Bill Text: CA AB11 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Climate change: regional climate change authorities.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2022-02-01 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB11 Detail]

Download: California-2021-AB11-Introduced.html

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 11

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Introduced by Assembly Member Ward

December 07, 2020

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An act to add Part 3.6.5 (commencing with Section 71140) to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, relating to climate change.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 11, as introduced, Ward. Climate change: regional climate change coordinating groups.

Existing law requires the Strategic Growth Council, until October 1, 2029, to establish and administer a regional climate collaborative program to assist under-resourced communities, as defined, in a region to access statewide public and other grant moneys, as specified, for climate change mitigation and adaptation projects.

This bill would require the council, by January ____, 2023, to establish up to 12 regional climate change coordinating groups to develop and work on climate adaptation for their communities. The bill would authorize the regional climate change coordinating groups to engage in certain activities to address climate change.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) California is facing a changing climate that will have a multitude of consequential effects over the next several decades, such as increased emissions from greenhouse gases, increasing sea level rise, extreme drought, and wildfires.

(b) Most land use policies and decisions are made by local governments because they are most knowledgeable about their communities.

(c) The state can play an important role in helping local governments address effects climate change is having and will have in the future by creating regional climate change coordinating groups that will support local efforts to alleviate some of the challenges they are facing by planning and working together, and learning from other regional climate change coordinating groups regarding how to respond to the effects of climate change.

SEC. 2.

 Part 3.6.5 (commencing with Section 71140) is added to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, to read:

PART 3.6.5. Regional Climate Change Coordinating Groups

71140.

 For purposes of this part, the following definitions apply:

(a) “Council” means the Strategic Growth Council.

(b) “Local agency” means a county, city whether general law or chartered, city and county, town, school district, municipal corporation, district, political subdivision, or any board, commission, or agency of those entities, or other local public agency.

71141.

 (a) By January ____, 2023, the council shall establish up to 12 regional climate change coordinating groups that will develop and work on climate adaptation for their communities.

(b) A regional climate change coordinating group, in cooperation with local agencies that elect to participate, may perform coordination and implementation activities, within their boundaries, to assist local agencies in meeting their greenhouse gas emission reduction goals as set forth in resolutions and adopted plans, and develop, coordinate, and implement programs and policies to comply with the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code), other federal or state mandates, and programs designed to respond to emissions of greenhouse gases and climate change.

(c) A regional climate change coordinating group may engage in activities to address climate change that include, but are not limited to, any of the following:

(1) Planning to address sea level rise and its effect on local infrastructure.

(2) Reducing energy consumption.

(3) Coordinating and implementing energy efficiency projects.

(4) Increasing efficiency of water use.

(5) Utilizing carbon sequestration opportunities.

(6) Administering grants to local entities.

(7) Measuring and quantifying ongoing greenhouse gas reduction efforts.

(d) A regional climate change coordinating group shall adopt rules for its proceedings consistent with law.