2020 Legislative Tracker

The below list of bills related to climate change, particularly adaptation, are being tracked by ARCCA as a resource to its members and adaptation professionals in California. Please note that descriptions are pulled directly from the bill text in the Legislative Counsel’s Digest without any analysis, and some descriptions only include a portion of the summary. If you are interested in a particular bill, we encourage you to follow the link (bill number) to read the full text.

Last updated: Friday, October 2nd at 5:57 PM PST

New bill tracking progress bars

To help users visually see the status of each bill, ARCCA launched a new progress bar tracker under each bill that simplifies the legislative process into 10 key steps:

10% Introduction / First reading in the house of origin
20% Committee hearings
30% Second reading
40% Third reading
50% First reading in the other house
60% Committee hearings
70% Second reading
80% Third reading
90% Resolution of differences
100% To Governor to sign or veto

AB-291 (Chu) Local Emergency Preparedness and Hazard Mitigation Fund

This bill would establish a Local Emergency Preparedness and Hazard Mitigation Fund to to, upon appropriation by the Legislature, support staffing, planning, and other emergency mitigation priorities to help local governments meet emergency management, preparedness, readiness, and resilience goals. The bill would, upon appropriation by the Legislature, require the Controller to transfer $500,000,000 to the fund. The bill would require the Office of Emergency Services to establish the Local Emergency Preparedness and Hazard Mitigation Fund Committee under the Standardized Emergency Management System Advisory Board. The bill, on or before July 1, 2020, 2021, would require the committee to adopt guidelines identifying eligible uses of the funds by establishing an outline of standard activities distributed pursuant to these provisions for the mitigation, prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery phases of emergency management that supports the development of a resilient community. The bill would require, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the Office of Emergency Services to receive $1,000,000 annually and each county to receive $500,000 annually for specified purposes. The bill would require the Office of Emergency Services to distribute funds to lead agencies, subject to certain requirements and restrictions, as specified. The bill would require lead agencies to further distribute those funds to local governments pursuant to a specified schedule for specified purposes, and impose various requirements on local governments that receive funds pursuant to these provisions.

06/23/20: Referred to Com. on G.O60%
60%

AB-323 (Daly) Disaster Preparedness Account

This bill would establish the Disaster Preparedness Account in the State Treasury and would provide that funds in the account are available only for specified purposes, for appropriation by the Legislature, upon the Governor’s proclamation of a state of emergency, as provided.

06/23/20: Referred to Com. on G.O60%
60%

AB-1071 (Limón) Climate change: agriculture: Agricultural Climate Adaptation Tools Program: grants

This bill would require the Department of Food and Agriculture to administer a program for the disbursement of grants, known as the Agricultural Climate Adaptation Tools Program, as specified, to provide funding for activities that include the development of specified planning tools for adapting to climate change and developing resiliency strategies in the agricultural sector, using the best available science, as specified. The bill would require the department to conduct specified pilot projects in the central valley, central coast, and desert regions of the state, and hold trainings for technical assistance providers on how to use the specified planning tools with an emphasis on meeting the needs of small and moderately scaled farmers and ranchers, socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, and female farmers and ranchers. The bill would require the department to make available, upon appropriation, up to $2,000,000 to fund the grant program, as specified. The bill would not require the department to implement the program if the appropriation is not made. The bill would require the department to provide to the office the planning tools developed as part of the grant program, as well as information on any projects funded pursuant to these provisions, for possible incorporation into the clearinghouse for climate adaptation information. The bill would require the department to provide the council with regular updates on the implementation of the program.

08/06/20: Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.80%
80%

AB-1567 (Aguiar-Curry) Organic waste: scoping plan

This bill, on or before December 31, 2021, would require the [Strategic Growth Council], in consultation with stakeholders and relevant permitting agencies, to prepare and submit to the Legislature a report that provides a scoping plan for the state to meet its organic waste, climate change, and air quality mandates, goals, and targets and would require the scoping plan to include, among other things, recommendations on policy and funding support for the beneficial reuse of organic waste.

06/29/20: Referred to Com. on N.R. and W60%
60%

AB-1659 (Bloom) Large electrical corporations: wildfire mitigation: securitization

This bill would enact the Wildfire Prevention and Community Resilience Act of 2020 and would require the Natural Resources Agency, in consultation with the commission, to adopt an interim expenditure plan and an expenditure plan that are focused on reducing wildfire risk on the ground and in communities through activities such as defensible space implementation, home hardening, improved public safety, including expenditures to add trained emergency medical technicians to the workforce, and other authorized activities, as well as to prepare residents for wildfires through public education and outreach, as provided. The bill would establish the Wildfire Prevention and Community Resilience Fund and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, would require moneys in the fund be used for the implementation of those plans. […] The bill would require the commission to require large electrical corporations, as defined, to collect, on and after a specified time, a nonbypassable charge from their ratepayers, as provided, to finance the bonds issued for the support of the Wildfire Prevention and Community Resilience Fund, as described below.

This bill would authorize the department to issue bonds, in an aggregate amount of up to $3,000,000,000, the repayment of which, including interest, commences on the date on which the department has paid in full, at maturity, or legally defeases all of its any outstanding bonds issued for the support of the Wildfire Fund or on January 1, 2036, whichever is earlier, later, to support the Wildfire Prevention and Community Resilience Fund. The bill would entitle the department to recover, as a revenue requirement, amounts necessary to enable it to finance the bonds in support of the Wildfire Prevention and Community Resilience Fund.

08/30/20: Ordered to third reading.80%
80%

AB-2076 (Bigelow) Public lands: Department of Parks and Recreation: wildfire management plan: fire hazard severity zones

This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2024, the Director of Parks and Recreation to develop and implement a wildfire prevention strategy for all property that is partially or wholly under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks and Recreation that is located within a high or a very high fire hazard severity zone, as provided. The bill would require the wildfire prevention strategy to outline the department’s fire prevention goals and future projects for prescribed fire, defensible space, fire resilient restoration projects, and the fire hardening of the department’s structures, as provided, among other things. The bill would require the department to post the wildfire prevention strategy on its internet website, as provided. The bill would require the department to, on or before January 1, 2026, provide an update on the implementation of the wildfire prevention strategy to the relevant policy committees of the Legislature. The bill would require the implementation of the above-described provisions to be contingent on the enactment of an appropriation of moneys not from the General Fund for these purposes.

06/23/20: Referred to Com. on N.R. and W60%
60%

AB-2371 (Friedman) Climate change: Strategic Growth Council: science advisory team: climate adaptation and hazard mitigation.

This bill would require the office, by July 1, 2021, to convene a climate science advisory team to provide independent, timely, and science-based advice on the state’s climate adaptation and climate-related hazard mitigation efforts and to, among other things, provide input to improve climate adaptation and climate-related hazard mitigation planning across state agencies, including the plan. The bill would require the team to serve as a working group of a specified ICARP advisory group. The bill would require the team to provide recommendations to inform certain activities of the council regarding climate change. The bill would require, by January 1, 2022, the office to produce, in consultation with the team and relevant state agencies, regional governments, and local governments, an evidence-based list of recommended existing projects and potential projects of statewide significance and urgency that should be prioritized in order to advance the state’s climate resilience, including projects that improve community resilience and climate-related hazard mitigation through natural infrastructure. The bill would require the office, by July 1, 2024, to submit to the relevant policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature a report summarizing the actions of the team, the team’s contribution to climate resiliency and adaptation planning, and the office’s recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the team.

07/08/20: Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on EQ.70%
70%

AB-2621 (Mullin) Office of Planning and Research: regional climate networks: climate adaptation action plans

This bill would authorize eligible agencies, as defined, to establish and participate in a regional climate network, as defined, to prepare a regional climate adaptation action plan for certain regions, as described. The bill would authorize eligible agencies to voluntarily determine whether to establish membership in a regional climate network. The bill would not limit the number of regional climate networks that may be established within each region.
This bill would also require, by January 1, 2022, the office to develop guidelines, as prescribed, establishing how a regional climate network may develop a regional climate adaptation action plan, including certain information, analyses, and contents to be included in a plan and certain considerations and procedures for a regional climate network when preparing a plan. The bill would require the office to provide technical assistance to eligible agencies developing regional climate networks and plans. The bill would require, by January 1, 2022, the office to make recommendations to certain policy committees of the Legislature on improving state support for the creation and work of regional climate networks, as prescribed, and the potential sources of financial assistance and options for distributing state funds to support the creation and implementation of plans.
08/14/20: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.)80%
80%

AB-2800 (Quirk) Climate change: state infrastructure planning: Climate-Safe Infrastructure Working Group

Existing law requires state agencies to take into account the current and future impacts of climate change when planning, designing, building, operating, maintaining and investing in state infrastructure, as provided. Existing law requires the Natural Resources Agency to establish a Climate-Safe Infrastructure Working Group for the purpose of examining how to integrate scientific data concerning projected climate change impacts into state infrastructure engineering, including oversight, investment, design, and construction.

Existing law requires the working group to work in coordination with other state climate adaption planning efforts, and to consider and build upon existing information produced by the state, as specified.
This bill would add a specified 5-year infrastructure plan to the information that the working group is required to consider and build upon.
This bill would delete both the above requirement for the working group to make recommendations to the Legislature and the above inoperative and repeal dates, thereby extending the above provisions indefinitely beginning January 1, 2021. The bill would also provide that the working group shall only convene and perform its functions to the extent resources are available to fund the support of the working group and its activities.
09/24/20: Chaptered by Secretary of State – Chapter 118, Statutes of 2020.100%
100%

AB-2954 (Rivas) California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006: climate goal: natural and working lands

This bill would require the [State Air Resources Board] when updating the scoping plan and in collaboration with relevant state agencies and departments, to take specified actions, including, among others, to identify by January 1, 2023, an overall climate goal for the state’s natural and working lands, as defined, to sequester carbon and reduce atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions and identify practices, policy incentives, and potential reductions in barriers that would help achieve the climate goal.

08/14/20: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 2.) Re-referred to Com. on APPR.80%
80%

AB-3030 (Allen) Resource conservation: land and ocean conservation goals.

This bill would declare it to be the goals of the state by 2030 to protect at least 30% of the state’s land areas and waters; to help advance the protection of 30% of the nation’s oceans; and to support regional, national, and international efforts to protect at least 30% of the world’s land areas and waters and 30% of the world’s ocean. The bill would authorize the state to achieve these goals through specified activities.
The bill would declare it a further goal of the state to improve access to nature for all people in the state and to provide for recreational and educational opportunities, including wildlife-dependent recreational activities, with a specific emphasis on increasing access for communities of color and economically disadvantaged communities.
08/05/20: In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.70%
70%

AB-3205 (Salas) Regions Rise Grant Program

This bill would establish the Regions Rise Grant Program within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development for the purpose of supporting inclusive, cross-jurisdictional, and innovative processes that lead to inclusive strategies to address barriers and challenges confronting communities in creating economic prosperity for all. The bill would define “region” as a geographic area comprised of one or more counties and cities that form a functional economy.
This bill would require the office to develop and implement a process for the awarding of competitive grants to eligible applicants. This bill would define an eligible applicant as a regional collective comprised of public and private stakeholders who organize themselves around one or more community challenges or priorities impacting a region and meet certain requirements established in the bill. The process for awarding grants would be required to meet certain minimum conditions, including, but not limited to, that the funds awarded be available for a period of 3 years, and that the application contain specified information. The bill would require the office, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to issue grants to qualified regional collectives as specified. The bill would also require the regional collective receiving funding to submit a copy of its annual and final report, as provided, to the office and each city and county within the areas identified in their application as the geographic boundary of their work.
08/13/20: In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.60%
60%

SB-182 (Jackson) Local government: planning and zoning: wildfires.

This bill would require the safety element, upon the next revision of the housing element or the hazard mitigation plan, on or after June 1, 2022, whichever occurs first, to be reviewed and updated as necessary to include a comprehensive retrofit strategy to reduce the risk of property loss and damage during wildfires, as specified, and would require the planning agency to submit the adopted strategy to the Office of Planning and Research for inclusion into the above-described clearinghouse.
This bill would require a city or county that contains a very high fire risk area, as defined, upon each revision of the housing element on or after June 1, 2022, to amend the land use element of its general plan to contain, among other things, the locations of all very high fire risk areas within the city or county and feasible implementation measures designed to carry out specified goals, objectives, and policies relating to the protection of lives and property from unreasonable risk of wildfire. The bill would require the city or county to complete a review of, and make findings related to, wildfire risk reduction standards, as defined, upon each subsequent revision of the housing element, as provided. The bill would require the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to review the findings and make recommendations, as provided.
The bill would additionally require the Office of the State Fire Marshal, in consultation with the Office of Planning and Research and the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, by January 1, 2023, to adopt wildfire risk reduction standards that meet certain requirements and reasonable standards for third-party inspection and certifications for a specified enforcement program
This bill would additionally prohibit the legislative body of a city or county that contains a very high fire risk area, upon the effective date of the revision of the city or county’s land use element, from entering into a development agreement for property that is located within a very high fire risk area, approving specified discretionary permits or other discretionary entitlements for projects located within a very high fire risk area, or approving a tentative map or a parcel map for which a tentative map was not required for a subdivision that is located within a very high fire risk area, unless the city or county makes specified findings based on substantial evidence in the record.
09/30/20: Vetoed by the Governor90%
90%

SB-795 (Beall) Economic development: housing: workforce development: climate change infrastructure.

This bill, upon appropriation by the Legislature, would make up to $2,000,000,000 available in each fiscal year for the purpose of providing emergency economic recovery and development, climate change, and disaster response. Of the amount made available for any fiscal year, the bill would require the Controller to allocate $1,808,000,000, or a proportional amount of the total available amount for the applicable fiscal year, among various housing programs administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program, and for distribution by the California Workforce Development Board among local agencies to participate in, invest in, or partner with new or existing pre-apprenticeship training programs established as described above. […]
Of the amount made available for any fiscal year under its provisions, the bill would require the Controller to allocate $192,000,000, or a proportional amount of the total available amount for the applicable fiscal year, to the State Coastal Conservancy, the Strategic Growth Council, and GO-Biz, to be used for the Climate, Sea Level, and Natural Disaster Program and the Community Economic Development Program. The bill would require the State Coastal Conservancy and the Strategic Growth Council, in consultation with the Office of Planning and Research or any other appropriate state agency, to allocate $100,000,000, or a proportional amount, under the Climate, Sea Level, and Natural Disaster Program among specified eligible entities for the purpose of protecting communities dealing with the effects of climate change, as specified. The bill would require GO-Biz, in consultation with the Department of Housing and Community Development and any other appropriate state agency, council, or department, to allocate $92,000,000, or a proportional amount, under the Community Economic Development Program among these specified eligible entities for various purposes relating to community development. The bill would require eligible applicants to comply with specified requirements, including submitting plans for outreach to, and retention of, women, minority, disadvantaged youth, formerly incarcerated, and other underrepresented subgroups and, subject to certain exceptions, certifying that a skilled and trained workforce, as defined, will be used to complete any project funded under those programs.
08/03/20: Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.70%
70%

SB-801 (Glazer) Electrical corporations: wildfire mitigation plans: deenergization: public safety protocol

This bill would require an electrical corporation to deploy backup electrical resources or provide financial assistance for backup electrical resources to a customer receiving a medical baseline allowance if the customer meets those conditions. The bill would require an electrical corporation to develop its program to provide backup electrical resources or financial assistance in consultation with community disability rights groups or other local disability rights advocates.

Because this bill would add additional requirements to an electrical corporation’s wildfire mitigation plan that would be approved and overseen by the commission and because a violation of an order or decision of the commission implementing its requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new crime.

07/27/20: From committee with author’s amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.70%
70%

SB-862 (Dodd) Planned power outage: public safety

Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, authorizes the Governor to proclaim a state of emergency, and local officials and local governments to proclaim a local emergency, when specified conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist, and authorizes the Governor or the appropriate local government to exercise certain powers in response to that emergency. Existing law defines the terms “state of emergency” and “local emergency” to mean a duly proclaimed existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the state caused by, among other things, fire, storm, or riot.

This bill would additionally include a planned deenergization event, as defined, within those conditions constituting a state of emergency and a local emergency.

This bill would require an electrical corporation, as a part of its public safety mitigation protocols, to include protocols that deal specifically with access and functional need individuals, as defined, including those individuals who are enrolled in the California Alternative Rates for Energy program, as specified.

This bill would recast those provisions to authorize the electrical corporation to deploy backup resources to a customer, including an individual with an access of functional need, as defined, and would delete the requirement that the customer not be eligible for backup electrical resources from the other providers.

06/29/20: Referred to Com. on U. & E.60%
60%

SB-1320 (Stern) Climate change: California Climate Change Assessment

This bill would require the office, through the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program, to develop the California Climate Change Assessment, in coordination with the Natural Resources Agency, the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, and the Strategic Growth Council, and in consultation with partner public agencies designated by the office. The bill would require the office to conduct complete the assessment no less frequently than every 5 years. The bill would require the assessment to provide an integrated suite of products that report the impacts and risks of climate change, based on the best available science, and identify potential solutions to inform legislative policy, as provided. The bill would require the products to include, among other things, downscaled climate projections that assess climate change impacts throughout the state, including at regional and local levels, for near-term, medium-term, and long-term timescales, and under varied emissions scenarios, as provided. The bill would require the office to engage with regional and local governments, tribes, vulnerable communities, businesses, and members of the public public, as necessary, in determining the scope of the assessment and would require all final assessment products to be posted on or accessible through a state internet website. The bill would make the implementation of these provisions contingent upon an appropriation of funds by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another statute for these purposes.

09/24/20: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 136, Statutes of 2020100%
100%

SB-1348 (Stern) Fire prevention: vegetation management: public education: grants

Existing law requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to establish a local assistance grant program for fire prevention activities in the state. Exiting law requires that the eligible activities include, among other things, fire prevention activities, as provided.
This bill would also specifically include vegetation management along roadways and driveways and public education outreach regarding home and community wildfire resistance, as provided, as part of the eligible activities, as provided.

This bill would authorize any project or program described above, or any grant, funded from the Greenhouse Reduction Fund, to include projects or programs for vegetation management along roadways and driveways, including defensible space training, as well as public education outreach regarding home and community wildfire resistance, as provided.

08/26/20: Read third time and amended.80%
80%

AB-352 (Eduardo Garcia) Wildfire Prevention, Safe Drinking Water, Drought Preparation, and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2020

This bill would enact the Wildfire Prevention, Safe Drinking Water, Drought Preparation, and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2020, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $3,920,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance a wildlife prevention, safe drinking water, drought preparation, and flood protection program.

The bill would provide for the submission of these provisions to the voters at the November 3, 2020, statewide general election.

08/14/19: From committee chair, with author’s amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on EQ.70%
70%

AB-1839 (Bonta) Climate change: Economic, environmental, and social recovery: California Green New Deal: California Green New Deal Task Force: report. COVID-19 Recovery Deal.

This bill would enact the California COVID-19 Recovery Deal. The bill would make a series of legislative findings and declarations pertaining to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and various economic, environmental, and social conditions in the state. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature that the state adopt a policy framework with principles and goals committed to accomplish specified economic, environmental, and social objectives and priorities as part of the state’s COVID-19 recovery spending. The bill would state that the Legislature establishes various spending rules for the COVID-19 recovery, including adopting spending measures that prohibit businesses, organizations, or agencies from accepting public funds for any long-term projects that prolong the emission of greenhouses gases or lead to the expansion of fossil fuel projects and ensuring that recovery spending includes specific measures for California populations and communities most negatively impacted by COVID-19.
05/11/20: Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.30%
30%

AB-1920 (Boerner Horvath) Climate change: California Climate Adaptation Center and Regional Support Network

This bill would declare the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation that would establish the California Climate Adaptation Center and Regional Support Network to provide technical support and information to local governments on adapting to climate change impacts, including, but not limited to, sea level rise.

This bill would establish the Climate Adaptation Center and Regional Support Network in the Ocean Protection Council to provide local governments facing sea level rise challenges with information and scientific expertise necessary to proceed with sea level rise mitigation.
05/05/20: Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.30%
30%

AB-1942 (Gallagher) Forestry and fire protection: reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases

This bill would appropriate $330,000,000 for the 2020–21 fiscal year from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, as specified, to the department for specified healthy forest and fire prevention programs and projects that improve forest health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by uncontrolled wildfires, with not less than $10,000,000 for the California Conservation Corps’ fire prevention projects and activities in, or adjacent to, the state responsibility areas.

03/16/20: In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.20%
20%

AB-1992 (Friedman) Transportation: asset management plan: California Transportation Plan: transportation infrastructure: climate change

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would establish a new program to fund climate change adaptation planning for transportation impacts, data collection, modeling, and training. The bill would require the department, in consultation with the commission, to update the asset management plan on or before December 31, 2022, and every 4 years thereafter, and for the update updates to also address take into account the forecasted impacts of climate change on transportation infrastructure impacts of climate change. infrastructure. The bill would require both the 3rd update updates to the California Transportation Plan, which is due in 2025, Plan and the Strategic Growth Council’s report to include a forecast of the impacts of climate change on transportation impacts of climate change infrastructure and measures to address those impacts. The bill would require the commission’s revisions to the guidelines for the preparation of regional transportation plans to include a requirement that designated transportation planning agencies take into account the forecasted transportation infrastructure impacts of climate change. By requiring regional transportation plans to take into account this additional factor, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

03/12/20: Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.30%
30%

AB-2000 (Kamlager) Baldwin Hills Conservancy: urban watersheds conservancy expansion

This bill would expand the area covered by the conservancy to include the southern Ballona Creek Watershed, as defined, and the Upper Dominquez Dominguez Channel, as defined. The bill would rename the conservancy the Baldwin Hills and Urban Watersheds Conservancy and make conforming changes.

The bill would repeal the January 1, 2026, sunset date, thereby extending the act indefinitely.

This bill would also require that the entire area is to be managed for optimum climate resilience.

This bill would require the conservancy to carry out projects and activities to further the purposes of the act, study the potential environmental and recreational uses of the Baldwin Hills, southern Ballona Creek Watershed, and Upper Dominguez Channel area, and develop and adopt a proposed watershed and open-space plan for improvements in the conservancy territory, as provided. The bill would require this plan to be submitted to the Legislature on or before January 1, 2022.

This bill would require the conservancy to additionally administer any funds appropriated to it for these purposes from any future bond act or local initiative measure, as provided.

05/05/20: Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.30%
30%

AB-2089 (Luz Rivas) Resilient Economies and Community Health Pilot Program

This bill would establish the Environmental and Justice Empowerment Outreach Resilient Economies and Community Health Pilot Program from January 1, 2021, through January 1, December 31, 2025, and would have the program be administered by the council as a grant pilot program for eligible community-based organizations, as defined, to provide a comprehensive suite of coordinated incentives and services to disadvantaged communities, as defined, at the resident household level to provide economic savings, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, and improve resiliency to the impacts of climate change. The bill would require the council to submit specified reports to the Legislature on the program no later than December 31, January 1, 2025.

03/16/20: In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.30%
30%

AB-2148 (Quirk) Climate change: adaptation: regional plans

This bill would require the Strategic Growth Council, by July 1, 2021, to establish guidelines for the formation of regional climate adaptation planning groups. The bill would require the council, by July 1, 2022, to develop criteria for the development of regional climate adaptation plans.

03/09/20: Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.30%
30%

AB-2367 (Gonzalez, Límon) Residential property insurance: wildfire resilience

This bill would create the Wildfire Resilience Task Force, which would include the Insurance Commissioner, the Director of the Office of Emergency Services, and the State Fire Marshal, or their designees. The bill would require the task force to establish minimum standards for fire-hardened homes and communities, and would authorize the commissioner to promulgate regulations to implement specified exceptions to those standards. The bill would require an admitted insurer that offers or sells residential property insurance to, at a minimum, offer or sell the existing residential property insurance coverage it most commonly offers or sells to an applicant or insured who owns a residence that has an estimated replacement cost consistent with the insurer’s underwriting guidelines, meets the minimum standards established by the task force, and  was built exists in a development that was established before those standards were established. established, including a residence rebuilt after being destroyed by wildfire.

05/05/20: Re-referred to Com. on INS.30%
30%

AB-2393 (Petrie-Norris) Environmental protection: Natural Resources Agency: coastal adaptation projects: sea level rise: regulatory review and permitting: report.

This bill would enact the Coastal Adaptation Permitting Act of 2020. The bill would require the agency to explore, and authorize it to implement, options within the agency’s jurisdiction to establish a more coordinated and efficient regulatory review and permitting process for coastal adaptation projects, as defined. The bill would require the agency to submit, by July 1, 2022, a report to the Legislature with suggestions and recommendations for improving and expediting the regulatory review and permitting process for coastal adaptation projects.

05/05/20: Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.30%
30%

AB-2441 (Luz Rivas) Climate change: Safeguarding California Plan: Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program.

This bill would include, as objectives to be maximized [in the Safeguarding California Plan], building resilient communities by developing projects that incorporate, to the maximum extent feasible, cool surface materials and investing in communities to develop community-specific climate resilience plans and to establish community resilience centers to mitigate impacts of local climate risks. The bill would additionally require the Office of Emergency Services to coordinate with the State Department of Public Health in the review and update of the Adaption Planning Guide.
This bill would establish the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program to coordinate the state’s efforts to address extreme heat and to facilitate the implementation of regional and state climate change planning into effective projects through the awarding of competitive grants to eligible entities for implementation of those projects. The bill would require the Strategic Growth Council to administer the program. The bill would establish the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Fund in the State Treasury and would require the council, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to expend moneys in the fund for the implementation of the program.
05/05/20: Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.30%
30%

AB-2522 (Petrie-Norris) Sea level rise: working group: economic analyses

This bill would require state agencies to take into account the current and future impacts of sea level rise when planning, designing, building, operating, maintaining, and investing in coastal infrastructure, or otherwise approving, to the extent not in conflict with an appropriation or any other law, the dispersal of state funds for those purposes. The bill would require, by March 1, 2021, the Ocean Protection Council, in consultation with the Office of Planning and Research, to establish a multiagency working group, consisting of specified individuals, on sea level rise to provide recommended policies, resolutions, projects, and other actions to address sea level rise, the breadth of its impact, and the severity of its anticipated harm. The bill would require the working group to, among other things, develop, in consultation with the Office of Planning and Research, a standardized methodology and template for conducting economic analyses of risks and adaptation strategies associated with sea level rise, as provided. The bill would require state agencies to conduct economic analyses of risks and adaptation strategies associated with sea level rise for all state-funded projects, and restrict funding as needed, to the extent not in conflict with an appropriation or any other law, pursuant to this methodology. The bill would require state agencies to annually submit, on or before ______, a form, that the Controller would be required to create, to the Controller that certifies that the state agency is in compliance with certain of the above provisions. The bill would authorize the Controller to conduct audits of state agencies to ensure compliance with certain of the above provisions.

05/05/20: Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.30%
30%

AB-2577 (Chiu) Environmental protection: vulnerable population: identification

This bill would require the Office of Planning and Research and the Strategic Growth Council to identify vulnerable populations using geographic, socioeconomic, public health, social determinants of health, environmental, and climate exposure criteria. The bill would require the office and council, in identifying the vulnerable populations, to undertake a robust participatory process that engages members of disadvantaged communities and other populations at significant risk from climate change impacts.

03/12/20: Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.20%
20%

AB-2619 (Stone) Coastal resources: Program for Coastal Resilience, Adaptation, and Access

This bill would establish the Program for Coastal Resilience, Adaptation, and Access for the purpose of funding specified activities intended to help the state prepare, plan, and implement actions to address and adapt to sea level rise and coastal climate change. The bill would create the Coastal Resilience, Adaptation, and Access Fund in the State Treasury, and would authorize the California Coastal Commission and specified state agencies to expend moneys in the fund, upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act, to take actions, based upon the best scientific information, that are designed to address and adapt to sea level rise and coastal climate change, as prescribed. The bill would require the Natural Resources Agency to annually make available information regarding any activity funded under the program on a publicly accessible internet website. The bill would also require the Director of State Planning and Research to consider the program in its administration of the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program.

This bill would require, for the 2021–22 fiscal year and for each fiscal year thereafter, an amount not less than 30% of those funds received by the commission and required to be deposited into the General Fund by the commission pursuant to those provisions, except as provided, to be transferred to the Coastal Resilience, Adaptation, and Access Fund and made available, upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act, for expenditure for purposes of the Program for Coastal Resilience, Adaptation, and Access.

06/03/20: In committee: Held under submission.40%
40%

AB-2693 (Bloom) Shasta, Trinity, and Oroville Watershed Restoration Administration.

This bill would instead require the Natural Resources Agency and the California Environmental Protection Agency to jointly develop and submit to the Legislature a spatially explicit plan for forest and watershed restoration investments in the drainages that supply the Oroville, Shasta, and Trinity Reservoirs. The bill would establish the Shasta, Trinity, and Oroville Watershed Restoration Administration (STOWRA) under the State Water Resources Control Board to coordinate and facilitate the restoration and conservation of the watersheds supplying the Oroville, Shasta, and Trinity  Reservoirs. The bill would authorize General Fund moneys to be deposited in the Headwaters Restoration Account. The bill would require any other moneys received for purposes of the bill to be deposited in the Headwaters Restoration Special Subaccount, which the bill would establish. The bill would continuously appropriate all moneys in the subaccount to the STOWRA for purposes of the bill. The bill would require the STOWRA to provide grant funding from the Headwaters Restoration Account and the Headwaters Restoration Special Subaccount for purposes of the bill.

The bill would require the STOWRA, in selecting watershed restoration and conservation projects for grant funding from the Headwaters Restoration Account and the Headwaters Restoration Special Subaccount, to prioritize and plan restoration grantmaking opportunities that simultaneously benefit watershed function, native fish and wildlife habitat, water reliability and quality, and climate resilience. The bill would require the  STOWRA, on or before January 1 2022, to develop an implementation plan for the completion of the priority restoration and conservation projects within 15 years. The bill would require the STOWRA to provide an annual report to the Legislature detailing progress toward the comprehensive restoration of the region.

06/03/20: In committee: Held under submission.40%
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AB-2812 (Eduardo Garcia) California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006: Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: investment plan

This bill, beginning July 1, 2021, would require state agencies administering competitive grant programs that allocate moneys from the fund to give specified communities preferential points during grant application scoring for programs intended to improve air quality and to include a specified application timeline and to allow applicants from the Counties of Imperial and San Diego to include daytime population numbers in grant applications.
This bill, for competitive grant programs that involve housing, urban forestry, urban greening, or planning and that allocate moneys from the fund after July 1, 2021, would require state agencies administering those moneys from the fund to develop at least 3 categories for applications based on the population and density of where the proposed project is to be located and to develop scoring criteria for each category, as specified.
This bill would additionally require the moneys in the fund to be used to facilitate the achievement of reductions of greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the act and to increase water supply resilience; reduce or prevent increases in transportation, energy, or fuel costs, particularly in disadvantaged communities; accelerate the development and implementation of low-carbon technology; reduce vehicle miles traveled; promote zoning and development activities that increase public access to essential services or amenities; promote partnerships between multiple jurisdictions; promote climate change adaptation capacity; and improve community access to green space.
This bill also would require the Department of Finance to include in an annual report to the Legislature specified information on the applications received for each grant program allocating moneys from the fund.
03/16/20: Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.30%
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AB-2839 (Eduardo Garcia) California Deserts Conservancy: establishment

This bill would establish the California Deserts Conservancy in the agency to undertake various conservation activities, as prescribed, related to the California deserts region, as defined, to protect, conserve, and restore that region’s natural, cultural, archaeological, historical, and physical resources, among other functions. The bill would require the conservancy to be governed by a 13-member board of directors, as prescribed, with up to 3 additional nonvoting board members, as specified. The bill would authorize the conservancy to adopt guidelines setting priorities and criteria for projects and programs throughout the California deserts region, and authorize the conservancy to make grants and loans to local public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and tribal organizations in order to carry out the purposes of the bill’s provisions. The bill would create the California Deserts Conservancy Fund within the State Treasury and make moneys in this fund available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of implementing the bill’s provisions.

03/02/20 Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.20%
20%

AB-3256 (Eduardo Garcia) Economic Recovery, Wildfire Prevention, Safe Drinking Water, Drought Preparation, and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2020

This bill would enact the Economic Recovery, Wildfire Prevention, Safe Drinking Water, Climate Resilience, Drought Preparation, and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2020, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $6,980,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for a an economic recovery, wildfire prevention, safe drinking water, climate resilience, drought preparation, and flood protection program.
This bill would provide for the submission of these provisions to the voters at the November 3, 2020, statewide general election.
06/08/20: Re-referred to Com. on RLS.30%
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SB-45 (Allen) Wildfire Prevention, Safe Drinking Water, Drought Preparation, and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2020

This bill would enact the Wildfire Prevention, Safe Drinking Water, Drought Preparation, and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2020, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $4,189,000,000 $5,510,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for a wildfire prevention, safe drinking water, drought preparation, and flood protection program.

This bill would provide for the submission of these provisions to the voters at the March 3, November 3, 2020, statewide primary general election.

01/30/20: In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.50%
50%

SB-1100 (Atkins) Coastal resources: sea level rise

This bill would also include, as part of the procedures the commission is required to adopt, recommendations and guidelines for the identification, assessment, minimization, and mitigation of sea level rise within each local coastal program, as provided. The bill would delete the timeframe specified above by which the commission is required to adopt these procedures. The bill would require the commission to take into account the effects of sea level rise in coastal resource planning and management policies and activities, as provided. In addition, the bill would require state and regional agencies to identify, assess, and, to the extent feasible and consistent with their statutory authorities, minimize and mitigate the impacts of sea level rise. To the extent that a regional agency is a local public agency, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill would add, as part of those goals, the goal of anticipating, assessing, planning for, and, to the extent feasible, minimizing and mitigating the adverse environmental and economic effects of sea level rise within the coastal zone.

This bill would create within state government the California Sea Level Rise State and Regional Support Collaborative. The bill would require the collaborative to consist of 5 members, as provided, including the Secretary for Environmental Protection and the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency. The bill would require the collaborative to provide state and regional information to the public and support to local, regional, and other state agencies for the identification, assessment, and, where feasible, the mitigation of sea level rise. The bill would require, upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act, the collaborative to expend no more than $100,000,000 annually from appropriate bond funds and other sources for the purpose of making grants to local governments to update local and regional land use plans to take into account sea level rise and for directly related investments to implement those plans, as provided. The bill would require the Secretary for Environmental Protection and the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, as part of the adoption of the annual Budget Act, to annually appear before the budget committees of both houses of the Legislature regarding the implementation of the above provisions.

This bill would instead authorize the secretary to expend up to $2,000,000 per year for purposes of the grant program and would require up to $500,000 of that money to be expended by the secretary for grants to organizations working to address and mitigate the effects of sea level rise in disadvantaged communities, as defined, impacted by sea level rise.

05/12/20: Referral to Coms. on EQ., and G.O. rescinded due to the shortened 2020 Legislative Calendar.20%
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SB-1188 (Stern) The California Water Plan

This bill would require the [Department of Water Resources] to include in the plan update, instead of a discussion of various strategies, a discussion of various strategies for increasing regional water  resilience. The bill would also make nonsubstantive changes. resilience, as defined..

This bill would delete “hydrologic” from the phrase “hydrologic region” in that provision and would require, for purposes of that provision, the department, in collaboration with the State Water Resources Control Board, to develop maps delineating regions in the state based on specified federally published hydrologic units.
The bill would also make nonsubstantive and related changes.
04/08/20: From committee with author’s amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.20%
20%

SB-1258 (Stern) California Climate Technology and Infrastructure Financing Act.

This bill would enact the California Climate Technology and Infrastructure Financing Act to require the bank, in consultation with specified agencies to administer the Climate Catalyst Revolving Fund, which the bill would establish to provide financial assistance to eligible climate catalyst projects, as defined.
The bill would require the bank to administer the climate catalyst loan program, would establish the Climate Catalyst Revolving Fund for these purposes, and would continuously appropriate the fund for these purposes, with specified restriction.
06/18/20: June 18 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.40%
40%

SB-1293 (Allen) California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank: Sea Level Rise Revolving Loan Program

This bill would create the Sea Level Rise Revolving Loan Program within the I-Bank to provide low-interest loans to local jurisdictions for the purchase of coastal properties in their jurisdictions identified as vulnerable coastal property. The bill would require the California Coastal Commission, before January 1, 2022, in consultation with the California Coastal Commission, the State Lands Commission, and any other applicable state, federal, and local entities with relevant jurisdiction and expertise, to determine criteria and guidelines for the identification of vulnerable coastal properties eligible for participation in the program. The bill would authorize specified cities and counties to apply for, and be awarded, a low-interest loan under the program if the city or county develops and submits to the bank a vulnerable coastal property plan. The bill would require the California Coastal Conservancy to review the plans to determine whether they meet the required criteria for vulnerable coastal properties to be eligible for participation in the program.
The bill would establish the Sea Level Rise Revolving Loan Account within the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank Fund, which, as described above, is a continuously appropriated fund. The bill would authorize the I-Bank to issue bonds and require the bond revenues be deposited in the Sea Level Rise Revolving Loan Account to be used for purposes of the Seal Level Rise Revolving Loan Program. The bill would also require that loan repayments, fees, and penalties be deposited in the revolving account. By increasing the amount of money in a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation.
04/08/20: From committee with author’s amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.30%
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SB-1314 (Dodd) Community Energy Resilience Act of 2020

This bill, the Community Energy Resilience Act of 2020, would require the council to develop and implement a grant program for local governments to develop community energy resilience plans. The bill would set forth guiding principles for plan development, including equitable access to reliable energy, as provided, and integration with other existing local planning documents. The bill would require a plan to, among other things, ensure a reliable electricity supply is maintained at critical facilities and identify areas most likely to experience a loss of electrical service.
The bill would require the [Strategic Growth Council] to establish a stakeholder review board to provide statewide oversight for purposes of the grant program. The bill would require a local government, as a condition of receiving grant funding, to submit its plan and a report of project expenditures to the stakeholder review board within 6 months of completing the plan. The bill would require the stakeholder review board to annually report specified information about the grant program to the Legislature.

05/12/20: Referral to Com. on E., U. & C. rescinded due to the shortened 2020 Legislative Calendar.20%
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SB-1329 (Wilk) Climate change: Climate Innovation Grant Program: voluntary tax contributions

This bill would establish the Climate Innovation Grant Program, to be administered by the Strategic Growth Council or another entity identified by the council that it determines to have the appropriate skills necessary to successfully implement this program. The bill would establish the Climate Innovation Fund, a special fund, in the State Treasury and would continuously appropriate the moneys in the fund to the council for purposes of the program. Once the Climate Innovation Fund accrues $2,000,000, the bill would require the council or the entity implementing the program to notify the Franchise Tax Board and would require the program to award grants for the development and research of new innovations and technologies that either reduce emissions of greenhouse gases or address impacts caused by climate change. The bill would repeal the program on January 1, 2031.
This bill would allow an individual to designate on their tax return that a specified amount in excess of their personal income tax liability be transferred to the Climate Innovation Voluntary Tax Contribution Account, which would be created by this bill. The bill would conform with those aforementioned administrative requirements by continuously appropriating those funds to the Franchise Tax Board and the Controller for administrative costs and to the Climate Innovation Fund, as specified. The bill would also conform by requiring the Strategic Growth Council to comply with certain internet website reporting requirements. The bill would make the voluntary tax contribution provisions operative upon notification of the Franchise Tax Board that the fund has accrued $2,000,000. The bill would repeal these provisions as of the sooner of December 1 of the year that the minimum contribution amount of $250,000 is not met or by a specified repeal date. By continuously appropriating these funds, the bill would make an appropriation.
05/12/20: Referral to Coms. on N.R. & W., and GOV. & F. rescinded due to the shortened 2020 Legislative Calendar.30%
30%