Bill Text: CA AB2251 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Amended

California Assembly Bill 2251 (Prior Session Legislation)

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

Bill Title: Urban forestry: statewide strategic plan.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2022-08-26 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 186, Statutes of 2022. [AB2251 Detail]

Download: California-2021-AB2251-Amended.html

Amended IN Senate June 21, 2022

Amended IN Assembly May 19, 2022

Amended IN Assembly April 18, 2022

Amended IN Assembly March 21, 2022

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2251

Introduced by Assembly Member Calderon

February 16, 2022

An act to add and repeal Section 4799.10.2 of the Public Resources Code, relating to urban forestry.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2251, as amended, Calderon. Urban forestry: statewide strategic plan.

Existing law, the California Urban Forestry Act of 1978, among other things, promotes the use of urban forest resources for the purposes of increasing integrated projects with multiple benefits in urban communities and promotes policies and incentives that advance improved maintenance of urban forest canopy to optimize multiple benefits.

This bill would require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to ~~develop~~ complete a statewide strategic plan, as specified, to achieve a 10% increase of tree canopy cover in urban areas by 2035. The bill would require the department to submit the plan to the Legislature ~~and the Natural Resources Agency~~ on or before June 30, 2025.

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

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

SECTION 1.

Section 4799.10.2 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:

4799.10.2.

(a) (1) The department shall ~~develop~~ complete a statewide strategic plan, in consultation with nonprofit ~~organizations and~~ organizations, cities, counties, or other local governments of urban areas, and disadvantaged and low-income communities, to achieve a 10-percent increase of tree canopy cover in urban areas by ~~2035.~~ 2035, with priority for increasing tree canopy cover in disadvantaged and low-income communities and low-canopy areas. The statewide strategic plan shall include recommendations for all of the following:

(A) State and local policies necessary to achieve the goal of increasing tree canopy cover in urban areas by 10 percent by 2035.

(B) Targets and actions for canopy increase to be completed at the regional level by 2030 in a manner that is consistent with paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 4799.10 and that supports the 2035 statewide goal.
~~(B)~~

(C) Local resources needed for the maintenance and upkeep of urban ~~forests.~~ forests and strategies to secure these resources.

~~(C)Drought mitigation and water consumption of urban forests based on local climate and water resource availability.~~
(D) Resources and strategies to address threats to urban forests, including climate change, extreme weather, pollution, drought and limited water resource availability, diseases, and pests.
~~(D)~~

(E) Sustainable tree canopy expansion within disadvantaged communities and low-income communities.

~~(E)~~

(F) Measures to reduce or eliminate net loss of any existing tree canopy.

(2) The statewide strategic plan ~~developed~~ completed by the department pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be ~~completed and~~ submitted to the Legislature ~~and the Natural Resources Agency~~ on or before June 30, 2025.

(b) The statewide strategic plan submitted to the Legislature pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.