2017 Legislative Tracking

The below list of bills related to climate change, particularly adaptation, are being tracked by ARCCA as a resource to its members and adaptation professionals in California.

Please note: Descriptions are pulled directly from the bill text without any analysis, and some descriptions only include a portion of the summary. If you are interested in a particular bill, we encourage you to follow the link (bill number) to read the full text.

Last updated: September 15, 2017 at 8:33 AM

AB-18 (E. Garcia, Chiu, Chu, Eggman, Fletcher, Kalra, Levine, Limón, McCarty, and Thurmond) California Clean Water, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018

Status: 9/1 – From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (August 31). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

Description: This bill would enact the California Clean Water, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access For All Act of 2018, which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in an amount of $3,470,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance a clean water, climate, coastal protection, and outdoor access for all program.


AB-196 (Bigelow) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: water supply repairs

Status: 9/1 – In committee: Held under submission.

Description: This bill would authorize the use of the moneys in the fund for electric pump efficiency, water and wastewater systems, pump and pump motor efficiency improvements, and drinking water transmission and distribution systems’ water loss if the investment furthers the regulatory purposes of the act and is consistent with law. if the investment furthers the regulatory purposes of the act and is consistent with law.


AB-388 (Mullin) Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: wetland restoration projects

Status: 9/1 – In committee: Held under submission.

Description: This bill would authorize the use of the moneys in the fund for wetland restoration projects that may make use of dredged material if the investment furthers the regulatory purposes of the act and is consistent with law.


AB-1433 (Wood) Natural and working lands: unified program application and process

Status: 9/14 – Ordered to inactive file at the request of Senator McGuire.

DescriptionThis bill would require the Strategic Growth Council, on or before April 1, 2018, to establish and convene an interagency task force consisting of representatives from various state agencies who are knowledgeable in programs for natural or working lands to develop a common application form and process for those programs. The bill would require the task force, on or before January 1, 2019, to develop and implement the common application form and process for those programs.


AB-1617 (Bloom) Department of Fish and Wildlife: Fish and Game Commission: funding: strategic vision.

Status: 7/3 – In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

Description: This bill would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife, in cooperation with the above-mentioned parties and additional specified parties, to identify and propose new sources of revenue to fund the department’s necessary wildlife, land, and marine conservation, restoration, and resources management and protection responsibilities. The bill would require the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to appoint a stakeholder advisory group to report to the Governor and Legislature, before July 1, 2018, on the progress made toward the implementation of the strategic vision. The bill would require the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to direct the department to evaluate and implement program efficiencies as part of its strategic planning effort and to establish a high-level task force that reviews and makes recommendations regarding Fish and Game Commission and department mandates, efficiencies, and funding, as described in specified recommendations contained in the strategic vision.


AB-1667 (Friedman) Agricultural water management planning

Status: 7/11 – In committee: Set, first hearing. Testimony taken.

DescriptionThis bill would require the State Water Resources Control Board, in consultation with the Department of Water Resources, to adopt long-term standards for urban water conservation and water use on or before May 20, 2021. The bill would also require the board, in consultation with the department, to adopt performance measures for commercial, industrial, and institutional water use on or before that date. The bill would authorize a court or public entity to hold a person civilly liable in an amount not to exceed $10,000 for a violation of a regulation adopted under these provisions, unless the regulation provides otherwise. The bill would require an urban water supplier to calculate a water use target, as provided, no later than July 1 of each calendar year, beginning the calendar year after the board adopts long-term standards for urban water conservation and water use. The bill would require an urban water supplier to submit an annual report to the department for these purposes by July 1 of each year. The bill would authorize the board to issue information orders, written notices, and conservation orders to an urban water supplier that does not meet its water use target, as specified.


AB-1668 (Friedman) Water Management Planning

Status: 9/8 – From committee chair, with author’s amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on APPR.

Description: This bill would require the State Water Resources Control Board, in coordination with the Department of Water Resources, to adopt long-term standards for the efficient use of water, as provided, and performance measures for commercial, industrial, and institutional water use on or before June 30, 2021. The bill would require the department, in coordination with the board, to conduct necessary studies and investigations and make recommendations, no later than October 1, 2020, for purposes of these standards and performance measures. The bill, until January 1, 2025, would establish 55 gallons per capita daily as the standard for indoor residential water use and, beginning January 1, 2025, would establish 50 gallons per capita daily as the standard for indoor residential water use. The bill would authorize the department, in coordination with the board, to conduct necessary studies and investigations to jointly recommend to the Legislature a standard for indoor residential water use that more appropriately reflects best practices.

The bill would require an urban retail water supplier to calculate an urban water use objective no later than July 1, 2022, and by July 1 every year thereafter, and its actual urban water use by those same dates. The bill would require an urban retail water supplier to submit a report to the department for these purposes by those dates. The bill would authorize the board to issue information orders, written notices, and conservation orders to an urban retail water supplier that does not meet its urban water use objective, as specified. The bill would impose civil liability for a violation of an order or regulation issued pursuant to these provisions, as specified. The bill would also authorize the board to issue a regulation or informational order requiring a wholesale water supplier, urban retail water supplier, or distributor of a public water supply to provide a monthly report relating to water production, water use, or water conservation.

SB-49 (De León and Stern) California Environmental, Public Health, and Workers Defense Act of 2017

Status: 9/12 – From committee with author’s amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

Description: This bill would prohibit state or local agencies from amending or revising their rules and regulations implementing the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, California Safe Drinking Water Act, California Endangered Species Act, and Protect California Air Act of 2013 to be less stringent than the baseline federal standards, as defined, and would require specified agencies to take prescribed actions to maintain and enforce certain requirements and standards pertaining to air, water, and protected species. The bill would make conforming changes to the Protect California Air Act of 2003. By imposing new duties on local agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.


SB-262 (Wieckowski) Climate change: climate adaptation: advisory council

Status: 5/18 – Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

Description: Existing law requires the Office of Planning and Research to establish an advisory council, comprised of members for a range of disciplines, to support the office’s goals to facilitate coordination among state, regional, and local agency efforts to adapt to the impacts of climate change. This bill would specify that the members on the advisory council serve staggered terms of 4 years. The bill would require the members of the advisory council to select a chairperson from their members.


SB-780 (Wiener) Water Conservation in Landscaping Act

Status: 5/25 – May 25 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

Description: This bill would require the Department of Water Resources, by January 1, 2019, to establish guidelines for designing, installing, and rehabilitating landscapes of any size consistent with the watershed approach to landscaping, as provided. The bill would require, within 6 months of adoption of the guidelines, the Department of Water Resources and any other state agency with a grant or loan program that provides funding for water-conserving or water-efficient landscapes, (1) for programs funded by general obligation bonds, to revise funding guidelines to provide a preference for projects that comply with the adopted guidelines; (2) for programs funded by sources other than general obligation bonds, to revise funding guidelines to require projects to comply with the adopted guidelines; and (3) for programs funded by any source, to give, to the extent feasible, additional funding preference for a project that implements the watershed approach to landscaping whose project application includes the use of services of specified entities. The bill would also require the Department of Water Resources to promote the watershed approach to landscaping by providing education and training for homeowners, contractors, certified community conservation corps, and other landscape professionals who plan, develop, or implement landscaping projects.

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