With the California legislature in the second year of its two year session, a few holdover bills, introduced last year but held before passing their house of origin (either the state Assembly or Senate), face an end-of-month deadline. They may come up for a vote as early as Monday, January 24.
Update (1/24/22): SB-54 and SB-379 both passed out of the Senate today. They have a long way to go to become law, but this is an important step.
Update (1/27/22): SB-260 passed out of the Senate to the Assembly yesterday.
Update (1/29/22): AB-558 passed out of the Assembly to the Senate on Thursday, Jan 27.
Update (2/5/22): AB-1369 passed out of the Assembly to the Senate on Monday, Jan 31. On the same day, SB-342 failed in a floor vote. It was just two votes short of passing. SB-582 and AB-1218 died without getting a vote at all.
These are the most interesting ones we’re tracking. If you learn about another bill that seems important, please send us an email (350southland @ gmail.com). Also, join our email list to get important updates and information ab so you can pitch in when good bills move through the state legislature.
These bills need our support! You can use this tool to find your state representatives and call them (call your Senator for “SB” bills and Assembly member for “AB” bills). You can include all relevant bills in one call, and just state your support for them, without giving additional information.
Senate Bills
SB 54 (Allen, Stern, Wiener) Plastic Pollution Producer Responsibility Act [Strong Support]
Phases out single-use plastic packaging and food service ware in California by 2032. This bill provides a vehicle for the legislature to negotiate with proponents of the ballot measure that has been approved to be on the ballot this fall. Update: this passed on 1/24 with a vote of 29-7.
SB 260 (Wiener & Stern) Climate Corporate Accountability Act
Requires U.S.-based companies — those doing business in California and generating over $1 billion in gross annual revenue — to disclose all of their greenhouse gas emissions to the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Requires CARB to publish a report detailing the reductions a company must make to align them with warming levels at or below 1.5 degree celsius of pre-industrial levels. Update: this passed on 1/26 with a vote of 23-7 (w/10 abstentions).
SB 342 (Gonzalez & Kamlager) South Coast Air Quality Management District: board membership [Strong Support]
This bill would add two environmental justice representatives to the board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). The new board members would be appointed by the legislature and must reside in and work directly with communities in the South Coast basin that are disproportionately burdened by high levels of pollution. Read our recent blog post to learn more. Update: this failed on the floor on 1/31 with 19 ayes, 8 Noes, and 13 abstentions. It needed two more votes to pass.
SB 379 (Wiener) Residential solar energy systems: permitting
Streamlines permitting for residential solar installations. As debate rages at the CPUC about how much to compensate residential solar installations for the power they generate, lowering the costs of installing solar has been an overlooked opportunity. Update: this passed on 1/24 with a vote of 31-1, with 8 abstentions.
SB 582 (Stern) Climate Emergency Mitigation, Safe Restoration, and Just Resilience Act
Allows CARB to increase its 40% GHG emission reduction target up to 80% by 2030 and requires the state to develop a climate restoration plan with negative emissions targets to restore atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gas emissions to safe levels. Requires agencies to create programs and strategies that ensure vulnerable and disadvantaged communities are more climate resilient and have access to restorative economic assistance. Update: this died without being brought up for a floor vote.
Assembly Bills
AB 558 (Nazarian, Kalra, and Quirk-Silva Quirk-Silva, and Luz Rivas) School meals: Child Nutrition Act of 2022
This bill would fund vegetarian and vegan food options in public schools. Update: this passed on 1/27 with a vote of 47-7, with 22 abstentions.
AB 1218 (McCarty, Berman, Medina, and Ting) Zero-emission new passenger vehicle and light-duty truck goals
This bill would codify in law Governor Newsom’s 2020 executive order phasing out sales of gas-powered cars and light-duty trucks by 2035. Update: this died without being brought up for a floor vote.
AB 1369 (Bennett) Buy Clean California Act: eligible materials: product-specific global warming potential emissions
This bill would add additional materials to the Buy Clean California Act, which sets a maximum global warming potential for materials used in fulfilling state contracts. Update: this passed on 1/31 with a vote of 57-17, with 2 abstentions.