. & P. Position: Pending Staff: John (1)
AB 2421 (Rubio, Blanca) Water: unlicensed cannabis cultivation. Location: Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Status: 3/15/2022-Re-referred to Com. on W.,P., & W. Position: Support Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 2449 (Rubio, Blanca) Open meetings: local agencies: teleconferences. Location: Assembly Local Government Status: 3/3/2022-Referred to Com. on L. GOV. Position: Pending Staff: Sarah (1)
ACA 1 (Aguiar-Curry) Local government financing: affordable housing and public infrastructure: voter approval. ACA 1 would lower the vote threshold to 55 percent for approval of local bonded-indebtedness and specially dedicated taxes imposed for specified uses. Location: Assembly Local Government Status: 4/22/2021-Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and APPR. Position: Support Staff: Tracy (1)
AJR 5 (Rivas, Luz) Wild free-roaming horses and burros: protection: roundup moratorium. AJR 5 would urge the federal government to declare a moratorium on all further wild horse and burro round-ups and would urge the United States Bureau of Land Management and the United States Forest Service to introduce and support populations in areas of California where wild horses and burros were historically present. Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water Status: 8/25/2021-Referred to Com. on N.R. & W. Position: Oppose Staff: Sidd (1)
SB 4 (Gonzalez) Communications: California Advanced Services Fund. Senate Bill 4 would modernize and increase the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) by exploring ways to facilitate streamlining of local land use approvals and construction permit processes for projects related to broadband infrastructure deployment and connectivity. Location: Senate Chaptered Status: 10/8/2021-Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 671, Statutes of 2021. Position: Support Staff: Tracy (1)
SB 11 (Rubio) The California FAIR Plan Association: basic property insurance: exclusions. 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. Location: Senate Chaptered Status: 7/23/2021-Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 128, Statutes of 2021. Position: Support Staff: Staci (1)
SB 12 (McGuire) Local government: planning and zoning: wildfires. Senate Bill 12 requires that the Office of Planning and Research, among other things, coordinate with appropriate entities, including state, regional, or local agencies, to establish a clearinghouse for climate adaptation information for use by state, regional, and local entities, as provided. This bill would require the safety element, upon the next revision of the housing element or the hazard mitigation plan, on or after July 1, 2024, whichever occurs first. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 7/14/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(11). (Last location was H. & C.D. on 6/24/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022) Position: Pending Staff: Tracy (1)
SB 28 (Caballero) Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act of 2006: deployment data. Location: Senate Chaptered Status: 10/8/2021-Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 673, Statutes of 2021. Position: Support Staff: Tracy (1)
SB 37 (Cortese) Contaminated Site Cleanup and Safety Act. Senate Bill 37 eliminates the ability to use a “common sense exemption” under the California Environmental Quality Act for any projects undertaken at over 40,000 sites throughout the state that appear on the Cortese List of currently or formerly contaminated properties. Instead allows specified types of projects to use either a statutory or categorical CEQA exemption is certain circumstances are met Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 9/10/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(15). (Last location was INACTIVE FILE on 9/8/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022) Position: Neutral Staff: John (1)
SB 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. Location: Assembly Natural Resources Status: 2/14/2022-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES. (Amended 2/14/2022) Position: Oppose Unless Amended Staff: John (1)
SB 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. Location: Assembly Desk Status: 1/24/2022-Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 29. Noes 7.) Ordered to the Assembly. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk. Position: Support In Concept Staff: John (1)
SB 213 (Cortese) Workers’ compensation: hospital employees. Location: Assembly Desk Status: 2/1/2022-In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk. Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 284 (Stern) Workers’ compensation: firefighters and peace officers: post-traumatic stress. Establishes a workers’ compensation system, administered by the Administrative Director of the Division of Workers’ Compensation, to compensate an employee for injuries sustained in the course of employment. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 9/10/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(15). (Last location was INACTIVE FILE on 8/30/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022) Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 286 (Min) Elections: Orange County Board of Education. Senate Bill 286 would require the top-two vote-getters seeking election to a county office to face-off in a General Election. Location: Assembly Desk Status: 1/26/2022-Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 30. Noes 7.) Ordered to the Assembly. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
SB 316 (Eggman) Medi-Cal: federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 9/10/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(15). (Last location was INACTIVE FILE on 9/9/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022) Position: Support Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 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. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 7/14/2021-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(11). (Last location was INS. on 6/10/2021)(May be acted upon Jan 2022) Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 359 (Caballero) Climate change: Resilient Merced County Incentive Pilot Program. Senate Bill 359 requires the Department of Conservation to develop and implement the Resilient Merced County Incentive Pilot Program to assist the County of Merced to develop and adopt a climate action plan through the use of a scenario-planning tool developed by the department and provide financial assistance to private landowners in implementing activities resulting from the use of the scenario-planning tool set forth in the adopted climate action plan. Location: Senate Dead Status: 2/1/2022-Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. Position: Pending Staff: Sidd (1)
SB 378 (Gonzalez) Local government: broadband infrastructure development project permit processing: microtrenching permit processing ordinance. Location: Senate Chaptered Status: 10/8/2021-Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 677, Statutes of 2021. Position: Pending Staff: Tracy (1)
SB 477 (Wiener) General plan: annual report. Location: Senate Vetoed Status: 1/27/2022-Stricken from file. Veto sustained. Position: Oppose Unless Amended Staff: Tracy (1)
SB 832 (Dodd) Water rights: measurement of diversion. Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water Status: 3/17/2022-March 22 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author. Position: Watch Staff: Sidd (1)
SB 833 (Dodd) Community Energy Resilience Act of 2022. 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. Location: Senate Appropriations Status: 3/17/2022-From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (March 14). Position: Support Staff: John (1)
SB 915 (Min) Firearms: state property. Location: Senate Appropriations Status: 3/9/2022-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (March 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 953 (Min) Oil and gas leases: state waters: State Lands Commission. Requires the State Lands Commission to terminate all remaining oil and gas leases under its jurisdiction in tidelands and submerged lands within state waters. Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water Status: 3/10/2022-March 22 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author. Position: Watch Staff: John (1)
SB 1100 (Cortese) Open meetings: orderly conduct. Location: Senate Judiciary Status: 3/17/2022-From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (March 17). Position: Pending Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 1127 (Atkins) Workers’ compensation: liability presumptions. Location: Senate L., P.E. & R. Status: 3/11/2022-Set for hearing March 21. Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 1215 (Newman) Battery and Battery-Embedded Product Recycling and Fire Risk Reduction Act of 2022. Location: Senate Environmental Quality Status: 3/2/2022-Referred to Com. on E.Q. Position: Pending Staff: John (1)
SB 1235 (Borgeas) Air pollution: portable equipment: emergency events. Location: Senate Environmental Quality Status: 3/17/2022-March 28 hearing postponed by committee. Position: Pending Staff: John (1)
SB 1256 (Wieckowski) Waste management: disposable propane cylinders. Location: Senate Environmental Quality Status: 3/10/2022-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E.Q. Position: Watch Staff: John (1)
SB 1326 (Caballero) Cannabis: interstate agreements. Location: Senate B., P. & E.D. Status: 3/16/2022-Set for hearing April 4. Position: Sponsor Staff: Sarah (1)