The Legislature returns from their Spring Recess next week. Bills are on the move. CSAC Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources has taken positions on the following bills:

SB 1035 (Jackson): This bill was introduced on February 8^th and would require a planning agency to review and, if necessary, revise the safety element upon each revision of the housing element to identify new information relating to flood and fire hazards and climate adaptation and resiliency strategies applicable to the city or county that was not available during the previous revision of the safety element. CSAC has a support if amended position on SB 1035. CSAC supports the American Planning Association’s proposed amendment to the bill that would allow for initial review of the safety element within four years of adoption and updates every eight years thereafter OR upon revision of the housing element (as the bill currently states). This will allow jurisdictions more flexibility to ensure the goals of the bill are accomplished in a way that works best for each jurisdiction.

AB 1933 (Maienschein): AB 1933 was amended on March 15^th and would provide resources to help develop the infrastructure necessary to manage new statewide organic diversion goals as required under SB 1383 (Chapter 395, 2016) and other recycling and solid waste infrastructure. CSAC supports AB 1933, which would provide $100,000,000 to both organic waste diversion infrastructure and recycling infrastructure projects respectively.

SB 819 (Hill): This bill was introduced January 3^rd and would protect ratepayers by clarifying the California Public Utility Commission’s (CPUC) existing legal authority to apply a reasonable standard to the review of electrical corporation rates when those proposed rates aim to incorporate costs related to negligence. It would also declare that fines and penalties are not recoverable in electrical corporation utility rates. CSAC supports SB 819 because it incorporates fairness and transparency in the rate making process which protects constituent consumers across California.

AB 2966 (Aguiar-Curry): This bill was introduced February 16^th and would provide that the state share for the removal of dead and dying trees in connection with the Governor’s proclamation of a state of emergency for the tree mortality crisis be no more than 90% of total state eligible costs. Current law requires the state to share no more than 75% of total eligible costs for disaster project allocations with local agencies. CSAC supports AB 2966.

AJR 27 (Low): This resolution was introduced January 9th would make a joint declaration of both houses of the California Legislature that the federal government should not prioritize enforcement actions against California’s legal, well-regulated and vibrant cannabis markets. CSAC has worked diligently with state leaders to develop an effective system of regulation that respects the decisions of local governments. CSAC supports AJR 27 and urges the federal government to respect California voters in their decision to legalize and regulate cannabis.

SB 1302 (Lara): This bill was introduced on February 16^th and would prohibit local jurisdictions from deciding whether to prevent or to allow delivery of cannabis to an address that is located within its jurisdictional boundaries. Instead, SB 1302 would make the permissibility of delivery transactions in one jurisdiction dependent upon the licensing decisions (and regulatory oversight) in some other jurisdiction potentially hundreds of miles away. CSAC jointly opposed SB 1302 along with the Rural Representatives of California (RCRC) and the Urban Counties of California (UCC).