AB-2076 | Luz Rivas
Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program: Extreme Heat Hospitalization and Death Reporting System.
This bill would establish the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program in the [Office of Planning and Research], to be administered by the office through ICARP, for the purpose of coordinating state efforts and supporting local and regional efforts to prevent or mitigate the impacts of, and reduce the public health risks of, heat. The bill would require the Director of State Planning and Research to appoint a Chief Heat Officer in the office to, among other things, implement the program and establish the Interagency Heat Taskforce, as provided. office to coordinate with other state agencies to implement the program and update the Extreme Heat Action Plan. The bill would require the Director of State Planning and Research to appoint a Chief Heat Officer to coordinate state activities and funding to address heat and oversee the implementation of the program. The bill would require the advisory council to, among other things, advise and provide input to the office on actions to improve the effectiveness of the program. The bill would require the office, when making appointments to the advisory council, to ensure that the advisory council is comprised of members with the necessary expertise to advise on the implementation of the program. Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the bill would require the office, as part of the program, to award grants and provide technical assistance to eligible entities, as defined, that support local and regional efforts to mitigate the impacts and reduce the public health risks of heat. The bill would require the office, in the awarding of grants, to prioritize projects that serve disadvantaged or vulnerable communities, as specified, that demonstrate participation in a regional climate collaborative program, or that are a component of a comprehensive heat action plan. The bill would authorize the director to make advance payments, not to exceed 25% of the total award amount, from a grant awarded pursuant to the program. The bill would require the office, in administering the program, to review and consider climate science research and publications, as specified, and to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and electricity grid stress, avoid maladaptation, and maximize job growth and other cobenefits, as provided.
The bill would require the office to draft and adopt guidelines, as provided, guidelines for awarding grants pursuant to the program to eligible entities. The bill would require projects awarded a grant to consider, and be informed by, the most recent California Climate Change Assessment. The bill would also exempt guidelines established by the office pursuant to the program from provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act.
The bill would require the office, on or before January July 1, 2024, and every 2 years thereafter, to update the Extreme Heat Action Plan to promote comprehensive, coordinated, and effective state and local government action on heat, as provided. The bill would require all state agencies identified in the Extreme Heat Action Plan to coordinate with the office to assist in the implementation of the plan. The bill would also require the office to post the plan and subsequent updates on the office’s internet website and to provide the plan and subsequent updates to the relevant policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature.
The bill would establish the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Fund in the State Treasury. The bill would provide that moneys in the fund shall be available upon appropriation by the Legislature to the office for the sole purpose of implementing the program.