Existing law establishes the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, with various responsibilities with respect to developing and implementing the state's energy policies. Existing law requires, as part of the 2027 edition of the integrated energy policy report, the commission to include an assessment of the potential for fusion energy to contribute to California's power supply. Existing law requires the commission to carry out technical assessment studies on all forms of energy, including, among others, advanced nuclear powerplant concepts, fusion, and fuel cells. This bill would establish the Fusion Research and Development Innovation Initiative within the commission to accelerate the development and growth of fusion energy by advancing fusion science and technology. The bill would require the commission to administer the initiative and provide financial incentives for projects that, among other things, advance research and development into fusion energy, accelerate the deployment of new research and technology capabilities that support the commercialization of fusion energy, or achieve the initiative's goal of delivering the world's first fusion energy pilot project in the state by the 2040s, as specified. The bill would make its provisions operative, and implementation of its provisions contingent, upon an appropriation by the Legislature for the initiative. The bill would repeal its provisions on January 1, 2028.
Existing law, the Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995, requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to establish and oversee an environmental farming program to provide incentives to farmers whose practices promote the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and wildlife and their habitat. Existing law establishes the Climate Smart Agriculture Account, the moneys in which are continuously appropriated for purposes of the act. This bill would instead require the department to establish and oversee a sustainable agriculture program to provide research, technical assistance, and incentive grants to promote agricultural practices that support climate resilience for farms and ranches and the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and biodiversity. By expanding the purposes for which moneys in a continuously appropriated fund may be used, the bill would make an appropriation. The act requires the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to convene a 9-member Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming, as prescribed, for the purpose of providing advice to the secretary on the implementation of the Healthy Soils Program and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program and assistance to federal, state, and local government agencies on issues relating to the impact of agricultural practices on air, water, and wildlife habitat, as specified. Existing law requires members of the panel to be highly qualified and professionally active or engaged in the conduct of scientific research and provides for their appointment for terms of 3 years. This bill would rename the Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming the Scientific Advisory Panel on Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture for the purpose of providing advice to the secretary on the implementation of research, incentive, and technical assistance grant programs for sustainable agriculture. The bill would expand the panel from 9 members to 11 members, would require the panel to consist of members of the public that represent scientific expertise in sustainable agriculture and members of state agencies that represent expertise in programs and policies related to agriculture, and would limit the members of the panel to 2 terms. The act establishes the Climate Smart Agriculture Technical Assistance Grant Program to provide funds to technical assistance providers to provide technical assistance, as defined, to applicants of the Healthy Soils Program, the Alternative Manure Management Program, and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program. Existing law requires the secretary to make available not less than 5% of the funds appropriated to the department for those programs, but not more than 20%, for providing technical assistance, as specified, and for supporting annual information sharing among technical assistance providers, the department, and other relevant stakeholders, as specified. This bill would expand the definition of "technical assistance" to include, among other things, training, conservation, agricultural planning, and grant writing. The bill would delete the provision establishing the Climate Smart Agriculture Technical Assistance Grant Program and would instead require the secretary to make available not less than 5%, but not more than 20%, of the funds appropriated to the department for the above-described programs, for providing technical assistance directly through a technical assistance grant program, or indirectly through a block grant program that includes funding for technical assistance. The bill would require the department to provide funds to technical assistance providers to: (1) support farmers and ranchers in the application process for grants from those programs and the implementation of funded projects; (2) provide general planning and training for climate-smart and sustainable agriculture; and (3) lease, purchase, or repair farming, ranching, and food processing equipment that can be centrally housed with the technical assistance provider and shared regionally with producers. This bill would require the department to authorize a percentage of funding to support training and capacity building within technical assistance provider organizations and coordination between organizations to improve assistance, as provided, and would require the department to support information sharing among technical assistance providers, the department, and other relevant stakeholders, as specified. The bill would require the department to allow equipment sharing costs funded as part of the grant awards to include developing and expanding equipment sharing programs, as specified.
Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to adopt and implement motor vehicle fuel specifications for the control of air contaminants and sources of air pollution. Existing law prohibits the state board from adopting any regulation that establishes a specification for motor vehicle fuel unless that regulation, and a multimedia evaluation conducted by affected agencies and coordinated by the state board, are reviewed by the California Environmental Policy Council. This bill would, notwithstanding that prohibition, authorize blends of gasoline containing 10.5% to 15% ethanol by volume to be sold in the state for use as a transportation fuel until (1) the California Environmental Policy Council completes its review of those blends and (2) the state board either adopts a regulation establishing a specification for those blends or posts an assessment on its internet website demonstrating that it is not possible for a regulation establishing a specification for those blends to meet specified requirements. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
(1) Existing law requires the Director of Fish and Wildlife, within 24 hours of notification of a spill or discharge, as described, to close certain waters to the take of all fish and shellfish. Existing law provides that closure is not required if the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) finds, within 24 hours of the notification, that a public health threat does not or is unlikely to exist. Existing law requires the director, in consultation with OEHHA, to make specific determinations with regard to the spill or discharge within 48 hours of the notification. Existing law requires the director, within 48 hours of notification or as soon as is feasible, in consultation with OEHHA, to assess and determine the potential danger from consuming fish contained in a recirculating seawater tank onboard a vessel. Existing law requires the director to seek full reimbursement from the responsible parties for the spill or discharge for all reasonable costs incurred by the department in carrying out these provisions. A violation of the Fish and Game Code is a crime. This bill would revise those provisions by, among other things, authorizing, instead of requiring, after a notification of a spill or discharge the director to close certain waters to the take of all fish or shellfish or to otherwise restrict the take and possession of all fish or shellfish in those waters. The bill would require closure if OEHHA finds that a public health threat exists or is likely to exist, and would require the director, in determining the need for a closure, to initiate consultation with OEHHA no later than 24 hours after a notification of a spill or discharge regarding the likelihood of a public health threat, if specified conditions are met. The bill would also authorize OEHHA to seek full reimbursement for all reasonable costs it incurs. The bill would make it unlawful to take any fish or shellfish from any waters closed pursuant to these provisions or to otherwise violate any restriction imposed pursuant to these provisions. By creating a new crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law authorizes the administrator for oil spill response (administrator) to offer grants to a local government, Native American tribe, or other public entity with jurisdiction over or directly adjacent to waters of the state to provide oil spill response equipment to be deployed by a certified local spill response manager, as provided. This bill would provide that a federally recognized tribe, instead of a Native American tribe, is eligible to receive those grants. Existing law requires the administrator, taking into consideration the California oil spill contingency plan, to promulgate regulations regarding the adequacy of oil spill elements of area plans adopted pursuant to specified existing law. Existing law authorizes the administrator to offer, to a unified program agency with jurisdiction over or directly adjacent to waters of the state, a grant to complete, update, or revise an oil spill element of the area plan. Existing law establishes the Environmental Enhancement Grant Program and requires grants to be awarded to nonprofit organizations, cities, counties, cities and counties, districts, state agencies, and departments. This bill would provide that a federally recognized tribe is also eligible to receive the above-described grants. (3) Existing law makes a responsible party, as defined, absolutely liable without regard to fault for any damages incurred by any injured person that arise out of, or are caused by, a spill, with specified exemptions including the discharge or leaking of oil or natural gas from a private pleasure boat or vessel. This bill would remove the discharge or leaking of oil or natural gas from a private pleasure boat or vessel from those exemptions from liability. (4) 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 prohibits a person from offering for sale or distribution, or otherwise entering into commerce in the state, bulk hydrofluorocarbons or bulk blends containing hydrofluorocarbons that exceed a specified global warming potential limit beginning January 1, 2025, and lower global warming potential limits beginning January 1, 2030, and January 1, 2033. Existing law exempts from that prohibition hydrofluorocarbons that are reclaimed, as defined under a specified federal regulation. Under existing law, a violation of these prohibitions is a crime. This bill would eliminate the exemption for reclaimed hydrofluorocarbons and would instead create new exemptions for certain refrigerants, as specified. By eliminating the exemption for reclaimed hydrofluorocarbons, the bill would expand the scope of a crime and thereby 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 bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
Existing sales and use tax laws impose taxes on retailers measured by the gross receipts from the sale of tangible personal property sold at retail in this state, or on the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of tangible personal property purchased from a retailer for storage, use, or other consumption in this state. The California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority Act establishes the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority. The act authorizes, until January 1, 2026, the authority to provide financial assistance to a participating party by authorizing exclusions from sales and use tax for certain projects, including those that promote California-based manufacturing, California-based jobs, advanced manufacturing, the reduction of greenhouse gases, or a reduction in air and water pollution or energy consumption. The Sales and Use Tax Law, for the purposes of the taxes imposed pursuant to that law, until January 1, 2026, excludes the lease or transfer of title of tangible personal property constituting one of those projects to any contractor for use in the performance of a construction contract for a participating party that will use that property as an integral part of the approved project. This bill would extend to January 1, 2028, the authorization to provide financial assistance in the form of a sales and use tax exclusion for projects approved by the authority. The bill would add electrical generation facilities using nuclear fusion technology to the types of projects qualifying for this sales and use tax exclusion. The bill would, on and after January 1, 2026, for an applicant that, together with its parent corporation and subsidiaries, employs 500 or more employees, prohibit the authority from approving a project unless the applicant certifies that the applicant and its subcontractors will comply with certain labor requirements. The bill would make other conforming changes. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to prescribe, by regulation, lighting, insulation, climate control system, and other building design and construction standards, and energy and water conservation design standards, for new residential and new nonresidential buildings to reduce the wasteful, uneconomic, inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy, as specified. This bill would require the commission to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of passive house energy efficiency standards by California climate zone, using commission-adopted metrics such as long-term system cost. The bill would require the commission to evaluate the use of the 2 passive house energy models currently required for passive house certification in its analysis and the cost-effectiveness of passive house construction compared to existing construction, as specified. The bill would require the commission, on or before July 1, 2028, to submit a report to the Legislature documenting its findings and recommendations.
Existing law prohibits requiring a person desiring to use an electric vehicle charging station, as defined, that requires payment of a fee from paying a subscription fee in order to use the station, or requiring the person to obtain membership in any club, association, or organization as a condition of using the station. Existing law authorizes an electric vehicle charging station to offer services on a subscription- or membership-only basis if the station allows nonsubscribers or nonmembers to use the station through a contactless payment method that accepts major credit and debit cards, as specified, and either an automated toll-free telephone number or a short message system (SMS) that provides the customer with the option to initiate a charging session and submit payment. Existing law authorizes the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, by regulation that is effective no earlier than January 1, 2028, to add to or subtract from those required payment methods, as specified. This bill would instead authorize the commission to modify, add to, or subtract from those required payment methods, as appropriate in light of changing technologies or cost impacts. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 44268.2 of the Health and Safety Code proposed by SB 533 to be operative only if this bill and SB 533 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Existing law, the Personal Income Tax Law and the Corporation Tax Law, in conformity with federal income tax law, generally defines "gross income" as income from whatever source derived, except as specifically excluded, and provides various exclusions from gross income. Existing federal law authorizes an applicable entity, as defined, to receive a refund for specified environmental credits against the taxes imposed under federal law and excludes a refund payment made pursuant to that law from gross income. Existing federal law also authorizes an eligible taxpayer, as defined, to transfer the value of that refundable credit and exempts from gross income payment received by the transferor as consideration for the transfer. Existing federal law prohibits the transferee from deducting the amount paid as consideration for the transfer. This bill, in conformity with federal law, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and before January 1, 2031, would exclude from gross income a refund payment made for the specified federal environmental credits described above and any payment received by a transferor as consideration for a transfer, as provided. The bill would also prohibit a transferee from deducting the amount paid as consideration for the transfer, in conformity with federal law. Existing law requires a bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals, purposes, and objectives the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements. This bill would include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure. This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.
Existing provisions of the California Constitution make the Attorney General, subject to the powers and duties of the Governor, the chief law officer of the state. Under existing law, the Attorney General may maintain an action for equitable relief in the name of the people of the State of California against any person for the protection of the natural resources of the state from pollution, impairment, or destruction. This bill would continue in existence in the Department of Justice a Bureau of Environmental Justice. Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board to prepare, in consultation with specified entities, a monitoring plan regarding the availability and effectiveness of toxic air contaminant and criteria air pollutant advanced sensing monitoring technologies and existing community air monitoring systems, as specified, and based on the findings and recommendations of that plan, select, in consultation with the air pollution control districts and air quality management districts, the highest priority locations around the state to deploy community air monitoring systems, as provided. This bill would require monitoring in a location selected by the state board to remain active for no fewer than 5 years, with an option for the air district and the state board to agree to extend active monitoring for additional 5-year periods, as necessary. The bill would require the state board to update the above-described monitoring plan by July 1, 2026, and every 5 years thereafter. The bill would require the update to be considered and approved by the state board before it is implemented. The bill would subject these requirement to available funding. The bill would require, by March 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the state board, in consultation with the air districts, to report to specified committees of the Legislature about the progress the state board and the air districts have made in implementing these and other provisions, as specified. The bill would require the chair of the state board and the executive directors or air pollution control officers of the relevant air districts to appear before the relevant policy committees of the Legislature to present on the progress in implementing those requirements. By imposing additional requirements on air districts, 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, 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.
