Information related to the current status of legislation and regulations impacting California’s rural counties.
Assembly Bill 995 (Garcia): Hazardous Waste: Assembly Bill 995 creates a new governance structure for the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and increases a wide variety of fees to partially offset DTSC’s fiscal imbalance. Specifically, AB 995 establishes a new board to oversee and establish goals for DTSC’s operation and consider appeals from permit decisions. AB 995 requires the state to establish a task force to make recommendations on changes to the existing fees and taxes that fund DTSC’s operations and the cleanup of contaminated sites. Status: AB 995 awaits the consideration of the Governor. RCRC Status: Concerns
Assembly Bill 1080 (Gonzalez)/Senate Bill 54 (Allen): Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction. Assembly Bill 1080/SB 54 would have required the state to reduce the waste associated with single use packaging and products 75 percent by 2030, requires the state to set standards for what is considered recyclable and compostable, and promotes the development of in-state manufacturing that uses recycled materials. Status: AB 1080 and SB 54 failed passage when the Legislative clock ran out of time for their consideration. RCRC Status: Support
Assembly Bill 2421 (Quirk): Emergency Standby Generators: Assembly Bill 2421 requires local agencies to make the installation of an emergency standby generator within the physical footprint of a macro cell tower site that meets specified requirements a permitted use subject only to local agency administrative review. Status: AB 2421 awaits the consideration of the Governor. RCRC Status: Support
Assembly Bill 2459 (Bigelow): Alcoholic Beverage Licenses: County of Mariposa: Assembly Bill 2459 would authorize the Alcoholic Beverage Control to issue up to 10 additional new original on‑sale alcoholic beverage licenses to bona fide public eating places in Mariposa County that have a seating capacity for 50 or more persons. Status: AB 2459 has been signed into law by the Governor. RCRC Status: Support/Co-Sponsor
Senate Bill 68 (Galgiani): Hazardous Waste: Treated Wood Waste: SB 68 repeals the sunset date for the existing regulatory framework for disposal of treated wood waste. Without this change, there will be very limited disposal options for treated wood wastes, thereby significantly increasing management and disposal costs associated with those wastes. Status: SB 68 awaits the consideration of the Governor. RCRC Position: Support
Senate Bill 182 (Jackson): Local Government: Planning and Zoning: Wildfires: SB 182 creates a structure of increased fire risk strategies to be used by local governments to plan and permit for housing development in a VHFRA, defined as state, local and locally designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ). This bill adds reducing development pressure in VHFRA as an objective of the Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA) plan through considering allocating a lower portion of housing to a jurisdiction, if appropriate, due to the risk to life and safety to catastrophic wildfire. Status: SB 182 awaits the consideration of the Governor. RCRC Status: Support
Senate Bill 1159 (Hill): Workers Compensation: Coronavirus: Senate Bill 1159 would provide enhanced workers’ compensation presumption benefits for coronavirus infections. Status: SB 1159 has been signed into law by the Governor. RCRC Status: Oppose