Agriculture

AB 1961 (Eggman) – Oppose Unless Amended
As Amended April 22, 2014

AB 1961, by Assembly Member Susan Eggman, would require each county with significant agricultural land resources to develop on or before January 1, 2018 a sustainable farmland strategy. This measure is on the Assembly Appropriation Committee’s Suspense File and it is doubtful that the bill will move forward this session. While CSAC supports the intent of the bill, we have continuing concerns with the cost implications of AB 1961. 

AB 2561 (Bradford) – Dropped Opposition
As Amended May 28, 2014

AB 2561, by Assembly Member Steven Bradford, would seek to enact the Neighborhood Food Act, which is intended to remove obstacles to the practice of growing fruits and vegetables in urban and suburban residential neighborhoods for personal and community use or consumption. CSAC removed its opposition to AB 2561 as a result of the May 7th amendments which removed provisions of the bill that would have mandated that community agriculture (community gardens), entrepreneurial agricultural (on site sales in residential and commercial zones), and personal agriculture (produce grown for the homeowners’ own use) be authorized in the entire city or county “by right”. This bill is awaiting committee assignment in the Senate.

Groundwater

AB 1739 (Dickinson) – Pending
As Amended April 22, 2014

AB 1739, by Assembly Member Roger Dickinson, would establish a set of statewide requirements for groundwater management agencies to follow, and define what it means for a groundwater system to be sustainable. This bill is awaiting committee assignment in the Senate.

SB 1168 (Pavley) – Pending
As Amended April 23, 2014

SB 1168, by Senator Fran Pavley, would enact the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act which includes various definitions regarding sustainable groundwater management. In addition, SB 1168 would require the development and adoption of sustainable groundwater management plans. This bill is awaiting committee assignment in the Assembly.

Mining

SB 1270 (Pavley) – Oppose
As Amended May 7, 2014

SB 1270, by Senator Fran Pavley, would make significant changes to the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA). SB 1270 would put counties in a position of having to prove their ability to meet their lead agency obligations in order to maintain their status, rather than the State needing to show that they are failing in it. This measure is on the Senate Appropriation Committee’s Suspense File and it does not look like the bill will move forward this session.

Medical Marijuana

SB 1262 (Correa) – Concerns
As Amended May 27, 2014

SB 1262, by Senator Lou Correa, would impose new requirements on doctors who issue medical marijuana recommendations and would also establish licensing requirements on all marijuana dispensing facilities and cultivations sites. This measure is awaiting committee assignment in the Assembly. 

AB 1894 (Ammiano) – Pending
As Amended May 23, 2014

AB 1894, by Assembly Member Tom Ammiano, failed passage on the Assembly Floor on Thursday, May 29th. This bill would have established a statewide system for regulating and controlling commercial medical cannabis activities within the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) a specific Division of Medical Cannabis Regulation and Enforcement. AB 1894 would have required this division to enact and enforce regulations governing the cultivation, processing, manufacturing, testing, transportation, distribution, and sale of commercial medical cannabis. 

Community Choice Aggregation

AB 2145 (Bradford) – Oppose
As Amended April 10, 2014

AB 2145, by Assembly Member Bradford, would make changes to the process for how community choice aggregator’s (CCA) form. This bill would require an “opt-in” process for any CCA formed after January 1, 2015, as opposed to current law, which requires an “opt-out” process for customers within a CCA. This measure passed the Assembly Floor on Wednesday, May 28th and is now awaiting committee assignment in the Senate. 

Solid Waste

AB 1893 (Stone/Eggman) — Support
As Amended May 23, 2014

AB 1893, by Assembly Member Stone and Eggman, failed passage on the Assembly Floor yesterday. This bill would have required that a sharps waste container be sold with the purchase of sharps (disposable needles) and that sharps consumers also receive information about the proper legal disposal of sharps, including information about disposal locations. 

SB 1014 (Jaskson) – Support
As Amended May 27, 2014

SB 1014, by Senator Jackson, would establish the Home-Generated Pharmaceutical Waste Collection and Disposal Act. Specifically, this bill would authorize a pharmacy to accept the return of home-generated pharmaceutical waste from a consumer. SB 1014 is awaiting assignment in the Assembly.