The Barbed Wire - June 7, 2024

June 7, 2024
Bill of the Week: Senate Bill 504 (Dodd) – Wildfires: defensible space
RCRC Highlights Necessity of Rural Broadband Investment at California Broadband Summit
Lawmakers Call for Increased Accountability on Climate Change and Rising Home Insurance
Biden-Harris Administration Outlines Strategic Priorities to Strengthen the Nation’s Response to Wildfire
RCRC’s Eighth Annual Rural County Photo Contest is Underway NOW
BULLETIN BOARD
KEEPING UP
WEEKLY NEWS CLIPS
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Bill of the Week: Senate Bill 504 (Dodd) – Wildfires: defensible space

RCRC supports Senate Bill 504, authored by Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa), which clarifies that defensible space should be maintained in the State Responsibility Area under all weather conditions and allows for a 3-year phase-in of new ember-resistant zone standards (Zone 0) for existing structures to account for staging of work and costs of compliance.

Proper implementation and maintenance of defensible space around structures at risk of wildfire can have tremendous impacts on preventing ignitions and stopping the community-wide spread of fire during a high severity wildfire event. However, property owners where structures currently exist may need some lead time to account for the costs of compliance and procure contractors to complete structural work where necessary to comply with new ember-resistant zone standards once they are adopted. This is particularly true in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities where property owners may have particular difficulty with the costs of immediate compliance with the new standards.

SB 504 addresses these issues by allowing a 3-year window of lead time for existing structures to comply with the ember-resistant zone standards once they are finalized by the state. This lead-time not only allows property owners the ability to account for costs and labor necessary to comply with the standards, but affords the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, county governments, and other relevant agencies valuable time to educate residents on the new standards and any assistance or programs that can aid them with meeting the requirements.

The bill recently passed out of the Senate and will be heard in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee on June 10, 2024. RCRC's letter of support is available here. For more information, please contact Staci Heaton at sheaton@rcrcnet.org

RCRC Highlights Necessity of Rural Broadband Investment at California Broadband Summit

On June 5, 2024, RCRC, and its affiliate entity Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA), participated in panel discussions at the California Broadband Summit, a segment of the 2024 CalMatters Ideas Festival held in Sacramento.

RCRC President and CEO Patrick Blacklock sat on the first panel titled "The California Broadband Moment" discussing the efforts of RCRC and GSCA in seeking to advance broadband deployment in rural California in accordance with the resources provided by Senate Bill 156. He also called for preservation of the Loan Loss Reserve funding in the State budget to ensure the original vision and structure of Senate Bill 156 are safeguarded.

RCRC Chief Economic Development Officer Barbara Hayes then reiterated that message on the second panel titled "California's Pathbreaking Middle Mile Program", describing GSCA's aims to deploy an open access municipal fiber network in rural California utilizing the State Middle Mile. She detailed the necessity of partnership and collaboration among agencies and the state in connecting the State Middle Mile to last mile infrastructure and how one cannot happen without the other.

GSCA’s partner Utopia Fiber, an industry leader in Open Access, municipal broadband and the operator of the largest Open-Access, municipal fiber network in the United States, was also featured during one of the event panel discussions. UTOPIA Fiber has a partnership agreement with GSCA to assist in the development and administration of GSCA's fiber network. During the panel discussion, UTOPIA Fiber’s Executive Director Roger Timmerman with UTOPIA Fiber provided insights on the costs and challenges ahead in building fiber networks in California.

Learn more about the Broadband Summit here.

Lawmakers Call for Increased Accountability on Climate Change and Rising Home Insurance

On June 4, 2024, House Representatives Jared Huffman (D-Del Norte), Mike Levin (D-CA), and Adam B. Schiff (D-CA) alongside Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), sent a letter to the Federal Insurance Office (FIO) and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) urging them to ensure comprehensive and transparent data collection to understand and address the impact of climate change on property insurance premiums. The letter also urges FIO to use its subpoena power to compel states to participate in FIO’s data collection call and pushes the NAIC and FIO to publish the deidentified raw data for researchers and the public. “We are deeply concerned about the impact of rising homeowners’ insurance premiums on our constituents,” wrote the lawmakers.

“We have seen families reduce their coverage to cope with rising costs, making them even more vulnerable to a potential natural disaster. In some states, major insurers are pulling out entirely, leaving households scrambling for coverage or simply going without.”

“Congress created the Federal Insurance Office (FIO) to monitor issues and gaps in insurance regulations that could contribute to a systemic crisis and leave traditionally underserved communities without access to affordable insurance products,” the lawmakers continued. “Therefore, we urge FIO to use its subpoena power to compel any states who fail to participate voluntarily to submit their data, and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) to publish the names of any states that refuse to participate. We also urge you to publish all deidentified reported data for public use.”

Biden-Harris Administration Outlines Strategic Priorities to Strengthen the Nation’s Response to Wildfire

On June 3, 2024, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland issued a joint memo to federal agency leaders with wildfire responsibilities outlining their vision and goals for managing wildland fires this year. The Secretaries’ memo highlights fire management investments from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, as well as other strategic priorities to reduce wildfire risk; restore ecosystems; engage in post-fire recovery; support the wildland fire workforce; and make communities more resilient to fire.

In their message to agency leaders, the Secretaries emphasized that their teams are incorporating the newly updated National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy into their Departmental policy to provide a uniform framework for wildfire response and risk mitigation efforts. The Cohesive Strategy guidance is intended to help strengthen partnerships and better enable the Department of the Interior and Department of Agriculture to work across jurisdictional boundaries to tackle the challenges posed by climate change and increasing wildfire activity.

The Departments are further transforming their approach to wildland fire management using recommendations from the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission. Created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and composed of representatives from federal agencies; state, Tribal and local governments; and representatives from the private sector, the Commission submitted its final report to Congress last fall. It included 148 recommendations aimed at shifting our wildland fire response from reactive to proactive, building sustainable and long-term solutions, and creating communities and landscapes that are more resilient to wildfire.

RCRC’s Eighth Annual Rural County Photo Contest is Underway NOW

RCRC’s 8th Annual Rural County Photo Contest is going on now!  The contest invites individuals to submit their photographs capturing life in rural California and showcasing the beautiful scenery, activities, communities, history, and charm of RCRC’s 40 member counties.  

The first prize winner will receive a $300 gift card, the winning photograph will be featured during the September RCRC Board of Directors Meeting and in related print, online, and social media presentations.  

Photo entries (limit 3) should be sent to photocontest@rcrcnet.org and must include:  

  • Location where the photo was taken, including the county in which it was taken; and  

  • Photographer’s full name and email address.  

All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. on June 30th. Visit www.rcrcnet.org/photo-contest for details & official contest rules. View RCRC’s press release here

BULLETIN BOARD

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

 

Upcoming RCRC Webinar on Empowering Rural Counties by Navigating Gubernatorial Appointments

On June 13th, join RCRC for an informative webinar titled “Navigating Gubernatorial Appointments: Empowering Rural Counties.” This webinar aims to demystify the application process for gubernatorial appointments and the various responsibilities associated with stepping into these important roles. It will be hosted by Sierra County Supervisor Lee Adams, featuring Morgan Carvajal, the Chief Deputy Appointments Secretary at the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom.  

Date: Thursday, June 13 
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. 
Register here  | See Flyer Here

 

CalRecycle Webinar to Preview the Electronic Annual Report, System Functionality, and Assistance

CalRecycle will hold a webinar to preview the Electronic Annual Report (EAR), functionality of the system, and answer questions about how to fill the report out. CalRecycle staff will be available to answer questions relating to the EAR and reporting requirements.

Date: Tuesday, June 18, 2024
Time: 1:30 PM-3:30 PM
Register Here

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. To ask clarifying questions during the webinar, please register using the Zoom link. If you would like to send questions beforehand, please send to the LoGIC inbox (logic@calrecycle.ca.gov) and indicate that the question(s) is/are for the EAR webinar.

Webinars are being recorded and will be posted to the website as an implementation resource as soon as the materials are made ADA compliant. For those unfamiliar with the EAR, we suggest watching previously recorded webinars that provide a full walkthrough of the reporting system here.
 

Facing A Workforce Skills Gap?

What jobs are hardest to fill in your agency? As part of the Institute for Local Government’s (ILG) ongoing efforts to understand and anticipate the workforce needs of cities, counties and special districts, they are gathering data about current and projected workforce needs via a new survey. Your survey answers will help shape ILG’s new public sector apprenticeship program for non-traditional sectors. The survey takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete. Access the survey here. Participants will be entered to win a $250 gift card. Please contact ILG at apprenticeships@ca-ilg.org with any questions or for any needed clarification.

 

Employment Opportunities

Mendocino County

Shasta County

Shasta County is seeking a County Clerk/Registrar of Voters - Salary: $150,432.00 Annually. The position closes at 5:00 p.m. on June 7, 2024. To learn more here or to apply, see here.

CCDEH and CAEHA Seeking Shared Executive Director and Advocate (Sacramento - Remote)

The California Conference of Directors of Environmental Health (CCDEH) and California Association of Environmental Health Administrators (CAEHA) are seeking to fill a shared executive director and advocate position in Sacramento. This is a full-time position shared between these two public health organizations. This position is open through June 1, 2024, 5:00 PM, or until filled. Compensation and benefits are negotiable. Submit resumes by email to justin@ccdeh.com. To learn more, see the job announcement here.

CCDEH is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that was established in 1956 to promote public environmental health in California – especially at the local government level. CCDEH has three staff and a budget of approximately $.5million. CAEHA is a 501(c)(4) non-profit established in 1968 with 3 staff and a budget of approximately $2.0million. CAEHA serves CCDEH and local environmental health programs through state-wide advocacy and staffing support. Both organizations work closely with the hazardous materials and 
safety regulators in the California Unified Program. The incumbent will be expected to advocate on behalf of the local Unified Program agencies as well as CCDEH. For additional information on these organizations see: www.ccdeh.org, www.caeha.net, and www.calcupa.org.

 

2024 Public Meetings of the Drought Resilience Interagency & Partners (DRIP) Collaborative

Mark your calendars for the upcoming 2024 meetings of the Department of Water Resources DRIP (Drought Resilience Interagency & Partners) meetings. Members of the public may observe each meeting and provide public comments in-person (Sacramento) or remotely. Click the links below for information about each upcoming meeting.

July 12, 2024 | 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

October 18, 2024 | 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

 

Access the State Grants Portal for a Multitude of Funding Opportunities

Billions of dollars are up for grabs to public agencies and other entities, including tribes and businesses. Grant seekers can access a centralized portal of grant and loan opportunities here, or sign up to receive new grant opportunities delivered straight to your inbox

KEEPING UP

Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California's rural counties.

 

Edmond Blagdon, of El Dorado Hills, has been appointed Director of Enterprise Information Systems at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where he has been Deputy Director of Integrated Business and Technology Solutions since 2021 and has served in several positions since 2009, including Information Technology Manager II and Director of Communications and Change Management. Blagdon was a System Software Specialist III at California Correctional Health Care Services in 2016 and a Development Manager at the California Department of Health and Human Services from 2004 to 2009. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $189,000. Blagdon is a Democrat.

Cynthia Mendonza, of El Dorado Hills, has been appointed Chief of Legislative Affairs, Administration at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Mendonza has been Principal Program Budget Analyst at the California Department of Finance since 2022, where she was a Staff Finance Budget Analyst from 2021 to 2022 and a Finance Budget Analyst from 2016 to 2017. She has been a Behavior Consultant since 2009. Mendonza was Chief of Marketing and Regulatory Compliance at the California Prison Industry Authority from 2020 to 2021 and Chief of Budget and Financial Planning there from 2018 to 2020. She was a Staff Services Manager at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2014 to 2016, where she was a Health Program Specialist I from 2013 to 2014 and an Associate Governmental Program Analyst from 2012 to 2013. Mendonza earned a Master of Business Administration degree from California State University, San Jose, a Master of Science degree in Psychology from California State University, Stanislaus and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Saint Mary’s College of California. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $150,000. Mendonza is registered without party preference.

WEEKLY NEWS CLIPS

RCRC press releases and related news clips about RCRC and our member counties. Please note that a subscription may be required to read some external publications.

 

 

California’s largest reservoir project in decades clears environmental court challenge – The Sacramento Bee

California is one step closer to building its largest water storage facility in nearly 50 years, after a court ruled in favor of the Sites Reservoir project following a challenge by environmental groups. The Yolo County Superior Court issued the 65 page ruling late last week, marking a possible end to the project’s environmental litigation.

 

Early fires in California could signal worse to come, officials say – The Washington Post

A recent surge in California fire activity, punctuated by a large blaze that erupted outside of San Francisco on Saturday, has officials wondering if this year’s fire season could be worse than expected.  

 

Revealed: a century-old water war is leaving this rural California county in disrepair – The Guardian

Two rural California airports that are crucial to local air ambulance services, firefighting efforts and search and rescue operations are unable to perform critical repairs, blocked by an agency 300 miles away: the city of Los Angeles

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

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

AB 6   (Friedman)   Transportation planning: regional transportation plans: reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.   This bill would have amended 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. The bill would have required MPOs to send technical methodologies to CA Air Resources Board for review before project selection and approval can commence.   Location: Senate Transportation   Status: 5/30/2024-From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on TRANS.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 7   (Friedman)   Transportation: planning: project selection processes.   This bill would have required 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.   Location: Senate 2 year   Status: 9/14/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(14). (Last location was INACTIVE FILE on 9/11/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)    Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 62   (Mathis)   Statewide water storage: expansion.   Would have established 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. The bill would have required the Department of Water Resources, in consultation with the state board, to take reasonable actions to promote or assist efforts to achieve the statewide goal, as provided. The bill would require the department, beginning July 1, 2027, and on or before July 1 every 2 years thereafter until January 1, 2043, in consultation with the state board, to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature on the progress made to achieve the statewide goal.   Location: Assembly Dead   Status: 2/1/2024-From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 66   (Mathis)   Natural Resources Agency: water storage projects: permit approval.   Would have required CA Natural Resources Agency, or the relevant state 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 Dead   Status: 2/1/2024-From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 68   (Ward)   Land use: streamlined housing approvals: density, subdivision, and utility approvals.     Location: Assembly Dead   Status: 2/1/2024-From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.   Position:   No Position   Staff:  Tracy (1)

AB 422   (Alanis)   Natural Resources Agency: statewide water storage: tracking.   Would have required CA Natural Resources Agency, on or before June 1, 2024, to post on its publicly available internet website information tracking the progress to increase statewide water storage, and to keep that information updated.   Location: Assembly Dead   Status: 2/1/2024-From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 429   (Bennett)   Groundwater wells: permits.   If 1% of domestic wells were to go dry in a critically overdrafted basin, this bill would 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 Dead   Status: 2/1/2024-From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 460   (Bauer-Kahan)   State Water Resources Control Board: water rights and usage: civil penalties.   This bill would authorize CA 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: 6/3/2024-From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 491   (Wallis)   Local government: fines and penalties.   would provide effectual tools for addressing illicit land use activities, including unlicensed cannabis operations by (1) streamlined judicial reviewed for minor administrative penalties (under $25,000) imposed for unpermitted cannabis activities; (2) efficient collection of final penalty order (i.e. after administrative/judicial review is complete), in the same manner presently used for pesticide enforcement fines; (3) clarifies that priority of real property liens used to collect administrative penalties for these violations, by providing that such liens have the same priority as a judgement lien.   Location: Senate Judiciary   Status: 6/3/2024-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.   Position:   Sponsor   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: Senate Local Government   Status: 6/5/2024-In committee: Set, second hearing. Failed passage. Reconsideration granted.   Position:   Sponsor   Staff:  Sarah (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 2 year   Status: 9/14/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(14). (Last location was INACTIVE FILE on 9/12/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 1272   (Wood)   State Water Resources Control Board: drought planning.   This bill would have required 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 have required 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.   Location: Senate Desk   Status: 9/14/2023-Withdrawn from Engrossing and Enrolling. Ordered to the Senate. In Senate. Held at Desk.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 1337   (Wicks)   State Water Resources Control Board: water diversion curtailment.   This bill would have expanded the instances when the diversion or use of water is considered a trespass, and would have directed 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.   Location: Senate 2 year   Status: 7/14/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(10). (Last location was N.R. & W. on 6/7/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)   Position:   Watch   Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 1563   (Bennett)   Groundwater sustainability agency: groundwater extraction permit: verification.   This bill would have required 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 Local Government   Status: 5/22/2024-Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sidd (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 1785   (Pacheco)   California Public Records Act.   Would prohibit local agencies from posting an assessor’s parcel number associated with an elected or appointed official on the internet without their written permission.   Location: Senate Judiciary   Status: 5/29/2024-From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on JUD.   Position:   Concerns   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 1957   (Wilson)   Public contracts: best value construction contracting for counties.   would authorize any county in the state to utilize the best-value contracting model and eliminates the statutory sunset on such authority.   Location: Senate Appropriations   Status: 5/29/2024-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (May 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 2037   (Papan)   Weights and measures: electric vehicle chargers.   Current law regulates advertising that indicates the price of motor vehicle fuel, including electricity sold as a motor vehicle fuel. Current law requires a county sealer to enforce the advertising requirements. Current law defines “correct,” for purposes of testing and verifying the accuracy of a weighing or measuring device, as a weight or measure or a weighing, measuring, or counting instrument that meets certain tolerance and specification requirements. This bill would authorize a county sealer to test and verify as correct any electric vehicle charger operated by a public agency, as defined, that is located in the county in which the sealer has jurisdiction. The bill would require a county sealer to condemn and seize, or cause to be marked with a tag or other device with the words “out of order,” an incorrect, as defined, electronic vehicle charger operated by a public agency, as specified. The bill would authorize a county board of supervisors to charge an annual registration fee for the cost of inspecting and testing an electric vehicle charger operated by a public agency, as specified.   Location: Senate B., P. & E.D.   Status: 6/4/2024-From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on B., P. & E. D.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 2079   (Bennett)   Groundwater extraction: large-diameter, high-capacity water wells: permits.   The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act requires all groundwater basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins by the Department of Water Resources to be managed under a groundwater sustainability plan or coordinated groundwater sustainability plans, except as specified. Current law authorizes any local agency or combination of local agencies overlying a groundwater basin to decide to become a groundwater sustainability agency for that basin and imposes specified duties upon that agency or combination of agencies, as provided. Current law requires the State Water Resources Control Board to adopt a model water well, cathodic protection well, and monitoring well drilling and abandonment ordinance implementing certain standards for water well construction, maintenance, and abandonment and requires each county, city, or water agency, where appropriate, not later than January 15, 1990, to adopt a water well, cathodic protection well, and monitoring well drilling and abandonment ordinance that meets or exceeds certain standards. Under current law, if a county, city, or water agency, where appropriate, fails to adopt an ordinance establishing water well, cathodic protection well, and monitoring well drilling and abandonment standards, the model ordinance adopted by the state board is required to take effect on February 15, 1990, and is required to be enforced by the county or city and have the same force and effect as if adopted as a county or city ordinance. This bill would require a local enforcement agency, as defined, to perform specified activities at least 30 days before determining whether to approve a permit for a new large-diameter, high-capacity well, as defined. By imposing additional requirements on a local enforcement agency, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.   Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water   Status: 6/3/2024-From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.   Position:   Oppose Unless Amended   Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 2104   (Soria)   Community colleges: Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing Pilot Program.     Location: Senate Education   Status: 6/5/2024-Referred to Com. on ED.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 2149   (Connolly)   Gates: standards: inspection.     Location: Senate Judiciary   Status: 5/29/2024-Referred to Com. on JUD.   Position:   Oppose Unless Amended   Staff:  Tracy (1)

AB 2199   (Berman)   California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: residential or mixed-use housing projects.     Location: Senate Housing   Status: 6/6/2024-Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HOUSING.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

AB 2266   (Petrie-Norris)   California Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project: vehicle eligibility.   Requires the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to authorize a voucher for a public or private fleet issued under the California Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project program to be used for the acquisition of a zero-emission vehicle with a gross vehicle weight greater than 8,500 pounds.   Location: Assembly Dead   Status: 4/25/2024-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(5). (Last location was TRANS. on 2/26/2024)   Position:   Support   Staff:  Leigh (1)

AB 2276   (Wood)   Forestry: timber harvesting plans: exemptions.   AB 2276 extends the sunset date to January 1, 2031 for three important exemptions from timber harvest plan requirements necessary for small land owners to perform fuels treatment and vegetation maintenance on their properties for the purpose of wildfire mitigation.   Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water   Status: 6/3/2024-From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

AB 2302   (Addis)   Open meetings: local agencies: teleconferences.     Location: Senate Third Reading   Status: 6/6/2024-Read second time. Ordered to third reading.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  Sarah (1)

AB 2330   (Holden)   Endangered species: incidental take: wildfire preparedness activities.   AB 2330 would streamline the process for fuels treatment projects for local governments that require an incidental take of a candidate species.   Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water   Status: 5/29/2024-Referred to Com. on N.R. & W.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

AB 2344   (Petrie-Norris)   Fire prevention: grant programs: reporting.   AB 2344 would require the Governor's Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force to publicly post information regarding the allocation of funds from grant programs to provide better information regarding how the state's resources are being utilized for forest resilience projects.   Location: Assembly Dead   Status: 5/16/2024-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(8). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 4/10/2024)   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

AB 2346   (Lee)   Organic waste reduction regulations: procurement of recovered organic waste products.     Location: Senate Environmental Quality   Status: 5/15/2024-Referred to Com. on E.Q.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

AB 2469   (Committee on Emergency Management)   Emergency Management Assistance Compact: California Wildfire Mitigation Financial Assistance Program.   AB 2469 extends the sunset of the California Wildfire Mitigation Program from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2030.   Location: Senate Governmental Organization   Status: 6/5/2024-Referred to Coms. on G.O. and N.R. & W.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

AB 2528   (Arambula)   Williamson Act contracts: cancellation: energy projects.   The California Land Conservation Act of 1965, otherwise known as the Williamson Act, authorizes a city or county to enter into contracts with owners of agricultural land to preserve the land to agricultural use, as specified. Current law authorizes the cancellation of a contract under certain circumstances. Current law requires the city or county to execute and record a certificate of cancellation of contract if the city and county approves a cancellation of a contract. Current law authorizes the city or county to charge a cancellation fee in an amount equal to 12.5% of the cancellation valuation of the property. This bill would instead require that the cancellation fees be transmitted by the county treasurer to the Controller within 45 days of the execution of a certification of cancellation of contract.   Location: Assembly Dead   Status: 5/16/2024-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(8). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 5/15/2024)   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sidd (1)

AB 2787   (Patterson, Joe)   Energy: building standards: photovoltaic requirements.     Location: Senate Appropriations   Status: 6/4/2024-From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (June 4). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  John (1)

AB 2902   (Wood)   Organic waste: reduction regulations: exemptions.     Location: Senate Environmental Quality   Status: 5/29/2024-Referred to Com. on E.Q.   Position:   Sponsor   Staff:  John (1)

AB 3150   (Quirk-Silva)   Fire safety: fire hazard severity zones: defensible space: State Fire Marshal.   AB 3150 would allow for members of the public to petition the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) to review the Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for potential reclassifications based on new data, and would shift certain responsibilities regarding the maps from the Board of Forestry to the OSFM.   Location: Senate Natural Resources and Water   Status: 6/5/2024-Referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and G.O.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

AB 3238   (Garcia)   California Environmental Quality Act: electrical infrastructure projects.     Location: Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications   Status: 6/5/2024-Referred to Coms. on E., U. & C. and E.Q.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

SB 23   (Caballero)   Water supply and flood risk reduction projects: expedited permitting.   This bill would have authorized 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 have made 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 Dead   Status: 2/1/2024-Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.    Staff:  Sidd (1)

SB 399   (Wahab)   Employer communications: intimidation.     Location: Assembly 2 year   Status: 9/1/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(11). (Last location was APPR. on 7/11/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sarah (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 2 year   Status: 9/1/2023-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(a)(11). (Last location was APPR. SUSPENSE FILE on 8/16/2023)(May be acted upon Jan 2024)   Position:   Support   Staff:  Mary-Ann (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 624   (Alvarado-Gil)   Horse racing: state-designated fairs: allocation of revenues: gross receipts for sales and use tax.     Location: Assembly Revenue and Taxation Suspense File   Status: 7/10/2023-July 10 set for first hearing. Placed on REV. & TAX. suspense file. July 10 hearing. Held in committee and under submission.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Mary-Ann (1)

SB 707   (Newman)   Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024.   Creates a Responsible Textile Recovery Act to require producers to establish a stewardship program for collection and recycling of apparel and textiles that are unsuitable for reuse by a consumer.   Location: Assembly Natural Resources   Status: 4/3/2024-From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  John (1)

SB 820   (Alvarado-Gil)   Cannabis: enforcement: seizure of property.   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: Assembly B.&p.   Status: 5/23/2024-June 4 hearing postponed by committee.   Position:   Sponsor   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 945   (Alvarado-Gil)   The Wildfire Smoke and Health Outcomes Data Act.   SB 945, the Wildfire Smoke and Health Outcomes Data Act, would require the State Department of Public Health, in consultation with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force, and the State Air Resources Board to create, operate, and maintain a statewide integrated wildfire smoke and health data platform that, among other things, would integrate wildfire smoke and health data from multiple databases.   Location: Assembly Health   Status: 6/3/2024-Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and NAT. RES.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

SB 946   (McGuire)   Personal Income Tax Law: Corporation Tax Law: exclusions: wildfire mitigation payments.   SB 946 would exclude payments from the California Wildfire Mitigation Program, the state's pilot grant program to aid low income homeowners with home hardening retrofits, from eligibility for state income taxes.   Location: Assembly Revenue and Taxation   Status: 6/3/2024-Referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

SB 960   (Wiener)   Transportation: planning: complete streets facilities: transit priority projects.   Would require all transportation projects funded or overseen by the Department of Transportation to provide comfortable, convenient, and connected complete streets facilities unless an exemption is documented and approved, as specified.   Location: Assembly Transportation   Status: 6/3/2024-Referred to Com. on TRANS.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  Sidd (1)

SB 961   (Wiener)   Vehicles: safety equipment.   The Department of the California Highway Patrol regulates the safe operation of specified vehicles, including motortrucks of 3 or more axles that are more than 10,000 pounds, truck tractors, trailers, semitrailers, and buses. Current federal law regulates required safety equipment on vehicles, including rear impact guards on certain large trucks to prevent rear underrides in collisions with passenger vehicles. This bill would require certain trucks and trailers to also be equipped with side guards, as specified.   Location: Assembly Transportation   Status: 6/3/2024-Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and P. & C.P.   Position:   Watch   Staff:  Sidd (1)

SB 972   (Min)   Methane emissions: organic waste: landfills.     Location: Assembly Natural Resources   Status: 6/3/2024-Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

SB 973   (Grove)   Williamson Act: cancellation: solar energy projects.   The Williamson Act, authorizes a city or county to contract with a landowner to limit the use of agricultural land located in an agricultural preserve designated by the city or county to preserve the land, subject to conditions of the contract, that may include an agreement to a specified valuation of the land for purposes of property taxation. The act authorizes a landowner to petition the city council or board of supervisors, as applicable, for cancellation of the contract under specified circumstances and imposes a cancellation fee equal to 12.5% of the fair market value of the land without the restriction of the contract. This bill would authorize a board or council to grant a petition for cancellation where the land subject to the contract is located in a basin under the jurisdiction of an adjudicated watermaster or the groundwater sustainability agency. The bill would require the landowner to commit to limiting the amount of water rights to a specific solar energy project, as defined, that uses less water than the agricultural use. The bill would also require the board or council to make specified findings, including that the solar energy project use is being permitted that will use less water than the agricultural use.   Location: Senate Dead   Status: 5/2/2024-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(6). (Last location was L. GOV. on 2/21/2024)   Position:   Watch   Staff:  Sidd (1)

SB 1004   (Wilk)   Income taxes: exclusions: wildfires.   SB 1004, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2020, would provide an exclusion from gross income for any qualified taxpayer, as defined, for amounts received for costs and losses associated with wildfires.   Location: Assembly Revenue and Taxation   Status: 6/3/2024-Referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

SB 1045   (Blakespear)   Composting facilities: zoning.     Location: Assembly Natural Resources   Status: 6/3/2024-Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and L. GOV.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

SB 1046   (Laird)   Organic waste reduction: program environmental impact report: small and medium compostable material handling facilities or operations.     Location: Assembly Natural Resources   Status: 5/6/2024-Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

SB 1060   (Becker)   Property insurance underwriting: risk models.   SB 1060 would encourage companies offering property insurance in California and utilizing risk assessment models in their underwriting to account for home hardening, defensible space, and community wildfire risk mitigation measures in their models.   Location: Assembly Insurance   Status: 6/3/2024-Referred to Com. on INS.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

SB 1064   (Laird)   Cannabis: operator and separate premises license types: excessive concentration of licenses.     Location: Assembly B.&p.   Status: 6/3/2024-Referred to Com. on B. & P.   Position:   Sponsor   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 1066   (Blakespear)   Hazardous waste: marine flares: producer responsibility.     Location: Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials   Status: 6/3/2024-Referred to Com. on E.S. & T.M.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

SB 1101   (Limón)   Fire prevention: prescribed fire: state contracts: maps.   SB 1101 streamlines the process for CAL FIRE to enter into contracts for prescribed fire operations for the purpose of fuels treatment projects.   Location: Assembly Natural Resources   Status: 6/3/2024-Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and E.M.   Position:   Support   Staff:  Staci (1)

SB 1116   (Portantino)   Unemployment insurance: trade disputes: eligibility for benefits.     Location: Assembly Insurance   Status: 6/3/2024-Referred to Com. on INS.   Position:   Oppose   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 1143   (Allen)   Household hazardous waste: producer responsibility.     Location: Assembly Desk   Status: 5/22/2024-In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

SB 1156   (Hurtado)   Groundwater sustainability agencies: conflicts of interest: financial interest disclosures.   The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act requires all groundwater basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins by the Department of Water Resources to be managed under a groundwater sustainability plan or coordinated groundwater sustainability plans, except as specified. Existing law requires a groundwater sustainability plan to be developed and implemented for each medium- or high-priority basin by a groundwater sustainability agency. Current law authorizes any local agency or combination of local agencies overlying a groundwater basin to decide to become a groundwater sustainability agency for that basin, as provided. Current provisions of the Political Reform Act of 1974 prohibit a public official from making, participating in making, or attempting to use their official position to influence a governmental decision in which they know or have reason to know that they have a financial interest, as defined. However, current law permits a public official to make or participate in the making of a governmental decision, even if the public official knows or has reason to know that the official has a financial interest, if the official’s participation is legally required for the action or decision to be made. Current law makes a knowing or willful violation of the act a misdemeanor and subjects offenders to criminal penalties. This bill would require members of the executive team, board of directors, and other groundwater management decision makers of groundwater sustainability agencies to annually disclose any economic or financial interests pursuant to the Political Reform Act of 1974 that may reasonably be considered to affect their decision-making related to groundwater management, as provided.   Location: Assembly Elections   Status: 6/3/2024-Referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.   Position:   No Position   Staff:  Sidd (1)

SB 1159   (Dodd)   California Environmental Quality Act: roadside wildfire risk reduction projects.     Location: Assembly Natural Resources   Status: 6/3/2024-Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

SB 1175   (Ochoa Bogh)   Organic waste: reduction goals: local jurisdictions: waivers.   Would require the State Air Resources Board to consider alternatives to census tracts, as provided, when deciding the boundaries of a low-population or elevation waiver and would require low-population waivers to be valid for a period of 10 years.   Location: Assembly Natural Resources   Status: 5/28/2024-Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

SB 1269   (Padilla)   Safety net hospitals.     Location: Senate Dead   Status: 5/2/2024-Failed Deadline pursuant to Rule 61(b)(6). (Last location was HEALTH on 2/29/2024)   Position:   Support   Staff:  Sarah (1)

SB 1280   (Laird)   Waste management: propane cylinders: reusable or refillable.     Location: Assembly Natural Resources   Status: 6/3/2024-Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

SB 1361   (Blakespear)   California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: local agencies: contract for providing services for people experiencing homelessness.     Location: Assembly Natural Resources   Status: 5/13/2024-Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and H. & C.D.   Position:   Support   Staff:  John (1)

SB 1420   (Caballero)   Hydrogen.     Location: Assembly U. & E.   Status: 6/3/2024-Referred to Coms. on U. & E. and NAT. RES.   Position:   Pending   Staff:  John (1)