Bill Text: CA SB1015 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Introduced

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

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Bill Title: Natural Resources Climate Resiliency Program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2018-08-16 - August 16 hearing: Held in committee and under submission. [SB1015 Detail]

Download: California-2017-SB1015-Introduced.html

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 1015

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Introduced by Senator Allen

February 07, 2018

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An act to add Division 46 (commencing with Section 80200) to the Public Resources Code, relating to climate change.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 1015, as introduced, Allen. California Climate Resiliency Program.

Existing law establishes the Wildlife Conservation Board and prescribes the membership and functions and duties of the board with regard to the preservation and protection of natural lands and wildlife habitat. The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 requires all moneys, except for fines and penalties, collected by the State Air Resources Board from the auction or sale of allowances as part of a market-based compliance mechanism to be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for greenhouse gas emissions reduction activities.

This bill would establish the California Climate Resiliency Program to increase resiliency to climate change impacts in urban and rural communities throughout the state and to fund the planning and implementation of projects that improve and enhance the climate change resiliency of natural systems, natural and working lands, and developed areas. The bill would require that the program be developed and implemented by the Wildlife Conservation Board. The bill would require that moneys from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, bonds, settlements, and other revenue sources upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act, be transferred to the California Climate Change Resiliency Fund, which the bill would create. The bill would authorize the board to expend moneys from the California Climate Change Resiliency Fund for purposes of the program. The bill would also require the board to expend a portion of those moneys to fund projects located in disadvantaged communities, as described, and low-income communities, as defined.

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 experiencing documented adverse impacts as a result of climate change and it is predicted that these impacts will accelerate.

(b) California’s devastating fire season is getting longer and more intense, as evidenced by destructive October fires in northern California and December fires in southern California.

(c) This decade produced the worst drought in California’s history, which ended with the second wettest rain and snow season on record.

(d) Climate change is driving longer and hotter heat waves, along with increasingly higher average temperatures, which exacerbate the urban heat island effect.

(e) All of these climate-change-driven impacts are having detrimental effects on California’s people, communities, and natural resources.

(f) California needs to strategically invest in regional projects that enhance the state’s resiliency to climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and protect and restore California’s natural resources and systems.

SEC. 2.

 Division 46 (commencing with Section 80200) is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:

DIVISION 46. California Climate Resiliency Program

80200.

 (a) The California Climate Resiliency Program is hereby created to increase resiliency to climate change impacts in urban and rural communities throughout the state and to fund the planning and implementation of projects that reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses and improve and enhance the climate change resiliency of natural systems, natural and working lands, and developed areas. The program shall be developed and implemented by the Wildlife Conservation Board.

(b) (1) Moneys from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, created pursuant to Section 16428.8, bonds, settlements, and other revenue sources upon appropriation in the annual Budget Act, shall be transferred to the California Climate Change Resiliency Fund, which is hereby created in the State Treasury.

(2) Moneys in the fund may be expended by the board for the purposes of the program. The board shall also expend a portion of any moneys appropriated pursuant to paragraph (1) to fund projects located in disadvantaged communities identified pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code and in low-income communities, as defined in Section 39713 of the Health and Safety Code.