California’s legislative session came to a close in the early
morning hours this week with hundreds of bills now awaiting
action by Governor Gavin Newsom. The following provides an update
on major bills of interest for the Agriculture, Environment
and Natural Resources (AENR) policy area. CSAC staff will
continue to monitor and advocate for County
priorities during the signing period, which ends September
30, 2022.
AB 2247 would require anyone manufacturing products containing
perfluorinated or polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) to report
their products to the Department of Toxic Substances Control.
This requirement would go into effect in 2026. PFAS are a group
of around 9,000 man-made products used in many household and
industrial products. These chemicals do not breakdown, and thus
have been called “forever chemicals.” PFAS have been found in the
blood of humans and animals, soil, water, and air, and linked to
harmful health impacts.
CSAC supports AB 2247.
AB 2550 (Arambula)State Air
Resources Board: San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control
District: nonattainment
AB 2550 would remove local control from the San Joaquin Valley
Air Pollution Control District by transferring responsibility to
regulate stationary pollution sources to the California Air
Resources Board (CARB). CARB already has the authority to
oversee local air quality management activities, and works
closely in the development of air pollution plans.
CSAC opposes AB 2550.
SB 1186 (Wiener)Medicinal Cannabis
Patients’ Right of Access Act
This bill was written with the intent of improving access to
medical cannabis, however, CSAC has serious concerns about the
preservation of local control. The language would require all
jurisdictions to allow for delivery sales of medicinal cannabis
and prohibit regulations that would impose “unreasonable
restrictions” on the sale of medicinal cannabis. Recent
amendments provide exemptions for jurisdictions that allow
cannabis retails as of January 1, 2022.
CSAC opposes this measure.
This started as a bill to require a groundwater
sustainability agency (GSA) in a critically over-drafted basin to
establish and implement a process to issue permits for
groundwater extraction facilities by July 1, 2023. CSAC engaged
with the author and committee to discuss implications of shifting
well permitting away from the counties. However, amendments
prohibited local governments from approving a new well, or
alterations to an existing well unless specific conditions are
met. CSAC
opposed AB 2201 and worked with a strong coalition to
successfully quash the bill.
