Existing law requires an owner or operator of a motor vehicle, or an owner of a vehicle used to transport passengers for hire not regulated by the Public Utilities Commission, to maintain liability insurance coverage for the named insured and any other person using the vehicle with permission in the amount of $15,000 for the bodily injury or death of any one person, $30,000 for the bodily injury or death of all persons, and $5,000 for damage to the property of others resulting from any one accident. Existing law defines "proof of financial responsibility" for purposes of the provisions requiring an owner or operator of a motor vehicle to maintain proof of financial responsibility in these amounts, as specified, or to deposit $35,000 with the Department of Motor Vehicles. Under existing law, a violation of the Vehicle Code is a crime. This bill would, commencing on January 1, 2025, increase the amount of liability insurance coverage an owner or operator of a motor vehicle, and an owner of a vehicle used to transport passengers for hire not regulated by the Public Utilities Commission, is required to maintain to $30,000 for bodily injury or death of one person, $60,000 for bodily injury or death of all persons, and $15,000 for damage to the property of others as a result of any one accident. The bill would also increase the deposit to $75,000. The bill would, by February 1, 2023, require the Insurance Commissioner to distribute a bulletin to solicit rate applications. The bill would require the rate applications due by July 1, 2023, and a rate change would be effective on or after January 1, 2025. The bill, on January 1, 2035, would increase the minimum amounts of required liability insurance coverage by $20,000 and $40,000 for bodily injury or death of one person and all persons, respectively, and by $10,000 for property damage, and increase the minimum cash deposit by $50,000. The bill would, by July 1, 2033, require the commissioner to distribute a bulletin to solicit rate applications to effectuate the January 1, 2035 increases. Because the bill would expand the application of an existing crime, it 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 bill would become operative only if SB 1155 of the 2021–22 Regular Session is enacted and takes effect on or before January 1, 2023.
Sponsored bills
(1) Existing law prohibits the seller or holder of a conditional sale contract for a motor vehicle from accelerating the maturity of any part or all of the amount due under the contract or repossessing the vehicle in the absence of default in the performance of any of the buyer's obligations under the contract. This bill would provide that neither the act of filing a bankruptcy petition by the buyer or other person liable on the contract nor the status of either of those persons as a debtor in bankruptcy constitutes a default in the performance of any of the buyer's obligations under the contract and neither may be used as a basis for accelerating the maturity of any part or all of the amount due under the contract or for repossessing the motor vehicle. The bill would provide that a provision of a contract that states that the act of filing a petition commencing a case for bankruptcy under Title 11 of the United States Code by the buyer or other individual liable on the contract or the status of either of those persons as a debtor in bankruptcy is a default is void and unenforceable. (2) Existing law identifies various types of property of a judgment debtor that are exempt from the enforcement of a money judgment. Existing law provides that property described in statute as exempt may be claimed within the time and in the manner prescribed in the applicable enforcement procedure, and property described in statute as exempt without making a claim is not subject to any procedure for enforcement of a money judgment. Existing law provides that these general exemptions are applicable in a federal bankruptcy case regardless of whether a money judgment is being enforced by execution sale or other procedure, unless the debtor elects certain alternative exemptions. This bill would provide that, in a federal bankruptcy case, the value of the property claimed as exempt and debtor's general and alternative exemptions with respect to such property shall be determined as of the date the bankruptcy petition is filed. The bill would provide that, in a case where the debtor's equity in a residence is less than or equal to the amount of the debtor's allowed homestead exemption as of the date the bankruptcy petition is filed, any appreciation in the value of the debtor's interest in the property during the pendency of the case is exempt. Existing law authorizes spouses who jointly file a bankruptcy petition to elect jointly to utilize the general exemptions or the alternative exemptions, but not both. Existing law provides that, if a bankruptcy petition is filed individually, and not jointly, for a spouse, the general exemptions are applicable, except that, if both of the spouses waive in writing the right to claim, during the period the bankruptcy case is pending, the general exemptions, then they may elect to utilize the alternative exemptions. This bill would provide that a waiver is not required from a debtor who is living separate and apart from their spouse as of the date the bankruptcy petition is filed, unless, on the petition date, the debtor and the debtor's spouse shared an ownership interest in property that could be exempted as a homestead, as specified. Existing law includes an alternative exemption for the debtor's right to receive benefits, compensation, alimony, support, separate maintenance, and a payment under certain plans or contracts, as specified. This bill would add an alternative exemption for the debtor's right to receive the aggregate interest, not to exceed $7,500, in vacation credits or accrued, or unused, vacation pay, sick leave, family leave, or wages, as defined. Existing law includes alternative exemptions for the debtor's right to receive, or property that is traceable to, an award under a crime victim's reparation law and various payments, including a payment on account of the wrongful death of an individual of whom the debtor was a dependent, a payment under a life insurance contract that insured the life of an individual of whom the debtor was a dependent on the date of that individual's death, a payment on account of personal bodily injury of the debtor or an individual of whom the debtor is a dependent, and a payment in compensation of loss of future earnings of the debtor or an individual of whom the debtor is or was a dependent to the extent reasonably necessary for the support of the debtor and a dependent of the debtor. This bill would add an alternative exemption for a payment under a settlement agreement arising out of or regarding the debtor's employment, to the extent reasonably necessary for the support of the debtor, the debtor's spouse, and a dependent of the debtor. The bill would make the exemption for payment on account of a wrongful death and payment under a life insurance contract applicable, as well, to a payment regarding an individual of whom the debtor was a spouse. The bill would make the exemption for payment on account of personal bodily injury applicable, as well, to a payment on account of personal bodily injury of the debtor's spouse. The bill would make the exemption for a payment in compensation of loss of future earnings applicable, as well, to a payment regarding an individual of whom the debtor is or was a spouse, and would provide that the exemption applies, as well, to the extent reasonably necessary for the support of the debtor's spouse. Existing law exempts any combination of the aggregate equity in motor vehicles, the proceeds of an execution sale of a motor vehicle, and the proceeds of insurance or other indemnification for the loss, damage, or destruction of a motor vehicle in the amount of $3,325. Existing law includes an alternative exemption not to exceed $5,850 in value for the debtor's interest in one or more motor vehicles. This bill would increase the amounts of the general and alternative exemptions for motor vehicles to $7,500. Existing law includes a general exemption for health aids reasonably necessary to enable the judgment debtor or the spouse or a dependent of the judgment debtor to work or sustain health, and prosthetic and orthopedic appliances, and an alternative exemption for professionally prescribed health aids for the debtor or a dependent of the debtor. This bill would provide that a vehicle converted for use by the debtor, the debtor's spouse, or a dependent of the debtor, who has a disability, is a health aid under the general exemption and a professionally prescribed health aid under the alternative exemption. The bill would provide examples of conversions of a vehicle for use by a person who has a disability. The bill would make the alternative exemption applicable, as well, to professionally prescribed health aids for the debtor's spouse. Existing law includes an alternative exemption for the debtor's right to receive alimony, support, or separate maintenance, to the extent reasonably necessary for the support of the debtor and any dependent of the debtor. This bill would add a general exemption matching the existing alternative exemption. Existing law provides that vacation credits, as defined, are exempt from enforcement of a money judgment without making a claim. This bill would expand this general exemption to include, in addition, accrued or unused vacation pay, sick leave, or family leave. The bill would limit the exemption to the aggregate interest, not to exceed $7,500, and would delete the provision exempting the property without making a claim. (3) Existing law provides that, in the absence of default in the performance of a borrower's obligations under a loan secured in whole or in part by a lien on a motor vehicle, as defined, a licensee may not accelerate the maturity of any part or all of the amount due on the loan or repossess the motor vehicle. This bill would provide that neither the act of filing a bankruptcy petition by the borrower or other person liable on the loan nor the status of either of those persons as a debtor in bankruptcy constitutes a default in the performance of any of the borrower's obligations under the loan and neither may be used as a basis for accelerating the maturity of any part or all of the amount due under the loan or for repossessing the motor vehicle. The bill would provide that a provision of a contract that states that the act of filing a petition commencing a case for bankruptcy under Title 11 of the United States Code by the buyer or other individual liable on the contract or the status of either of those persons as a debtor in bankruptcy is a default is void and unenforceable. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 703.140 of the Code of Civil Procedure proposed by SB 956 to be operative only if this bill and SB 956 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency responsible for monitoring and regulating sources emitting greenhouse gases. The act requires the state board to prepare and approve a scoping plan for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and to update the scoping plan at least once every 5 years. The act requires the state board to conduct a series of public workshops to give interested parties an opportunity to comment on the plan and requires a portion of those workshops to be conducted in regions of the state that have the most significant exposure to pollutants. The act specifically includes as regions for these workshops communities with minority populations, communities with low-income populations, or both. This bill would instead include as regions for these workshops federal extreme nonattainment areas that have communities with minority populations, communities with low-income populations, or both. Under existing law, it is the policy of the state that eligible renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources supply 100% of all retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers and 100% of electricity procured to serve all state agencies by December 31, 2045. This bill would revise that state policy to instead provide that eligible renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources supply 90% of all retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers by December 31, 2035, 95% of all retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers by December 31, 2040, 100% of all retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers by December 31, 2045, and 100% of electricity procured to serve all state agencies by December 31, 2035, as specified. Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations, while local publicly owned electric utilities are under the direction of their governing boards. Existing law requires the PUC to ensure that facilities needed to maintain the reliability of the electrical supply remain available and operational. Existing law establishes an Independent System Operator (ISO) as a nonprofit public benefit corporation and requires the ISO to ensure efficient use and reliable operation of the electrical transmission grid consistent with achieving planning and operating reserve criteria no less stringent than those established by the Western Electricity Coordinating Council and the North American Electric Reliability Council. Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) , in consultation with the PUC, ISO, transmission owners, users, and consumers, to adopt a strategic plan for the state's electrical transmission grid using existing resources in order to identify and recommend actions required to implement investments needed to ensure reliability, relieve congestion, and meet future growth in load and generation. This bill would authorize the PUC and Energy Commission, upon request of the ISO, to disclose to the ISO confidential information relating to power purchase agreements with electric generation and energy storage projects for purposes of transmission planning. This bill would require the PUC, Energy Commission, and state board, on or before December 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, to issue a joint reliability progress report that reviews system and local reliability within the context of that state policy described above, with a particular focus on summer reliability, identifies challenges and gaps, if any, to achieving system and local reliability, and identifies the amount and cause of any delays to achieving compliance with all energy and capacity procurement requirements set by the PUC. This bill would require the PUC to develop a definition of energy affordability, as specified, and to use energy affordability metrics to guide the development of any protections, incentives, discounts, or new programs to assist residential customers facing hardships or disconnections due to electricity or gas bills and to assess the impact of proposed rate increases on different types of residential customers. The California Public Records Act requires a public agency, defined to mean a state or local agency, to make its public records available for public inspection and to make copies available upon request and payment of a fee, unless the public records are exempt from disclosure. The act makes specified records exempt from disclosure and provides that disclosure by a state or local agency of a public record that is otherwise exempt constitutes a waiver of the exemptions. This bill would specify that a disclosure made through the sharing of information between the ISO and a state agency does not constitute a waiver of the exemptions. Existing law prohibits information furnished to the PUC by a public utility, a business that is a subsidiary or affiliate of a public utility, or a corporation that holds a controlling interest in a public utility from being open to public inspection or made public, except as specified. This bill would authorize a present officer or employee of the PUC to share information with the ISO pursuant to an agreement to treat the shared information as confidential. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the PUC is a crime. Because certain of the above provisions would be part of the act and a violation of a PUC action implementing this bill's requirements would be a crime, the 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 generally designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency with the primary responsibility for the control of vehicular air pollution. Existing law establishes or authorizes the establishment of various incentive programs that are administered or funded by the State Air Resources Board to provide financial assistance for the purchase of zero-emission or near-zero-emission vehicles by individuals, including, among others, the Clean Cars 4 All Program. Under existing law, the Clean Cars 4 All Program is administered by the state board to focus on achieving reductions in the emissions of greenhouse gases, improvements in air quality, and benefits to low-income state residents through the replacement of high-polluter motor vehicles with cleaner and more efficient motor vehicles or a mobility option. This bill would, on or before July 1, 2024, require the state board, with respect to the various zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicle incentive programs administered or funded by the state board, to adopt certain revisions to those programs if the state board finds those revisions to be feasible. The bill would require the state board, if it finds that the adoption of the revisions is infeasible, to prepare a report, as specified, describing the rationale for the finding, to post the report on its internet website, and to provide a notice of the report to the relevant policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature. The bill would require the state board, contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature, to create a single unified education and application portal that enables an applicant for any of those programs to access information about the program and to submit one application for all of the programs. This bill would require the regulations implementing the Clean Cars 4 All Program to ensure that by January 1, 2025, all hybrid vehicles purchased using an incentive are capable of plug-in charging. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 44124.5 of the Health and Safety Code proposed by SB 1382 to be operative only if this bill and SB 1382 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases. The state board is required to approve a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions level in 1990 to be achieved by 2020 and to ensure that statewide greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to at least 40% below the 1990 level by 2030. This bill would declare the intent of the Legislature that state agencies aim to achieve net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases resulting from their operations no later than January 1, 2035, or as soon as feasible thereafter. The bill would require the Department of General Services, in consultation with the state board, and to the extent feasible, to publish, on its internet website or other publicly available location, an inventory of the greenhouse gas emissions of state agencies for the prior calendar year, on or before July 1, 2024, and annually thereafter until the goal has been achieved. The bill would require the department to develop and publish a plan, on or before January 1, 2026, that describes required actions and investments for achieving net-zero emissions of greenhouse gases and an estimate of the costs associated with the planned actions, and ensure that the required actions and investments are incorporated into the sustainability roadmaps of all state agencies. The bill would require the department to update the plan beginning June 30, 2028, and every 2 years thereafter until the goal has been achieved. The bill, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, would require the department to provide information, training, coordination, best practices, and other technical assistance to state agencies to help those state agencies implement the required actions and investments. The bill would require state agencies to incorporate the required actions and investments into their future budget proposals, as provided. The bill would require the department, beginning December 31, 2027, and biennially thereafter until the achievement of the above stated goal, to report to the Legislature on progress toward achieving that goal, as provided.
Existing law establishes the State Air Resources Board as the state agency responsible for monitoring and regulating sources emitting greenhouse gases. Existing law, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, requires the state board to ensure that statewide greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to at least 40% below the 1990 level by 2030. Existing law requires, no later than July 1, 2023, the Natural Resources Agency, in coordination with the state board, the California Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Food and Agriculture, and other relevant state agencies, to establish the Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy and, in developing the strategy, to create a framework to advance the state's climate goals. Existing law requires the state board, as part of its scoping plan, to establish specified carbon dioxide removal targets for 2030 and beyond. This bill would require the state board to establish a Carbon Capture, Removal, Utilization, and Storage Program, as provided, to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and viability of carbon capture, utilization, or storage (CCUS) technologies and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies and facilitate the capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide from those technologies, where appropriate. The bill would require the program to ensure that carbon dioxide capture, removal, and sequestration projects include specified components including, among others, certain monitoring activities. In carrying out the program's objectives, the bill would require the state board to prioritize, among other priorities, reducing the emissions of greenhouses gases and reducing fossil fuel production in the state. The bill would require the state board to adopt regulations to implement the program and, in developing the program, to consult with the Geologic Carbon Sequestration Group described below. This bill would require the state board, in consultation with relevant state and local agencies, by January 1, 2025, to adopt regulations for a unified permit application for the construction and operation of carbon dioxide capture, removal, or sequestration projects to expedite the issuance of permits or other authorizations for the construction and operation of those projects. The bill would require relevant state agencies to use the unified permit application when issuing permits or other authorizations for a carbon dioxide capture, removal, or sequestration project. This bill would require the state board, by January 1, 2025, to develop a centralized public database to track the deployment of CCUS and CDR technologies and the development of carbon dioxide capture, removal, and sequestration projects throughout the state. The bill would authorize the state board, by January 1, 2024, to adopt protocols to support additional methods of utilization or storage of captured carbon dioxide. The bill would require the state board, no later than January 1, 2025, to adopt regulations for financial responsibility for carbon dioxide capture, removal, or sequestration projects, as specified. This bill would require the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, in consultation with the state board, to publish a framework by July 1, 2025, for governing agreements regarding 2 or more tracts of land overlying the same geologic storage reservoir or reservoirs for purposes of managing, developing, and operating a carbon dioxide capture, removal, or sequestration project, as provided. This bill would provide that title to any geologic storage reservoir is vested in the owner of the overlying surface estate unless it has been severed and separately conveyed and would establish certain requirements with regard to the conveyance of the ownership interest of a geologic storage reservoir. No less than 60 days before commencing development of a carbon dioxide capture, removal, and sequestration project, the bill would require the carbon dioxide capture, removal, or sequestration project operator to provide written notice of the project to each owner of a surface, subsurface, or storage reservoir estate that is adjacent to a geologic storage complex or a geologic storage reservoir that is included in the project. The bill would repeal the provisions described in this paragraph on a specified date. This bill would require a carbon dioxide capture, removal, or sequestration project operator, among other things, (1) to maintain financial responsibility for a specified period of time, (2) to show proof to the state board that there is binding agreement among relevant parties that drilling or extraction that may penetrate the geologic storage reservoir are prohibited for at least 100 years after the last date of injection of carbon dioxide into a geologic storage reservoir, and (3) to create an air monitoring and mitigation plan and to submit the plan to the state board. This bill would authorize the state board to require changes in operations of a carbon dioxide capture, removal, or sequestration project to ensure public and environmental health and safety if the monitoring and reporting detects increased seismicity or carbon dioxide leakage outside the geologic storage reservoir. This bill would require the California Geological Survey to establish the Geologic Carbon Sequestration Group to provide independent expertise and regulatory guidance to the state board. The bill would establish certain of the group's duties, including identifying high-quality, suitable locations of a class of carbon dioxide injection wells. Existing law requires the State Oil and Gas Supervisor to supervise the drilling, operation, maintenance, and abandonment of wells and the operation, maintenance, and removal or abandonment of tanks and facilities attendant to oil and gas production. The federal Safe Drinking Water Act regulates certain wells as Class II injection wells. Under existing federal law, the authority to regulate Class II injection wells is delegated to the Geologic Energy Management Division. Under existing regulations, a well operator is required to obtain approval from the supervisor or a district deputy for a subsurface injection or disposal project, including Class II injection wells, and is required to file a notice of intention whenever a new well is to be drilled for use as an injection well or whenever an existing well is converted to an injection well. This bill would prohibit an operator from injecting a concentrated carbon dioxide fluid produced by a carbon dioxide capture, removal, or sequestration project into a Class II injection well for purposes of enhanced oil recovery, including the facilitation of enhanced oil recovery from another well. Under existing law, a person who fails to comply with specified requirements relating to the regulation of oil or gas operations is guilty of a misdemeanor. Because a violation of the prohibition specified in this bill would be a crime, the 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 bill would make its operation contingent on the enactment of AB 1279 of the 2021–22 Regular Session, as provided.
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases. The state board is required to approve a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions level in 1990 to be achieved by 2020 and to ensure that statewide greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to at least 40% below the 1990 level by 2030. The act requires the state board to prepare and approve a scoping plan for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and to update the scoping plan at least once every 5 years. This bill would require the state board to create, and maintain on its internet website, a greenhouse gas emissions dashboard that provides updated publicly available information regarding how the state is progressing toward meeting its statewide climate change goals.
Existing law establishes an Independent System Operator (ISO) as a nonprofit public benefit corporation, and requires the ISO to ensure the efficient use and reliable operation of the electrical transmission grid consistent with the achievement of planning and operating reserve criteria, as specified. The California Constitution establishes the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) , with jurisdiction over all public utilities, including electrical and gas corporations. The California Constitution grants the PUC certain general powers over all public utilities, subject to control by the Legislature. The Public Utilities Act requires the PUC to identify a diverse and balanced portfolio of resources needed to ensure a reliable electricity supply that provides optimal integration of renewable energy in a cost-effective manner. The act also requires the PUC, in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) , to identify all potentially achievable cost-effective electricity efficiency savings and establish efficiency targets for an electrical corporation, as specified. This bill would require the PUC, on or before January 15, 2023, to request the ISO to identify the highest priority transmission facilities that are needed to allow for increased transmission capacity into local capacity areas to deliver renewable energy resources or zero-carbon resources that are expected to be developed by 2035 into those areas and to consider whether to approve the identified transmission projects as part of the ISO's 2022–23 transmission planning process. The bill would require the PUC, in consultation with the Energy Commission, to provide transmission-focused guidance to the ISO about resource portfolios of expected future renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources, as specified, to allow the ISO to identify and approve transmission facilities needed to interconnect resources and reliably serve the needs of load centers. The bill would express the policy of the state that planning for new transmission facilities considers the goals of minimizing the risk of wildfire and increasing systemwide reliability and cost efficiency, among other goals. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime. Because the provisions of this bill would be a part of the act and because a violation of an order or decision of the commission implementing its requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program by creating a new crime. 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.
(1) The Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003 (act) requires a retailer selling a covered electronic device in this state to collect from a consumer at the time of retail sale a covered electronic waste recycling fee, as specified. The act defines "covered electronic device" to mean a video display device containing a screen greater than 4 inches, measured diagonally, that is identified in the regulations adopted by the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) , subject to certain exclusions. The act requires all fees collected pursuant to the act to be deposited in the Electronic Waste Recovery and Recycling Account, and outlines certain other requirements related to the establishment, adjustment, and administration of the fee. Moneys in the account are continuously appropriated for specified purposes, including, but not limited to, paying covered electronic waste recycling fee refunds and making electronic waste recovery and recycling payments. Moneys in the account may be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act, for other specified purposes, including the administration of the act by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) and DTSC and to provide funding to DTSC to implement and enforce the hazardous waste control laws as they relate to covered electronic devices. Existing law incorporates the requirements and other provisions of the act by reference as requirements and provisions of the hazardous waste control laws. The act also expressly authorizes DTSC to enforce the act, and all regulations adopted pursuant to the act, through the hazardous waste control laws. A violation of the hazardous waste control laws is a crime. This bill would, among other things, expand the definition of "covered electronic device" to include a "covered battery-embedded product," as defined, thereby expanding the scope of the act to include covered battery-embedded products, as provided. The bill would require a consumer, on and after January 1, 2026, to pay a covered battery-embedded waste recycling fee in an amount established by CalRecycle upon the purchase of a new or refurbished covered battery-embedded product. The bill would authorize, beginning on August 1, 2028, CalRecycle, in collaboration with DTSC, to establish more than one covered electronic waste recycling fee for covered battery-embedded products based on categories of those products. The bill would also require, on or before October 1, 2025, and on or before October 1 each year thereafter, CalRecycle to establish a covered electronic waste recycling fee based on the reasonable regulatory costs to administer covered electronic waste recycling. The bill would require the charge to be imposed upon the purchase of a new or refurbished covered battery-embedded product. The bill would also require the charge to be adjusted annually based on the California Consumer Price Index. The bill would require CalRecycle, on or before August 1, 2027, and thereafter as specified, in collaboration with DTSC, to review, at a public hearing, the covered battery-embedded waste recycling fee applicable to covered battery-embedded products and to make any fair and reasonable adjustments to the charge to ensure that there are sufficient revenues in the Covered Battery-Embedded Waste Recycling Fee Subaccount to fund the covered electronic waste recycling program established pursuant to the act. The bill would create the Covered Electronic Waste Recycling Fee Subaccount and the Covered Battery-Embedded Waste Recycling Fee Subaccount as continuously appropriated funds in the Electronic Waste Recovery and Recycling Account. Because the funds deposited to the Covered Battery-Embedded Waste Recycling Fee Subaccount would be a new source of funds in the continuously appropriated subaccount within the continuously appropriated Electronic Waste Recovery and Recycling Account, the bill would make an appropriation. By expanding the scope of the act to make it applicable to covered battery-embedded products, the bill would expand the scope of a crime, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program. The act imposes certain obligations on a manufacturer of a covered electronic device sold in the state, including, but not limited to, requiring a manufacturer to submit a report to CalRecycle, as provided, and to make information available to consumers that describes where and how to return, recycle, and dispose of the covered electronic device. The act defines "manufacturer" as either a person who manufacturers a covered electronic device sold in the state or a person who sells a covered electronic device in the state under that person's brand name. This bill would revise and expand the definition of "manufacturer" for purposes of the act and would therefore extend the aforementioned obligations to these persons. The act would require a manufacturer of a covered battery-embedded product to also submit a report to CalRecycle, as provided, and to make certain information available to consumers. The bill would provide that any information submitted to CalRecycle that is proprietary in nature or a trade secret shall be protected under state laws and regulations governing that information. The bill would require a manufacturer of a covered electronic device to maintain and keep accessible for a minimum of 3 years all records required to be kept or submitted pursuant to the act and, upon request, provide those records to CalRecycle. This bill would require all reports and records provided to CalRecycle pursuant to the act to be provided under penalty of perjury. By expanding the scope of persons subject to the act's requirements and by expanding the scope of the crime of perjury, the bill would expand the scope of a crime, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program. The act prohibits a person from selling a new or refurbished covered electronic device to a consumer if CalRecycle or DTSC determines that the manufacturer of that covered electronic device is not in compliance with the act, as provided. The act prohibits a person from selling or offering for sale in this state a new or refurbished covered electronic device unless the device is labeled with the name of the manufacturer or the manufacturer's brand label, so that it is readily visible. This bill, by expanding the definition of "covered electronic device," would expand the sales prohibition for noncompliance to covered battery-embedded products. The bill would also prohibit a person, on or after January 1, 2026, from selling or offering for sale in the state a new or refurbished covered battery-embedded product unless the product is labeled with the name of the manufacturer or the manufacturer's brand label so that it is readily visible. The bill would also require a new or refurbished covered battery-embedded product to be labeled with information identifying the chemistry of the embedded product. By expanding the scope of the sales prohibitions to include covered battery-embedded products, the bill would expand the scope of a crime, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program. The bill would also replace references to the State Board of Equalization with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, and make other nonsubstantive changes. (2) Existing law, as part of the hazardous waste control laws, requires the department to adopt regulations to identify electronic devices, as defined, that the department determines are presumed to be, when discarded, a hazardous waste. Existing law requires a manufacturer of an electronic device that is identified in those regulations to send to any retailer that sells that electronic device a notice that identifies the electronic device and informs the retailer that the electronic device is subject to the covered electronic waste recycling fee. The act requires a manufacturer of a covered electronic device to comply with these hazardous waste control law notification requirements. Existing law defines the term "manufacturer" for the purposes of these provisions in the same way as the act. This bill, for purposes of the aforementioned notification requirement, would specify that the requirement applies only to video display devices, as defined by the act, and would expressly exclude from the notification requirement a covered battery-embedded product, as defined by the act. The bill would expand the definition of "manufacturer" in the act and thereby would make those additional persons subject to the notice requirement. By expanding the scope of a crime under the hazardous waste control laws, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also replace references to the State Board of Equalization with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, and make other nonsubstantive changes. This bill would require instead that, as part of the act, a manufacturer of a covered battery-embedded product comply with similar notification requirements. (3) The California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 requires the county or regional agency integrated waste management plan that a county or regional agency is required to submit to the board to contain a household hazardous waste element. Existing law requires that when a county or regional agency revises the county or regional integrated waste management plan and its elements, the city household hazardous waste element and county household hazardous waste element is required to identify those actions the city, county, or regional agency is taking to promote the collection, consolidation, recovery, and recycling of covered electronic waste, as defined. This bill would, as a result of the aforementioned amendments to the Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003, expand the definition of covered electronic waste pursuant to the act to include a covered battery-embedded product, as defined by the Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003, thereby creating a state-mandated local program by imposing new duties upon local agencies. (4) Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. (5) The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. (6) 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 specified reasons.
The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Act of 2006 requires every retailer, as defined, to have in place a system for the acceptance and collection of used rechargeable batteries for reuse, recycling, or proper disposal. The Cell Phone Recycling Act of 2004 prohibits the sale of a cell phone in this state to a consumer unless the retailer of that cell phone has in place a take-back system for the acceptance and collection of used cell phones for reuse, recycling, or proper disposal. This bill would make the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Act of 2006 inoperative as of September 30, 2026, and would repeal that act as of January 1, 2027, and would make the Cell Phone Recycling Act of 2004 inoperative as of September 30, 2027, and would repeal that act as of January 1, 2028. This bill would enact the Responsible Battery Recycling Act of 2022, which would require producers, as defined, either individually or through the creation of one or more stewardship organizations, to establish a stewardship program for the collection and recycling of covered batteries, as defined. The bill would require a program operator, as defined, to develop, and to submit to the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (department) and the Department of Toxic Substances Control for review and for approval by the department, as specified, a stewardship plan and would prescribe the standards and elements required to be contained in a stewardship plan for covered batteries. The bill would require the department, in consultation with the Department of Toxic Substances Control, to adopt regulations to implement the act with an effective date of no earlier than April 1, 2025. The bill would require a program operator to have a complete stewardship plan approved by the department no later than 24 months after the effective date of the regulations adopted by the department in order for the program operator to be in compliance with the act. This bill would require a program operator to be audited annually, and submit a report and budget to the department, as prescribed, and would require a program operator, stewardship organization, producer, manufacturer, distributor, retailer, importer, recycler, or collection site to, among other things, provide the department and the Department of Toxic Substances Control with relevant records necessary to determine compliance with the act. The bill would require reports and records provided to the department to be provided under penalty of perjury, thereby creating a state-mandated local program by expanding the crime of perjury. The bill would restrict public access to certain information collected for the purpose of administering a stewardship program. The bill would preempt all rules, regulations, codes, ordinances, or other laws adopted by a city, county, city and county, municipality, or a local agency on or after January 1, 2023, regarding stewardship programs for covered batteries. This bill would require the department, within 24 months of the effective date of the regulations to implement these provisions, and each year thereafter, to post on its internet website a list of producers that are in compliance with the act, including the reported brands of covered batteries of each producer. The bill would require the department to remove from the list any producer, including its brands and covered batteries, that is not in compliance with the act. The bill would prohibit, on and after the date that a stewardship plan is approved by the department, a retailer or distributor from selling, distributing, offering for sale, or importing a covered battery in or into the state unless the producer of the covered battery is listed on that list as in compliance on the act, except as specified. The bill would require the department to relist on its internet website a producer, along with its brands and covered batteries, if the department subsequently determines that the producer is in compliance with the act. This bill would require a program operator to reimburse the department and the Department of Toxic Substances Control for their respective actual and reasonable regulatory costs that are directly related to implementing and enforcing the act in relation to the program operator's activities. The bill would require the department and the Department of Toxic Substances Control to deposit those moneys into the Covered Battery Recycling Fund, which the bill would establish, and would authorize the department and the Department of Toxic Substances Control to expend those moneys, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to implement and enforce the act. This bill would provide for enforcement of the act, including authorizing the department to impose an administrative civil penalty on a program operator, stewardship organization, producer, manufacturer, distributor, retailer, importer, recycler, or collection site in violation of the act not to exceed $10,000 per day, unless the violation is intentional, knowing, or reckless, then in that case not to exceed $50,000 per day. The bill would require the department to deposit those moneys into the Covered Battery Recycling Penalty Account, which the bill would establish in the fund, and would make those moneys available for expenditure upon appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. 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.