Information related to the current status of legislation impacting California’s rural counties.
AB 6 (Friedman) Transportation planning: regional transportation plans: Solutions for Congested Corridors Program: reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Amends reporting and transportation project review requirements, under SB 375 (2008), for the state’s 18 metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), for project information pertaining to climate and greenhouse gas emissions impacts. Requires MPOs to send technical methodologies to CA Air Resources Board for review before project selection and approval can commence. Additionally, the bill requires any project nominated by local or regional transportation agencies for Solutions for Congested Corridors funding to demonstrate how the project would reduce greenhouse gas emissions in compliance with state targets. Location: Senate Transportation Status: 6/14/2023-Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and E.Q. Position: Oppose Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 7 (Friedman) Transportation: planning: project selection processes. Requires all transportation projects funded, at least in part, through major state or federal funding programs to incorporate several, specified principles that include improving road safety, conformity with federal streamlined project principles, ADA compliance, water and air quality impacts, climate impacts, and access to disadvantaged communities, among others. Also requires State Transportation Agency to submit a report to the legislature on how all funded projects conform to the requirements of this legislation. Location: Senate Transportation Status: 6/28/2023-From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on TRANS. Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 50 (Wood) Public utilities: timely service: customer energization. Seeks to establish clear expectations for how quickly utilities are expected to deliver service to new customers and fulfill requests for increased load from existing customers. Invests the CPUC with authority to determine what constitutes the timely provision of electrical service and fulfillment of requests to provide additional capacity. Requires utilities to refine their distribution planning processes to work more collaboratively with local governments and ensure that the projected demand for a given planning cycle more closely matches the actual demand for service. Requires utilities to share information with local governments about where distribution capacity exists or could be easily added to help meet local housing and economic development objectives. Location: Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Status: 6/21/2023-From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E., U. & C. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
AB 54 (Aguiar-Curry) Department of Food and Agriculture: research funding: winegrapes: smoke exposure. Funds research and creates an advisory committee to mitigate the damage to winegrapes and wine that can occur from exposure to wildfire smoke. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 4/19/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) Position: Support Staff: Mary-Ann (1), Staci (1)
AB 62 (Mathis) Statewide water storage: expansion. Establishes a statewide goal to increase above- and below-ground water storage capacity by a total of 3,700,000 acre-feet by the year 2030 and a total of 4,000,000 acre-feet by the year 2040. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 5/10/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 66 (Mathis) Natural Resources Agency: water storage projects: permit approval. Requires CA Natural Resources Agency to approve the necessary permits for specified storage projects within 180 days from receiving a permit application, and would deem those permits approved if approval does not occur within this time period. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 4/19/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 68 (Ward) Land use: streamlined housing approvals: density, subdivision, and utility approvals. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 4/28/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was H. & C.D. on 3/16/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) Position: Pending Staff: Tracy (1)
AB 78 (Ward) Grand juries. AB 78 makes changes in Section 890 of the Penal Code, which would increase the per diem rate paid to civil and criminal grand juries from the current statutorily required $15 per day to an amount “equal to seventy percent of the county median daily income.” SB 78 lacks a mechanism to cover the additional cost this bill imposes on counties. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 3/22/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) Position: Oppose Unless Amended Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 297 (Fong, Vince) Wildfires: local assistance grant program: advance payments. Location: Senate Appropriations Status: 6/27/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 27). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. Position: Support Staff: Staci (1)
AB 338 (Aguiar-Curry) Public works: definition. This measure would change the definition of public works to include fuels reduction projects done under contract, thereby requiring prevailing wage for projects paid for in part or whole by public funds. Location: Senate L., P.E. & R. Status: 6/14/2023-Referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R. Position: Oppose Staff: Staci (1)
AB 356 (Mathis) California Environmental Quality Act: aesthetic impacts. Extends the sunset date of a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provision specifying that a lead agency is not required to evaluate the aesthetic effects of a project and aesthetic effects are not considered significant effects on the environment if the project involves the refurbishment, conversion, repurposing, or replacement of an existing building that meets certain requirements. Location: Senate Appropriations Status: 6/22/2023-In committee: Hearing postponed by committee. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
AB 400 (Rubio, Blanca) Local agency design-build projects: authorization. Would allow local governments to continue the utilization of existing state law, which allows them to use the Design-Build (DB) procurement process for qualifying public works projects. This bill achieves this by extending the existing January 1, 2025 sunset date to January 1, 2031 on the statutory DB authority. Location: Senate Appropriations Status: 6/21/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (June 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. Position: Support Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 422 (Alanis) Natural Resources Agency: statewide water storage: tracking. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 4/28/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was W.,P. & W. on 2/9/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) Position: Watch Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 429 (Bennett) Groundwater wells: permits. If 1% of domestic wells go dry in a critically overdrafted basin, this bill prohibit a county, city, or any other water well permitting agency from approving a permit for a new groundwater well or for an alteration to an existing well in a basin subject to the act and classified as a critically overdrafted basin unless the city county or well permitting agency obtains written verification from a groundwater sustainability agency that the proposed well would not be inconsistent with any sustainable groundwater management program AND the proposed well would not decrease the likelihood of achieving a sustainability goal for the basin covered by the plan. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 4/28/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was W.,P. & W. on 3/2/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) Position: Oppose Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 460 (Bauer-Kahan) State Water Resources Control Board: water rights and usage: interim relief: procedures. Authorizes State Water Board to issue, on its own motion or upon the petition of an interested party, an interim relief order in appropriate circumstances to implement or enforce these and related provisions of law. The bill would provide that a person or entity that violates any interim relief order issued by the board would be liable to the board for a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed the sum of $10,000 for each day in which a violation occurs and $5,000 for each acre-foot of water diverted in violation of the interim relief order. Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water Status: 6/27/2023-In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. Position: Watch Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 504 (Reyes) State and local public employees: labor relations: disputes. AB 504 would declare the acts of sympathy striking and honoring a picket line a human right. AB 504 would also void provisions in public employer policies or collective bargaining agreements limiting or preventing an employee's right to sympathy strike. AB 504 would grant sympathy strikers greater rights than the employees engaged in a primary strike and override safeguards for essential employees during a sympathy strike to ensure public health and safety services continue. Location: Senate Judiciary Status: 6/28/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (June 28). Re-referred to Com. on JUD. Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 531 (Irwin) The Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act of 2023. Would enact the Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act of 2023 which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $4,680,000,000 to finance grants for the acquisition of capital assets for, and the construction and rehabilitation of, unlocked, voluntary, and community-based treatment settings and residential care settings and also for housing for veterans and others who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness and are living with a behavioral health challenge. The bill would provide for the submission of the bond act to the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide primary election. Location: Senate Housing Status: 6/21/2023-Re-referred to Coms. on HOUSING and GOV. & F. Position: Pending Staff: Tracy (1)
AB 557 (Hart) Open meetings: local agencies: teleconferences. Absent any legislative intervention, the processes established by AB 361 to provide remote meeting flexibility to local agencies in emergency circumstances will expire at the end of this year. To remain best-equipped to address future emergencies and allow local agencies to effectively react and respond, AB 557 would eliminate the sunset on the emergency remote meeting procedures added to California Government Code section 54953. Additionally, AB 557 would adjust the timeframe for the resolutions passed to renew an agency’s temporary transition to emergency remote meetings to 45 days, up from the previous number of 30 days. Location: Senate Third Reading Status: 6/29/2023-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Support Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 606 (Mathis) California Endangered Species Act: accidental take: farms or ranches. Location: Senate Appropriations Status: 6/26/2023-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. Position: Support Staff: Staci (1)
AB 625 (Aguiar-Curry) Forest biomass: management: emissions: energy. Establishes the Forest Waste Biomass Utilization Program to be administered by the state board’s Joint Institute for Wood Products Innovation to develop an implementation plan to meet the goals and recommendations of the state’s wood utilization policies and priorities, and to develop a workforce training program to complement the workforce needs associated with the implementation plan. Requires annual reports on implementing the plan. Requires the Energy Commission to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature evaluating innovative bioenergy technologies that use forest biomass waste. Requires the Energy Commission to include in its integrated policy report an assessment of the potential for forest biomass waste energy to provide firm renewable power. Requires ARB to develop a methodology to quantify the greenhouse gas and short-lived climate pollutant emissions from wildfire, pile burning, and forest management activities. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 5/17/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) Position: Support Staff: John (1)
AB 692 (Patterson, Jim) California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: egress route projects: fire safety. Exempts from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) egress route projects undertaken by a public agency to improve emergency access to and evacuation from a subdivision without a secondary egress route if the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection has recommended the creation of a secondary access to the subdivision. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 4/26/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) Position: Support Staff: John (1)
AB 704 (Patterson, Jim) Energy: building standards: photovoltaic requirements. Exempts homes meeting certain requirements and rebuilt after being destroyed by a wildfire from state laws requiring installation of solar panels, until January 1, 2027. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 4/19/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) Position: Support Staff: John (1)
AB 764 (Bryan) Local redistricting. Would make changes to California’s FAIR MAPS Act, as proposed the bill will be costly, time-consuming, and challenging to implement with existing county resources. Location: Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Status: 6/19/2023-From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E. & C.A. Position: Oppose Unless Amended Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 817 (Pacheco) Open meetings: teleconferencing: subsidiary body. AB 817 would provide a narrow exemption under the Ralph M.Brown Act for non-decision-making legislative bodies currently governed by Act, such as advisory bodies and commissions, to participate in two-way virtual teleconferencing without posting physical location of members. In addition, AB 817 would remove barriers to entry for appointed and elected office by allowing non-decision-making legislative bodies to participate virtually as long as they do not have the ability to take final action on legislation, regulations, contracts, licenses, permits, or other entitlements. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 5/5/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(3). (Last location was L. GOV. on 3/16/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) Position: Sponsor Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 909 (Hoover) Solid Waste Disposal and Codisposal Site Cleanup Program. Makes illegally disposed hazardous wastes eligible for funding under the CalRecycle’s illegal dumping grant program. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 4/19/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) Position: Sponsor Staff: John (1)
AB 944 (Irwin) Fire stations: alternative power generation. Requires fire stations to have an alternative method to provide power generation for at least 96 hours during power outages. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 5/10/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) Position: Watch Staff: John (1)
AB 998 (Connolly) Biomass energy facilities: State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission: report. Requires the Energy Commission to issue a report on the utility-scale biomass combustion facilities still in operation as of January 1, 2024. The report must include an assessment of operational factors of each facility, a comparison of direct combustion compared to other biomass energy technologies, and a recommended strategy, if appropriate, to repower biomass combustion facilities to noncombustion conversion technologies. The report must include recommendations and strategies related to areas where combustion biomass facilities may be shut down or repowered, including strategies related to baseload power generation, processing waste, and job training. Location: Senate Appropriations Status: 6/26/2023-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
AB 1000 (Reyes) Qualifying logistics use projects. Prohibits local governments from approving warehouse development projects located within 1,000 feet of a large variety of sensitive receptors. Imposes new conditions on local approval of warehouse projects between 750-1000 feet of those sensitive receptors, in addition to mitigation measures required under CEQA. Location: Assembly 2 year Status: 4/28/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(2). (Last location was L. GOV. on 4/17/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) Position: Oppose Staff: John (1)
AB 1168 (Bennett) Emergency medical services (EMS): prehospital EMS. Would overturn an extensive statutory and case law record that has repeatedly affirmed county responsibility for the administration of emergency medical services and with that, the flexibility to design systems to equitably serve residents throughout their jurisdiction. Location: Senate Gov. & F. Status: 6/29/2023-From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on GOV. & F. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (June 28). Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 1248 (Bryan) Local redistricting: independent redistricting commissions. Would require counties with populations of 300,000 or above to create an independent redistricting commission for the 2030 redistricting process. Location: Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Status: 6/20/2023-In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. Position: Oppose Unless Amended Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 1272 (Wood) State Water Resources Control Board: drought planning. Requires State Water Board to establish a program, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, to adopt principles and guidelines for diversion and use of water in coastal watersheds, as specified, during times of water shortage for drought preparedness and climate resiliency. The bill would require that the principles and guidelines provide for the development of watershed-level plans to support public trust uses, public health and safety, and the human right to water in times of water shortage, among other things. Authorizes State Board to issue a cease and desist order when a diversion or use violates or threatens to violate an applicable limitation or requirement adopted by the state board for the diversion and use of water in specified coastal watersheds during times of water shortage. The bill would authorize a person who violates a principle, guideline, or requirement adopted by the state board for the diversion and use of water in specified coastal watersheds during times of water shortage to be held liable in an amount not to exceed the sum of $500 for each day that the violation occurs. Location: Senate Appropriations Status: 6/26/2023-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. Position: Watch Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 1337 (Wicks) State Water Resources Control Board: water diversion curtailment. Authorizes State Water Board to adopt regulations for various water conservation purposes, including, but not limited to, to prevent the waste, unreasonable use, unreasonable method of use, or unreasonable method of diversion of water, and to implement these regulations through orders curtailing the diversion or use of water under any claim of right. The bill would require the board to provide notice and an opportunity to be heard before issuing an order. The bill would provide that a person or entity may be civilly liable for a violation pursuant to these provisions in an amount not to exceed $1,000 for each day in which the violation has occurred and $2,500 for each acre-foot of water diverted or used in violation of the applicable requirement. Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water Status: 6/21/2023-In committee: Hearing postponed by committee. Position: Watch Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 1448 (Wallis) Cannabis: enforcement by local jurisdictions. AB 1448 would enhance local enforcement mechanisms for unlicensed cannabis activities by creating a streamlined local administrative penalty process, allow local jurisdictions to utilize statutory penalties and create more collection options. Location: Senate B., P. & E.D. Status: 6/21/2023-In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. Position: Sponsor Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 1484 (Zbur) Temporary public employees. While AB 1484 is ostensibly intended to benefit temporary employees of local public agencies, in reality, it will directly harm these employees by severely limiting their future opportunities for temporary employment. This bill would: inflexibly mandate that temporary employees must be included within the same bargaining unit as permanent employees; and that the wages, hours, plus terms and conditions of employment for both temporary and permanent employees must be bargained together in a single memorandum of understanding. This result is already possible under current law, but only if the temporary and permanent employees have a "community of interest" making such combined treatment appropriate – an important component of fair representation and bargaining that this bill eschews. Location: Senate L., P.E. & R. Status: 6/14/2023-Referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R. Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 1548 (Hart) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: grant program: recycling infrastructure projects. Expands CalRecycle’s existing solid and organic waste recycling grant program to help local governments get recycled material into the marketplace, find new homes for useful consumer goods, and expand local edible food recovery programs. Location: Senate Environmental Quality Status: 6/14/2023-Referred to Com. on E.Q. Position: Sponsor Staff: John (1)
AB 1563 (Bennett) Groundwater sustainability agency: groundwater extraction permit: verification. Requires a county, city, or any other water well permitting agency to obtain a written verification from the groundwater sustainability agency that manages the basin or area of the basin where the well is proposed to be located determining that, among other things, the extraction by the proposed well is consistent with any sustainable groundwater management program. Location: Senate Gov. & F. Status: 6/29/2023-In committee: Hearing postponed by committee. Staff: Sidd (1)
AB 1597 (Alvarez) Water quality: California-Mexico cross-border rivers. Provides that funds may be made available, upon appropriation, to the North American Development Bank for loans, grants, and direct expenditures to address water quality problems arising in the California-Mexico cross-border rivers. Requires funding to be available for water quality projects for the Tijuana River and for projects consistent with the New River Water Quality, Public Health, and River Parkway Development Plan. Location: Senate Environmental Quality Status: 6/29/2023-In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
AB 1616 (Lackey) California Cannabis Tax Fund: Board of State and Community Corrections grants. AB 1616 would require the Board of State and Community Corrections to prioritize local governments whose programs seek to address the unlawful cultivation and sale of cannabis when disbursing grants from California Cannabis Tax Fund. The bill would also authorize the board to make grants to local governments that ban both indoor and outdoor commercial cannabis cultivation or ban retail sale of cannabis or cannabis products. Location: Senate Public Safety Status: 6/26/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on PUB S. (Ayes 9. Noes 2.) (June 26). Re-referred to Com. on PUB S. Position: Support Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 1637 (Irwin) Local government: internet websites and email addresses. AB 1637 would require local agencies to secure and utilize their website through a new .gov or .ca.gov domain no later than January 1, 2026. It would also require all employee email addresses to reflect the updated domain within the same time frame. There are no financial resources connected to this bill resulting in an unfunded mandate to counties. Location: Senate Appropriations Status: 6/29/2023-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. (Amended 6/29/2023) Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
AB 1713 (Gipson) Local agencies: federal funds: reports. AB 1713 would require state agencies that receive federal funds subject to an expiration date to submit a written report to the Legislature no later than one year before the funding expiration date with a summary of how funds have been expended, and to provide a plan for the remaining funds to be expended. The bill would also require local agencies to include a similar report on an agenda of a public meeting of their legislative body. Local governments rely on federal funding to provide numerous local services on behalf of the state, much of which is associated with our role as the provider of federal entitlement programs, like Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, etc. Accordingly, local governments seek to maximize federal funding opportunities to provide these necessary services to the residents we serve. Unfortunately, AB 1713 would require local governments to be in a state of perpetual reporting or – in most instances – require duplicative reporting. Location: Senate Gov. & F. Status: 6/20/2023-Withdrawn from committee. Re-referred to Com. on GOV. & F. Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 23 (Caballero) Water supply and flood risk reduction projects: expedited permitting. Authorizes a state agency, defined to mean any agency, board, or commission, including the state board or the regional boards, with the power to issue a permit that would authorize a water supply project or authorize a flood risk reduction project, to take specified actions in order to complete permit review and approval in an expeditious manner. The bill would make findings and declarations related to the need to expedite water supply projects and flood risk reduction projects to better address climate change impacts while protecting the environment. Location: Senate 2 year Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 5/15/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) Staff: Sidd (1)
SB 35 (Umberg) Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment (CARE) Court Program. Location: Assembly Judiciary Status: 6/15/2023-Re-referred to Com. on JUD. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96. Position: Pending Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 43 (Eggman) Behavioral health. Location: Assembly Judiciary Status: 6/28/2023-Coauthors revised. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (June 27). Re-referred to Com. on JUD. Position: Concerns Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 69 (Cortese) California Environmental Quality Act: local agencies: filing of notices of determination or exemption. Requires local agencies to file California Environmental Quality Act notices with the Office of Planning and Research, in addition to the county clerk, and requires those notices (including any subsequent or amended notice) to be posted both by the county clerk and on the State Clearinghouse website within 24 hours of receipt and for a period of 30 days. Location: Assembly Natural Resources Status: 6/22/2023-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES. June 26 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author. Position: Pending Staff: John (1)
SB 75 (Roth) Courts: judgeships. SB 75 would authorize 26 new superior court judgeships, subject to appropriation. If funded in the budget, any new judgeships would be allocated to counties in the state in accordance with the Judicial Council's Judicial Needs Assessment. Location: Assembly Appropriations Suspense File Status: 6/28/2023-June 28 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file. Position: Support Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 91 (Umberg) California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: supportive and transitional housing: motel conversion. Repeals the sunset date of a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption for conversion a motel, hotel, residential hotel, or hostel to supportive or transitional housing. Location: Assembly Appropriations Status: 6/29/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (June 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
SB 326 (Eggman) The Behavioral Health Services Act. Would, if approved by the voters at the March 5, 2024, statewide primary election, would delete the provision that establishes vote requirements to amend the MHSA, requiring all amendments of the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) to be approved by the voters. The bill would recast the MHSA by, among other things, renaming it the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), expanding it to include treatment of substance use disorders, changing the county planning process, and expanding services for which counties and the state can use funds. The bill would revise the distribution of MHSA moneys, including allocating up to $36,000,000 to the State Department of Health Care Services for behavioral health workforce funding. Location: Assembly Health Status: 6/19/2023-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH. Position: Pending Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 367 (Seyarto) Farm, ranch, and public lands cleanup and abatement: grant program. Creates a grant program to facilitate the proper disposal of illegally dumped waste on state and federal lands. Location: Assembly Appropriations Status: 6/28/2023-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
SB 389 (Allen) State Water Resources Control Board: determination of water right. Authorize State Water Board to investigate the diversion and use of water from a stream system to determine whether the diversion and use are based upon appropriation, riparian right, or other basis of right. Allows State Board to issue an information order to a water right claimant, diverter, or user to provide technical reports or other information related to a diversion and use of water, including, but not limited to, all of the following: the basis of the water right claimed, the patent date claimed for the place of use, the notice date of the appropriation, and information related to the diversions and use of transferred water. Location: Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Status: 6/15/2023-Referred to Com. on W., P., & W. Position: Watch Staff: Sidd (1)
SB 393 (Glazer) California Environmental Quality Act: judicial challenge: identification of contributors: housing development projects. Allows a CEQA defendant to file a motion requesting the plaintiff or petitioner to disclose the identity of persons and entities that contribute more than $10,000 towards litigation costs for housing projects. Requires a plaintiff or petitioner to identify any pecuniary or economic interest related to any person who contributes more than $5,000 to the costs of the action. Location: Assembly Natural Resources Status: 6/19/2023-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES. Position: Pending Staff: John (1)
SB 399 (Wahab) Employer communications: intimidation. Location: Assembly Judiciary Status: 6/29/2023-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (June 28). Re-referred to Com. on JUD. Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 406 (Cortese) California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: financial assistance: residential housing. Exempts from the California Environmental Quality Act actions of a local agency to provide financial assistance or insurance for the development and construction of low- or moderate-income residential housing. Location: Assembly Consent Calendar Status: 6/29/2023-From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (June 28). Position: Support Staff: John (1)
SB 410 (Becker) Powering Up Californians Act. Seeks to improve electrical distribution planning, reduce interconnection delays, and ensure that California residents and businesses can timely access new and increased service for general economic growth, housing production, and meeting the state’s decarbonization goals. Charges the Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) with establishing reasonable average and maximum interconnection time periods. Location: Assembly U. & E. Status: 6/28/2023-June 28 hearing postponed by committee. Position: Support Staff: John (1)
SB 418 (Padilla) California Prison Redevelopment Commission. Would establish the California Prison Redevelopment Commission and articulate its responsibilities including its composition, with a focus on developing recommendations for repurposing closed state prison facilities. Location: Assembly Jobs, Economic Development and the Economy Status: 6/15/2023-Referred to Com. on J., E.D., & E. Position: Support Staff: Mary-Ann (1)
SB 525 (Durazo) Minimum wage: health care workers. SB 525 proposes to raise the health care minimum wage broadly across the health sector to $25 per hour, including for employees working in county agencies – specifically, county health departments, county mental health departments, county correctional health settings, county hospitals, and county owned and operated clinics. Additionally, SB 525 requires salaried employees to be paid twice the proposed $25/hour minimum wage – creating a new salary base of $104,000 per year. Location: Assembly Labor and Employment Status: 6/15/2023-Referred to Com. on L. & E. Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 551 (Portantino) Mental health boards. SB 551 would divert 20% of the prevention and early intervention funds from the Mental Health Services Fund (MHSA), to provide direct services on school campuses. Location: Assembly Appropriations Suspense File Status: 6/28/2023-June 28 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file. Position: Support If Amended Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 584 (Limón) Laborforce housing: Short-Term Rental Tax Law. Location: Assembly Housing and Community Development Status: 6/29/2023-June 28 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author. Position: Oppose Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 613 (Seyarto) Organic waste: reduction goals: local jurisdictions: low-population waiver. Exempts from SB 1383 regulations local jurisdictions that dispose less than 5,000 tons of solid waste per year and that have fewer than 7,500 people. Location: Assembly Appropriations Status: 6/28/2023-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. Position: Watch Staff: John (1)
SB 615 (Allen) Vehicle traction batteries. Requires all electric vehicle traction batteries to be recovered, reused, repurposed, remanufactured, or recycled at the end of their useful life in a motor vehicle or other application. Requires vehicle manufacturers, dismantlers, and secondary users to be responsible for end-of-life management of the battery. Location: Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Status: 6/15/2023-June 20 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author. Position: Watch Staff: John (1)
SB 620 (McGuire) Low-impact camping areas. Location: Assembly Housing and Community Development Status: 6/8/2023-Referred to Com. on H. & C.D. Position: Support Staff: Staci (1)
SB 624 (Alvarado-Gil) Horse racing: state-designated fairs: allocation of revenues: gross receipts for sales and use tax. Location: Assembly Appropriations Status: 6/26/2023-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. Position: Support Staff: Mary-Ann (1)
SB 642 (Cortese) Hazardous materials: enforcement: county counsel. Allows county counsels to enforce provisions of state law related to aboveground storage tanks, underground storage tanks, medical waste, and hazardous materials business plans. Location: Assembly Third Reading Status: 6/28/2023-Read second time. Ordered to third reading. Position: Sponsor Staff: John (1)
SB 651 (Grove) California Environmental Quality Act: groundwater recharge projects: Judicial Council rules of court. Location: Assembly Natural Resources Status: 6/22/2023-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES. Staff:
SB 672 (McGuire) Residential property insurance. Requires CA Department of Transportation to establish a standard fee structure for the application and placement of a parklet on a state highway, as specified. Prohibits the department from charging an encroachment permit fee for the application and placement of a parklet on a state highway. The bill would require the department to consider an encroachment permit application for commercial use. Requires the department to comply with applicable state and federal law in establishing the standard fee structure, authorize the department to adjust the fee schedule to comply with applicable state and federal law, and require the department to report to the Legislature if it adjusts the fee schedule to comply with applicable state or federal law. Location: Assembly Insurance Status: 6/26/2023-Re-referred to Com. on INS. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96. Position: Watch Staff: Sidd (1)
SB 675 (Limón) Prescribed grazing: local assistance grant program: Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force. Location: Assembly Appropriations Status: 6/21/2023-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. Position: Support Staff: Staci (1)
SB 751 (Padilla) Franchise agreements: labor dispute. Prohibits any franchise contracts, licenses, or permits for solid waste handling services entered into or amended by a local agency on or after January 1, 2024 from excusing the service provider from performance in the event of a labor dispute. Location: Assembly Natural Resources Status: 6/15/2023-Referred to Com. on NAT. RES. Position: Watch Staff: John (1)
SB 753 (Caballero) Cannabis: water resources. SB 753 amends Section 11358 of the Health and Safety Code to include groundwater as a public resource, and establishes that the theft of groundwater, unauthorized tapping into a water conveyance or storage infrastructure, or digging an unpermitted, illegal well may also be punished by imprisonment. This is an RCRC Sponsored Bill. Location: Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Status: 6/29/2023-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on W., P., & W. (Amended 6/29/2023) Position: Sponsor Staff: Sarah (1)
SB 820 (Alvarado-Gil) Cannabis: enforcement: seizure of property. SB 820 adapts the same seizure of property provisions currently applicable to unlicensed manufacturing of alcoholic beverages (i.e., moonshining), to cover unlicensed commercial cannabis activities. In addition, SB 820 would invest enforcement proceeds in the Cannabis Control Fund to support equity business. Location: Senate 2 year Status: 5/19/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(5). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 5/15/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024) Position: Sponsor Staff: Sarah (1)