AB-6 | Friedman
Transportation planning: regional transportation plans: Solutions for Congested Corridors Program: reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation that would require regional transportation agencies to prioritize and fund transportation projects, including those funded by a local sales tax measure, that significantly contribute towards the goals outlined in a region’s sustainable communities strategy and the state’s climate goals. require the state board, after January 1, 2024, and not later than September 30, 2026, to establish additional [reduction of greenhouse gas emissions] targets for 2035 and 2045, respectively, as specified.

AB-30 | Ward
Atmospheric Rivers: Research, Mitigation, and Climate Forecasting Program.

This bill would rename that program the Atmospheric Rivers Research and Forecast Improvement Program: Enabling Climate Adaptation Through Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations and Hazard Resiliency (AR/FIRO) Program. The bill would require the [Department of Water Resources] to research, develop, and implement new observations, prediction models, novel forecasting methods, and tailored decision support systems to improve predictions of atmospheric rivers and their impacts on water supply, flooding, post-wildfire debris flows, and environmental conditions. The bill would also require the department to take all actions within its existing authority to operate reservoirs in a manner that improves flood protection in the state and to reoperate flood control and water storage facilities to capture water generated by atmospheric rivers.

AB-45 | Boerner Horvath
Coastal resources: coastal development permits: blue carbon demonstration projects: new development: greenhouse gas emissions.

This bill would authorize the [California Coastal Commission] to authorize blue carbon demonstration projects, as defined, in order to demonstrate and quantify the carbon sequestration potential of these projects to help inform the state’s natural and working lands and climate resilience strategies. The bill would, among other things, authorize the commission to require an applicant with a project that impacts coastal wetland, subtidal, intertidal, or marine habitats or ecosystems to build or contribute to a blue carbon demonstration project.

The act requires that new development in the coastal zone comply with specified requirements, including, among other things, requirements intended to minimize energy consumption and vehicle miles traveled, and, where appropriate, protect special communities and neighborhoods that, because of their unique characteristics, are popular visitor destination points for recreational uses.

AB-225 | Grayson
Real property: environmental hazards booklet.

This bill would express the intent of the Legislature that when the [Department of Real Estate’s Homeowners’ Guide to Environmental Hazards] is next updated, as existing resources permit or as private resources are made available, it be updated to include 3 new sections on wildfires, climate change, and sea level rise, as specified. The bill would require the State Department of Public Health to seek the advice and assistance of departments within the Natural Resources Agency in the writing of the booklet, as specified.

AB-285 | Luz Rivas
Pupil instruction: science requirements: climate change.

This bill, with respect to [the adopted course of study for grades 1 to 6 and the adopted course of study for grades 7 to 12], would require the science area of study to include an emphasis on the causes and effects of climate change and methods to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The bill would require that appropriate coursework including this material be offered to pupils as soon as possible, commencing no later than the 2024–25 school year.

AB-408 | Wilson
Food and agriculture: climate crisis: COVID-19 recovery.

This bill would enact the Climate-resilient Farms, Sustainable Healthy Food Access, and Farmworker Protection Bond Act of 2024, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $3,365,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law, to finance programs related to, among other things, agricultural lands, food and fiber infrastructure, climate resilience, agricultural professionals, including farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers, workforce development and training, air quality, tribes, disadvantaged communities, nutrition, food aid, meat processing facilities, and fishing facilities.

AB-1232 | Connolly
Department of Food and Agriculture: resilient and higher-welfare grant program.

This bill would require the [Department of Food and Agriculture] to establish and administer a resilient and higher-welfare grant program to support the implementation of higher standards of care and more climate-smart farming practices by providing education materials, outreach, and incentives to producers and processors seeking to improve farm animal welfare and increase capacity to meet growing demand for higher-welfare and welfare-certified products, to comply with regulatory requirements, and to make necessary climate adaptations.

AB-1322 | Friedman
Forestry: state forests: management.

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation to ensure that forests owned and managed by the state are managed in a way that provides climate and biodiversity benefits and that the state pursues opportunities for tribal comanagement of state forests.

This bill would also prohibit the use of diphacinone in a wildlife habitat area and in the state and would apply the above provisions to diphacinone. The bill would change [existing law that prohibits the use of second generation anticoagulant rodenticides until the Director of Pesticide Regulation certifies to the Secretary of State that the Department of Pesticide Regulation, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, has adopted any additional restrictions necessary to ensure that continued use of second generation anticoagulant rodenticides is not reasonably expected to result in significant adverse effects to nontarget wildlife] to instead provide that the Department of Pesticide Regulation, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, has adopted any additional restrictions necessary to ensure that fewer than 10% of individuals of specified species have a detectable level of any second generation anticoagulant rodenticide, diphacinone, or any of their metabolites in blood samples, as provided.

AB-1407 | Addis
Coastal resources: ocean recovery and restoration: large-scale restoration.

This bill would require the [Ocean Protection Council], upon appropriation by the Legislature, to establish a Kelp Forest and Estuary Restoration and Recovery Framework that has a goal of restoring by 2050 an unspecified number of acres of kelp forests, eelgrass meadows, and native oyster beds. The bill would require the framework to contain specified things, including criteria by which an acre of kelp forests, eelgrass meadows, and native oyster beds can be considered restored. The bill would require the council to establish an interagency working group that coordinates and facilitates large-scale restoration along the coast, as provided. The bill would establish in the State Treasury the Ocean Restoration and Recovery Fund to be administered by the council and consisting of specified moneys.

AB-1567 | Garcia, Wendy Carrillo, Connolly, Friedman, and Papan
Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, and Workforce Development Bond Act of 2023.

This bill would enact the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, and Workforce Development Bond Act of 2023, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $15,105,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for safe drinking water, wildfire prevention, drought preparation, flood protection, extreme heat mitigation, and workforce development programs.

SB-23 | Caballero
Water supply and flood risk reduction projects: expedited permitting.

This bill would require a project proponent, if already required to submit a notification to the [Department of Fish and Wildlife], to complete and submit environmental documentation to the department for the activity in the notification. The bill would require the department to take specified actions within 180 days, or a mutually agreed-to extension of time, of receiving notification from a project proponent.

This bill would require the state board or regional boards to use specified approved conservation and habitat management plans as watershed plans for purposes of implementing the procedures in issuing a project certification, unless the state board or regional boards issuing a project certification determine in writing that an approved plan does not substantially meet the definition of a watershed plan, as defined. The bill would place requirements on the state board and regional boards regarding its determination on what is considered a watershed plan, including making a proposed written determination, and providing for public comment and a written response on that proposed determination. The bill would require, by January 1, 2025, the state board to review and adopt general water quality certifications for general nationwide permits issued by the United States Army Corps of Engineers under specified federal law within the state for discharge of dredge and fill material in connection with water supply projects and flood risk reduction projects.

The bill would require, on January 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the state board and regional boards to prepare, provide public notice of, make available for public review on their internet website, and submit to the relevant legislative committees, as specified, a report regarding specified information related to water supply projects and flood risk reduction projects.

This bill would authorize a state agency, defined to mean any agency, board, or commission, including the state board or the regional boards, with the power to issue a permit that would authorize a water supply project or authorize a flood risk reduction project, to take specified actions in order to complete permit review and approval in an expeditious manner. The bill would make findings and declarations related to the need to expedite water supply projects and flood risk reduction projects to better address climate change impacts while protecting the environment.

SB-39 | Laird
Sierra Nevada Conservancy: Sierra Nevada Region: subregions: climate resilience and equity.

This bill would revise and recast the definition of “subregion.” The bill would require the [Sierra Nevada Conservancy] to support efforts that advance climate resilience and equity.

SB-272 | Laird
Sea level rise: planning and adaptation.

This bill would require a local government, as defined, lying, in whole or in part, within the coastal zone, as defined, or within the jurisdiction of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, as defined, to implement sea level rise planning and adaptation through either submitting, and receiving approval for, a local coastal program, as defined, to the California Coastal Commission or submitting, and receiving approval for, a subregional San Francisco Bay shoreline resiliency plan to the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, as applicable, on or before January 1, 2034.

The bill would require local governments that receive approval for sea level rise planning and adaptation on or before January 1, 2029, to be prioritized for sea level rise funding, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the implementation of projects in the local government’s approved sea level rise adaptation plan. The bill would require, on or before December 31, 2024, the California Coastal Commission and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, in close coordination with the Ocean Protection Council and the California Sea Level Rise State and Regional Support Collaborative, to establish guidelines for the preparation of that planning and adaptation. The bill would make the operation of its provisions contingent upon an appropriation for its purposes by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act or another statute.

SB-306 | Caballero
Climate change: Equitable Building Decarbonization Program: Extreme Heat Action Plan.

Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to establish the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program, which includes establishing a statewide incentive program for low-carbon building technologies and the direct install program to fund certain projects. This bill would revise and recast the direct install program to, among other things, expressly require the commission to award grants through the program, require that third-party implementers perform the projects funded through the program rather than authorizing the commission to administer the program through regional third-party implementers, limit participation in the program to certain individuals, also give preference to projects in buildings in specified regions of the state, and expand the projects eligible to be funded through the program, as specified. By expanding the purposes for which the moneys appropriated for purposes of the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program may be used, the bill would make an appropriation.

This bill would require the office and the Natural Resources Agency, on or before July 1, 2024, and every 3 years thereafter, in consultation with relevant state agencies, to update the Extreme Heat Action Plan, as defined, to promote comprehensive, coordinated, and effective state and local government action on extreme heat, as provided. The bill would require the Extreme Heat Action Plan and subsequent updates to be posted on the internet website of the office and provided to the relevant fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature. The bill would require all state agencies identified in the Extreme Heat Action Plan to collaborate with the office and the agency to assist in the implementation of the plan and subsequent updates and post on their internet websites a summary of actions they have taken to implement the plan and subsequent updates.

SB-394 | Gonzalez
Master Plan for Healthy, Sustainable, and Climate-Resilient Schools.

SB-436 | Dodd
Wildfire safety: The California Wildfire Mitigation Strategic Planning Act.

This bill would require the [Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety], on or before April 1, 2025, and every 3 years thereafter, to prepare a Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast for the state, as provided. The bill would require the forecast to accomplish certain things, including establishing key risk metrics for wildfire risk for the state as a whole, by county, and by geographic location.

The bill would require the office, on or before January 1, 2025, and every 3 years thereafter, to prepare a Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework sufficient to quantitatively evaluate wildfire risk mitigation actions, as provided. The bill would require the framework to allow for geospatial evaluation and comparison of wildfire risk mitigation actions, as defined, sufficient to direct coordinated mitigation efforts and long-term collaborative mitigation planning.

The bill would require the office, on or before August 1, 2025, to prepare a Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report, to be updated annually. The bill would require the report to contain specified information, including identification of a reasonable range of possible scenarios for overall wildfire risk mitigation spending, as provided.

The bill would require the office to apply the report and the framework, described above, when evaluating a wildfire mitigation plan of an electrical corporation in order to ensure maximum feasible consistency and coordination between the wildfire mitigation plan and activities undertaken by other parties that reduce wildfire risk and consequence. The bill would authorize the office, among other things, to direct an electrical utility to take wildfire risk mitigation actions in accordance with the framework.

SB-628 | Hurtado
State Healthy Food Access Policy.

This bill would declare that it is the established policy of the state that every human being has the right to access sufficient affordable and healthy food. The bill would require all relevant state agencies to consider this state policy when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, and grant criteria when those policies, regulations, and grant criteria are pertinent to the distribution of sufficient affordable and adequate food. The bill would also require, by January 1, 2025, the State Department of Social Services, in consultation with the Department of Food and Agriculture’s Farm Equity Advisor and the Department of Conservation, to submit a report to the Legislature relating to food access and recommendations to increase the availability of sufficient affordable and healthy food.

SB-638 | Eggman and Niello
Climate Resiliency and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2024.

This bill would enact the Climate Resiliency and Flood Protection Bond Act of 2024 which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of  $4,500,000,000, $6,000,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law, for flood protection and climate resiliency projects.

SB-675 | Limón
Prescribed grazing: local assistance grant program: Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program: Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force.

This bill would expand the definition of fire prevention activities to include prescribed grazing, defined as the lawful application of a specific kind of livestock at a determined season, duration, and intensity to accomplish defined vegetation or conservation goals, including reducing the risk of wildfire by reducing fuel loads, controlling undesirable or invasive plants, and promoting biodiversity and habitat for special status species. The bill would expand allowable public education outreach activities to include training on livestock management and community-supported prescribed grazing.

SB-737 | Hurtado
Groundwater: recharge.

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation to capture floodwater to recharge groundwater basins and to require the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Resources Control Board to work together to expedite the regulatory steps necessary to store significant rainfall and excess water underground, while still ensuring protections for the environment and other water users as required by state law.

SB-745 | Cortese
The Drought-Resistant Buildings Act.

This bill would require the commission to develop and propose mandatory building standards to reduce the designed potable water demand of new buildings by 25% from current mandatory design requirements and to minimize the use of potable water for nonpotable uses. The bill would require the commission to adopt mandatory building standards that require new buildings to be designed to capture graywater and use alternative water sources for nonpotable building and landscaping water uses, as specified.

This bill would require, no later than December 31, 2024, the commission, in consultation with the board, to develop a guidance document and a model local ordinance to help local jurisdictions adopt regulatory programs for onsite nonpotable water treatment systems, as specified.

SB-755 | Becker
Real property: climate mitigation and adaptation.

This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that requires that properties being offered for sale or lease include information that aids purchasers or renters in assessing the costs of climate mitigation and adaptation, as specified.