October 18, 2019

Signed

SB 19 (Dodd) (Chapter 361, Statutes of 2019)

This bill by Senator Bill Dodd requires the Department of Water Resources and the State Water Resources Control Board to collaborate with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Department of Conservation, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board and others to develop a plan to deploy a network of stream gages in California’s streams in order to provide better data about California’s vital ecosystems. The data collected from this network of stream gauges would help address gaps in information that could improve management and conservation of freshwater species. CSAC supported the bill because Data collection and accurate measurements are vital to good policy making; you cannot manage what you cannot measure.

SB 185 (McGuire) (Chapter 841, Statutes of 2019)

This bill by Senator Mike McGuire requires the creation of an organic certification program for cannabis and manufactured cannabis products. In addition, the bill would also require the Department of Food and Agriculture to develop standards for a cultivator to designate a country of origin for its cannabis products. CSAC supported SB 185 because it will help create brand awareness for counties and regions of the state that produce and manufacture high quality or organic cannabis products.

SB 527 (Caballero) (Chapter 273, Statutes of 2019)

This bill by Senator Anna Caballero allows the regulated cultivation of industrial hemp and cannabis to be treated as agricultural and compatible uses, within an agricultural preserve and thus eligible to participate in the Williamson Act. CSAC supported this measure in conjunction with the Rural County Representatives of California.

SB 657 (Monning) (Chapter 252, Statutes of 2019)

This bill by Senator Bill Monning allows County Agricultural Commissioners to include county cannabis crop information in reports to California Department of Food and Agriculture. Specifically, this bill allows County Agricultural Commissioners to voluntarily submit information regarding state cultivator license type, local license type, price tier, production methods, and other pieces of important information in their annual reports. CSAC supported the measure because information provided voluntarily by County Agricultural Commissioners will provide more data to help California encourage a well-regulated and vibrant cannabis economy.

SB 726 (Caballero) (Chapter 485, Statutes of 2019)

This bill by Senator Anna Caballero allows for the expansion of reusable household hazardous materials exchange programs in a way that protects consumers and the environment. CSAC supported this bill because it helps decrease landfill disposal of potentially harmful products while providing the benefit of access to materials that could be reused in the community.

The AENR team also advocated on several wildfire measures that were signed by Governor Newsom earlier in the month.  A list of those bills can be found in this CSAC bulletin article.

Vetoed

AB 1516 (Friedman)

This bill by Assembly Member Laura Friedman would have required Cal Fire to establish a statewide program to certify and allow qualified entities, including counties, to support and augment the department in its defensible space and home hardening assessment and education efforts. However, the Governor vetoed the bill due to concerns over the bill’s broad swath approach that did not reflect the individual needs of communities. CSAC supported the bill and will continue to work with the Administration on ways to improve defensible space and home hardening.