Existing law establishes the Department of Housing and Community Development in the Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency. Existing law, the California Building Standards Law, establishes the California Building Standards Commission. Existing law requires the commission to approve and adopt building standards and to codify those standards in the California Building Standards Code. Existing law, the State Housing Law, establishes statewide construction and occupancy standards for buildings used for human habitation. Existing law, until January 1, 2033, requires the commission and the department, commencing with the next triennial edition of the code adopted after January 1, 2023, to research and develop, and authorizes the commission and the department to propose for adoption by the commission, mandatory building standards for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations in existing multifamily dwellings, hotels, motels, and nonresidential developments, as specified. This bill would authorize the commission, commencing with the first triennial edition of the code adopted after June 1, 2031, to adopt, approve, codify, and publish building energy standards for building electrical circuit features to enable a qualified plug-in photovoltaic system, as defined, to function as an energy source within the electrical circuit of a single-family residential dwelling, multiunit residential dwelling, or nonresidential development, that is constructed after that edition is adopted, as specified. The bill would, for purposes of that requirement, require the department to research, develop, and propose for adoption building standards for a qualified plug-in photovoltaic system to function as an energy source within the electrical circuit of a single-family residential dwelling, multiunit residential dwelling, or nonresidential development, as specified. The bill would require the commission and the department, in satisfying those requirements, to, among other things, consult with certain interested parties and invite the participation of the public at large in the development of those building energy standards through open consensus-based processes.
Existing law establishes the Natural Resources Agency, composed of departments, boards, conservancies, and commissions responsible for the restoration, protection, and management of the state's natural and cultural resources. This bill would authorize the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to appoint an individual or to identify one or more University of California centers to oversee and administer a Secretariat for International Climate Coordination and Cooperation to assist the legislative and executive branches' engagement in international climate policy, as specified.
Existing law authorizes the Geologic Energy Management Division in the Department of Conservation to require an operator of an oil and gas well to provide, in addition to specified types of required indemnity bonds, an additional amount of security acceptable to the division based on the division's evaluation of the risk that the operator will desert its well or wells and the potential threats the operator's well or wells pose to life, health, property, and natural resources, as provided. Existing law requires the division to consider specified factors in evaluating the risks that the operator will desert its well or wells and the potential threats the operator's well or wells pose to life, health, property, and natural resources. Existing law prohibits this additional security from exceeding the lesser of the division's estimation of the reasonable costs of properly plugging and abandoning all of the operator's wells and decommissioning any attendant production facilities, or $30,000,000. A person who violates or fails to comply with this provision, or any related law concerning oil and gas, is guilty of a crime. This bill would instead prohibit this additional security from exceeding the lesser of the division's estimation of the reasonable costs of properly plugging and abandoning all of the operator's wells and decommissioning any attendant production facilities, or a maximum amount of additional security based on the total number of active and idle wells under the control of the operator pursuant to a specified schedule, as provided. The bill would prohibit the division from increasing the amount of additional security required of an operator that had an additional security agreement approved by the division as of January 1, 2027, until 3 years after the effective date of the agreement, as provided. The bill would explicitly extend these additional security requirements to a person who acquires the right to operate or control a well or production facility, as provided. The bill would establish that compliance with these additional security requirements by either the operator of record or the person who acquires the right to operate or control a well or production facility constitutes compliance for both parties, and would prohibit the division from requiring duplicative security, as provided. Existing law authorizes the above-described additional amount of security to be an indemnity bond, specified forms of deposit, or any other means of equally effective financial assurance approved by the division, including a demonstration of self-insurance pursuant to a specified process. This bill would, as a condition of obtaining division approval of self-insurance or a corporate guarantee, require an additional security agreement between the operator and the division that includes, among other things, an enforceable schedule for the plugging and abandonment of wells and decommissioning of production facilities consistent with an operator's idle well management plan, as provided. The bill would also require the operator, as part of that additional security agreement, to immediately notify the division if the operator is unable to satisfy the financial criteria, and would make a failure to make this notification a violation subject to civil and criminal penalties, as provided. By expanding the scope of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also require the division to reevaluate whether self-insurance or a corporate guarantee continues to constitute an equally effective means of financial assurance at least once every 3 years, or upon a material change in the financial condition of the operator or guarantor entity, whichever occurs first. The bill would require an operator approved for self-insurance or a corporate guarantee who the supervisor subsequently determines to be out of compliance with an approved idle well management plan, or specified operators out of compliance with idle well fee requirements, to provide other financial assurance within 90 days of that determination, as provided. Existing law also requires a person who acquires the right to operate a well or production facility to file with the State Oil and Gas Supervisor an individual indemnity bond or a blanket indemnity bond in an amount determined by the supervisor to be sufficient to cover, in full, all costs of plugging and abandonment, decommissioning the facility, and site restoration, as provided. Under existing law, an operator may, in lieu of this bonding requirement and with the written approval of the supervisor, provide the required security through an equally effective means of financial assurance, including specified types of deposits, an irrevocable letter of credit, or a fully funded trust fund, and excluding self-insurance or corporate guarantees, as provided. This bill would repeal the exclusion of self-insurance or corporate guarantee, as described above. The bill would additionally authorize an operator to, in lieu of the bonding requirement and with the written approval of the supervisor, provide the required security through specified means of financial assurance, including pursuant to the above-described process for obtaining division approval for self-insurance or a corporate guarantee applicable to existing operators, as provided. Existing law authorizes the supervisor or a district deputy to order the plugging and abandonment of a well or the decommissioning of a production facility that has been deserted. If the supervisor determines that the current operator, as determined by the records of the supervisor, does not have the financial resources to fully cover that cost of plugging and abandonment of the well or the decommissioning of a production facility that has been deserted, existing law makes immediately preceding operators responsible for that cost. Existing law authorizes the supervisor to continue to look seriatim to previous operators until an operator is found with sufficient financial resources to cover the cost, except as provided. This bill would exempt from the above-described requirement to file with the supervisor, upon acquiring the right to operate a well or production facility, an individual indemnity bond or a blanket indemnity bond sufficient to cover all costs of plugging and abandonment, decommissioning the facility, and site restoration, (1) an operator, or a person who acquires the right to operate or control a well or production facility, who has complied with an idle well management plan or fee schedule, and specified reporting requirements, as provided, if the operator of record has obtained and maintained additional security approved by the division, as provided, and (2) a person who has acquired the rights to a well or production facility for the sole purpose of plugging and abandoning that well or decommissioning the production facility for purposes of redevelopment, as defined, or to satisfy the above-described obligations of previous operators, as provided. The bill would explicitly state that a person who has acquired the rights to a well or production facility for the sole purpose of plugging and abandoning that well or decommissioning the production facility for the purposes of redevelopment or to satisfy the obligations of previous operators is subject to the state oil and gas laws as an operator, until a determination by the supervisor that the well has been properly plugged and abandoned or the production facilities have been decommissioned, or that additional work related to abandoning the well is not practical or would pose greater environmental or safety risk, as provided. Upon this determination by the supervisor, the bill would require the supervisor to release the bond, and would release the acquiring person from any further obligation or liability for the well or facility. The bill would require a person who, before an acquisition for the sole purpose of plugging and abandoning the well or decommissioning the production facility, was responsible as an owner or operator of the well or production facility and subject to orders related to remediation issued by the supervisor to remain responsible for the well or production facility and any unfunded costs associated with plugging and abandonment of the well or decommissioning of the facility, as provided. The bill would prohibit the use of a well or production facility acquired for the sole purpose of plugging and abandoning the well or decommissioning the production facility from being used for oil or gas production, injection, gas storage, or any associated operation. By creating a new crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would require a person acquiring the rights to a well or production facility for the sole purpose of plugging and abandoning that well or decommissioning the production facility for the purpose of redevelopment, before completing the acquisition, to submit to the supervisor a declaration, under penalty of perjury, that the acquisition is for the sole purpose of plugging and abandoning the well or decommissioning the production facility for the purpose of redevelopment, a description of the redevelopment plan, and a plugging and abandoning work plan, as provided. By expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require an acquiring person who submits the declaration to commence plugging and abandonment or decommissioning operations within 24 months of the date of acquisition, and would authorize the supervisor to grant a 12-month extension, as provided. The bill would require the supervisor to require an acquiring person who fails to commence operations within this time period to file financial assurance, as provided. The bill would require a person acquiring the rights to a well or production facility pursuant to these provisions to provide annual updates on the plugging and abandonment work plan. If the supervisor determines that the acquiring person is not capable of plugging the wells within these timeframes, the bill would require the acquiring person to post specified financial assurance and would require the supervisor to notify the previous operator who is responsible for the plugging and abandonment. The bill would establish that no more than 100 wells or associated production facilities may be included, on an annual basis, in this alternative financial security program, as provided. This bill would, on and after January 1, 2028, and quarterly thereafter, require the division to post on its internet website specified information related to well transfers, wells and production facilities acquired for the sole purpose of plugging and abandoning or decommissioning, and a description of wells located in or within one mile of a disadvantaged community. The bill would require the supervisor and Director of Conservation to annually attend specified legislative hearings to report on well transfer activity, implementation and status of financial assurance for indemnification, and the above-described provisions related to redevelopment of oil and gas wells, and would require the division, on or before January 1, 2032, to prepare and submit a related report to the relevant legislative policy and budget committees in both houses of the Legislature, as provided. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. This bill would make the operation of its provisions contingent upon the enactment of AB 2461 of the 2025–26 Regular Session.
Existing law defines an assault as an unlawful attempt, coupled with present ability, to commit a violent injury upon the person of another. Existing law defines a battery as any willful and unlawful use of force or violence upon the person of another. Under existing law, an assault or battery committed against specified professionals engaged in the performance of their duties, including peace officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel, is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, by a fine not exceeding $2,000, or by both that fine and imprisonment. This bill would make an assault or battery committed against a utility worker, as defined, who is engaged in the performance of their duties punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, by a fine not exceeding $2,000, or by both that fine and imprisonment. By expanding the scope of these crimes, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law requires, by December 31, 2026, the State Air Resources Board, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, as provided, to develop a framework for measuring the average carbon intensity of the materials used in the construction of new buildings, including those for residential uses. Existing law requires, by December 31, 2028, the state board to develop a comprehensive strategy for the state's building sector to achieve a 40% net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of building materials, as specified, as soon as possible, but no later than December 31, 2035. Existing law authorizes the state board to establish an embodied carbon trading system, as defined, in compliance with these requirements, as provided. This bill would require the state board to determine whether using building materials with lower embodied carbon would be cost effective during the first 2-year period of their use compared to using conventional building materials before implementing the above-described provisions. If the state board determines that using building materials with lower embodied carbon would not be cost effective during the first 2-year period of their use compared to using conventional building materials, the bill would require the state board to delay or suspend, as applicable, implementation of those provisions for not less than 5 years, not to exceed 10 years in total.
Existing law, the California Clean Energy Jobs Act, expresses a goal of creating good-paying energy efficiency and clean energy jobs in California. Existing law establishes in state government the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, under the supervision of the Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, which consists of the Office of the Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development and the California Workforce Development Board, among others. Existing law creates the position of Deputy Secretary for Climate within the agency, subject to appropriation by the Legislature, for the purpose of assisting in the oversight of California's workforce transition to a sustainable and equitable carbon neutral economy. This bill would, upon appropriation by the Legislature, establish an Electric Vehicle Economic Opportunity Zone (EVEOZ) for the County of Riverside, administered by the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, for the purpose of creating programs to make electric vehicle manufacturing jobs and education more accessible to lower income communities. The bill would require the agency to collaborate with the County of Riverside in determining the geographical boundaries of the EVEOZ. By imposing additional duties on local officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would authorize the agency to partner with educational institutions, electric vehicle manufacturing businesses, and local and national financial intuitions to develop EVEOZ education, training, and investment programs, as specified. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Riverside. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law requires the PUC, in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission and the Independent System Operator, to take specified actions to facilitate the commercialization of microgrids for distribution customers of large electrical corporations, including developing microgrid service standards necessary to meet state and local permitting requirements and developing methods to reduce barriers for microgrid deployment without shifting costs between ratepayers. This bill would require a large electrical corporation, upon request, to collaborate with local governments, tribal governments, or community choice aggregators within its service area to support resiliency planning, as provided. The bill would require large electrical corporations to provide local governments, tribal governments, and community choice aggregators with access to data, including electrical distribution equipment data, transmission and distribution circuit data, grid hardening plans, and other information as directed by the commission, to support resiliency planning by local governments and tribal governments to ensure local governments, tribal governments, and community choice aggregators are able to plan potential microgrid projects to support critical facilities. The bill would authorize the commission to require large electrical corporations to share this information in aggregated and anonymized form to protect customer privacy and electrical grid security. Under existing law, a violation of any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the PUC is a crime. Because the violation of a PUC action implementing the bill's requirements would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
This measure would urge President Donald J. Trump and Congress to protect and maintain the historic investments made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
Existing law, the Administrative Procedure Act, sets forth the requirements for the adoption, publication, review, and implementation of regulations by state agencies. The Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 (act) , approved by the voters as Proposition 4 at the November 5, 2024, statewide general election, authorized the issuance of bonds in the amount of $10,000,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance projects for safe drinking water, drought, flood, and water resilience, wildfire and forest resilience, coastal resilience, extreme heat mitigation, biodiversity and nature-based climate solutions, climate-smart, sustainable, and resilient farms, ranches, and working lands, park creation and outdoor access, and clean air programs. Existing law authorizes certain regulations needed to effectuate or implement programs of the act to be adopted as emergency regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, as provided. Existing law requires the emergency regulations to be filed with the Office of Administrative Law and requires the emergency regulations to remain in effect until repealed or amended by the adopting state agency. This bill, notwithstanding the above, would exempt the adoption of regulations for purposes of developing and adopting program guidelines and selection criteria needed to effectuate or implement programs of the act from the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act, as provided. The bill would require a state entity that receives funding to administer a competitive grant program established using the Administrative Procedure Act exemption to do certain things, including, among other things, to develop draft project solicitation and evaluation guidelines, to transmit copies of the draft guidelines to the fiscal committees and to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature, to hold a noticed public meeting on the draft guidelines, and to submit the final guidelines to the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, except as provided. The bill would require the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to post an electronic form of the guidelines submitted by a state entity and the subsequent verifications on the Natural Resources Agency's internet website. The bill would authorize the use of certain previously developed program guidelines and selection criteria for these purposes, as provided. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Under existing law, the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program requires retail sellers and local publicly owned electric utilities to procure a minimum quantity of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources during certain compliance periods up to December 31, 2030. Existing law provides that a local publicly owned electric utility is not required to procure a certain amount of eligible renewable energy resources if, during a year within those compliance periods, the local publicly owned electric utility receives more than 40% of its retail sales from large hydroelectric generation under an ownership agreement or contract in effect as of January 1, 2018. Existing law authorizes the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) to establish appropriate multiyear compliance periods for local publicly owned electric utilities beyond December 31, 2030. This bill would provide that the provision related to the procurement of eligible renewable energy resources by local publicly owned electric utilities also applies to the compliance periods established by the Energy Commission.
