The California Legislature adjourned on Wednesday August 31. This was the last day that for each house to pass bills. For those bills that passed, Governor Gavin Newsom now has until September 30 to sign or veto bills that are in the Governor’s possession. Numerous priority bills passed before the Legislature’s final bill deadline.
Below is a list of priority Assembly and Senate bills, supported by CSDA, that passed in the Legislature:
- Senate Bill 1405 (Ochoa Bogh) - Community service districts: Lake Arrowhead Community Service District: covenants, conditions, and restrictions: enforcement
Below is a list of priority bills, supported by CSDA, that have already passed and been approved by Governor Newsom:
- Senate Bill 938 (Hertzberg) - The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000: protest proceedings: procedural consolidation
An update on indoor water use:
Senate Bill 1157 (Hertzberg), a bill relating to indoor water use, had a tumultuous last week but ultimately passed off the Assembly Floor last night followed by a concurrence vote on the Senate Floor close to midnight.
Budget Trailer Bills Move Advance Prior to Legislature’s Adjournment
On June 30, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the legislative version of the 2022-23 California State Budget. The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review and Assembly Budget Committees met on August 29 and August 30, respectively, to discuss thirteen budget trailer bills dealing with education, human services, supplemental paid sick leave, and public safety, among others.
Below are highlights of Assembly Bill 179 that passed on the final day of session:
Natural Resources and Emergency Services
-$220 million will be allocated to the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, with $18 million being made available for support or local assistance for wildfire prevention and forest resilience activities
-$396 million will be provided for local assistance through the Office of Planning and Research. Of this allotted amount, $125 million shall be made available for the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program to support regional efforts to reduce the risk of climate change impacts including increasing temperatures, wildfire, and drought.
-For local assistance, the Office of Emergency Services will receive over $201 million with $25 million being made available to support activities directly related to regional emergency response and readiness. These types of activities include fire and rescue and local government resources as part of the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System.
Cybersecurity
The Secretary of State will receive over $60 million for filings and registrations, elections, archives, and administration. This sum includes $2 million to establish the Office of Elections Cybersecurity. $3.24 million will be made available for project activities relating to the California Automated Lobbyist and Campaign Contribution and Expenditure Search System Replacement System.
Housing and Accessory Dwelling Units
Upon order of the Department of Finance, the State Controller may transfer $550 million to the Self-Help Housing Fund. Of the $550 million appropriated, $50 million will be for accessory dwelling units (ADUs). This allocation may be offered as grants or loans for deposits on factory built ADU products, partnerships with local agencies and qualified nonprofits, and as matching funds for loans.
Climate Change and Resource Conservation
$15 million will be made available for support of the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission. Of these funds appropriated, $10 million will be used for administrative costs to support climate innovation research and development and $5 million will be used for administrative costs to support carbon removal research.
In addition, the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission will receive over $473 million for local assistance with respect to research and development, power plant site certification and transmission, and buildings and appliances.
The Department of Conservation will receive $70 million for local assistance. Of the amount appropriated in this section of Assembly Bill 179, $20 million will be made available for regional forest and fire capacity. The Department of Conservation will receive an additional $14 million to develop and implement plans consistent with the State’s Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy and the Pathways to 30X30 Strategy.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife will receive $90 million for local assistance in the form of supporting programs and activities that advance multi-benefit and nature-based solutions.
Fire Protection
The Department of Forest and Fire Protection will receive just over $2 billion for fire protection, resource management, and administration. Of these funds, $25 million will be available for encumbrance or expenditure to support local assistance. In addition, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection will receive an additional $137 million with $80 million of those funds being made available for Fire Protection Grants and $17 million made available to support local agencies with resource management.
Parks and Recreation
The Department of Parks and Recreation will be receiving $25 million for local assistance with funds appropriated being made available for grants to cities, counties, federal agencies, or special districts.
Water
Roughly $1 billion dollars will be allocated for the support of the Department of Water Resources. Of these funds, $700 million shall be used for strategic energy reliability; just over $145 million will be used for public safety and prevention of damage; over $7 million will be allocated for services; and, just over $110 million will be distributed for administration.
The Department of Water Resources will receive an additional $385 million, of which $10 million shall be used to provide noncompetitive grants or contracts to resource conservation districts among other entities including nonprofit organizations and for-profit companies. $60 million of these funds will go to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Program and $125 million will be allocated for habitat restoration projects.
Public Utilities
The Public Utilities Commission will receive $80 million with $30 million of these funds made available for use by the Public Utilities Commission for capacity grants to community-based organizations conducting outreach and obtaining technical assistance for participation in the Commission’s decision-making process and supporting ongoing equity initiatives.
Local Government
Local Government Financing will receive $10 million for local assistance. Of the amount appropriated, $1 million will be allocated to establish the County of Riverside Citizens Redistricting Commission and $1 million will be allocated to establish the Citizens Redistricting Commission in the County of Kern.
In addition to funding allocations provided in Assembly Bill 179, other trailer bill language could potentially impact special districts. From various bills passed the week of August 29, below are additional budgetary highlights:
From Assembly Bill 152 relating to Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (SPSL):
Existing law SPSL law provides, among other things, for COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave for covered employees and entitles a covered employee to 80 hours of supplemental paid sick leave, from January 1, 2022, through September 30, 2022. This trailer bill extends the sunset date on the SPSL law from September 30, 2022, to December 31, 2022, while providing no additional SPSL hours to covered employees. This trailer bill provides grants for qualified small businesses and nonprofits. More information on SPSL can be found here.
From Assembly Bills 156 and 157 relating to State Government:
State Government and Public Resources
- Section 4124.5 of the Public Resources Code is amended to establish a local assistance grant program for fire prevention with a list of groups eligible to receive those grants to include local agencies and resource conservation districts.
- Section 4208.1 of the Public Resources Code is amended to include the establishment of the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program. This program aims to develop, prioritize, and implement strategies/projects creating fire-adapted communities and landscapes through fire resilience and wildfire preparedness.
- Section 4799.05 of the Public Resources Code is amended to authorize advance payments for the implementation and administration of projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve forest health to nonprofit organizations, a local agency, or a special district.
- Section 50474.3 of the Government Code is amended to read that a customer facility charge may be collected by a rental company if the collection of the fee is required by an airport operated by a city, a county, a city and county, a joint powers authority, or a special district.
- Section 4799.05 of the Public Resources Code is amended to provide grants to or enter contracts with entities including private or nongovernmental entities or local, state, and federal agencies with the authorization to make advanced payments to a nonprofit organization, a local agency, or a special district.
Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins and Senator Nancy Skinner, Chair of the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, released a joint statement applauding the final budget allocations that were approved, found here.
If you have any questions, please contact CSDA Legislative Analyst Cole Querry at coleq@csda.net.
#AdvocacyNews#FeatureNews#Budget#COVID-19#Energy/Utility#FireProtection#Governance#Water#NaturalResources#ResourceConservation#StateBudget#ParksandOpenSpace#ClimateAdaptation#DistrictServices