Updates references in statutes related to hazardous waste generation. Conforms state law to recent changes in federal regulations without making a substantive change.
Past Legislative Successes
Leg Year - 2021-2022
Expands and restructures the board membership composition for the Apiary Board within the Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), among other changes intended to update statute. Expands the composition of the Apiary Board and makes a number of technical changes the Apiary Protection Act.
AB 778: Institutional Purchasers: Purchase Of California-Grown Agricultural Products
Requires state-owned or operated institutions, with some exceptions, that purchase agricultural products to ensure that 60% of the purchases are California-grown by the end of 2025. Seeks to increase the purchasing of California-grown agricultural products by state institutions.
Requires the Director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) to establish two free hunting days per year. Seeks to encourage involvement in sportsman activities by requiring, instead of authorizing, DFW to establish 2 free hunting days.
Requires California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documents to be filed electronically and posted on the lead agency’s website. Makes more accessible to the public CEQA documents that are typically significant in volume and costly to reproduce.
Provides that the export of a mixture of plastic wastes does not constitute diversion through recycling, except if: 1) the plastic waste export is a mixture of polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate and is destined for separate recycling of each material, and 2) the export is not prohibited by an applicable law or treaty of the country of destination. Prevents exported plastic waste from being counted as recycled when it would actually be disposed, but fails to address the lack of infrastructure, market, and funds to provide an alternative.
Adds land transferred by a local agency to a federally recognized California Indian tribe to the definition of “exempt surplus land.” Allows tribes to purchase and regain culturally and historically significant lands.
AB 1201: Solid Waste: Products: Labeling: Compostability And Biodegradability
Prohibits a person from selling or offering for sale a product that is labeled as “compostable,” or “home compostable,” unless the product meets specified requirements, and authorizes CalRecycle to adopt regulations for determining whether products comply with the requirements of this bill. Helps ensure claims that a product is compostable reflect the realities of infrastructure.
Authorizes the Veterinary Medical Board (VMB) to register community blood banks for animals allowing blood collection from pets whose owners voluntarily consent to the donation. Requires the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to discontinue its licensing program for closed-colony blood banks for animals within 18 months of CDFA determining that community blood banks sold an annual amount of canine blood in California that equals or exceeds the annual amount closed-colony blood banks sold in the state in four consecutive quarters. Phases out the controversial closed-colony blood bank model in favor of volunteer driven community blood banks for animals.
Creates a “Feather Alert” system (similar to Amber Alerts for abducted children who are in imminent danger, Blue Alerts for officers killed or injured, and Silver Alerts for missing at-risk seniors, etc.) to release information and alert the public through the use of electronic alerts and changeable message signs with respect to endangered indigenous people, specifically indigenous women or indigenous people, who are reported missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances and when specified identifying information about the person is available. Expands the types of missing or endangered persons whose information can be publicly disseminated by the California Highway Patrol.
AB 1426: California Advanced Services Fund: Broadband Adoption Account
Makes religious organizations eligible to apply for grants under a Public Utilities Commission (PUC) program that funds publicly available broadband projects in communities with low broadband access. Provides churches and other religious organizations the same opportunities to obtain funding for public Wi-Fi connections as libraries, schools, and community centers.
Makes numerous non-controversial and technical changes affecting the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire), the State Coastal Conservancy, and the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle). Serves as a committee bill for the Assembly Natural Resources Committee.
AB 1587: California Horse Racing Board: Public Records: Criminal Offender Record Information
Requires the California Horse Racing Board to post a record of their votes on their website. Allows the Board to require fingerprints and other associated information to be provided by current or prospective employees, contractors, and licensees for the purpose of conducting background checks in order to determine a person’s fitness to hold a board-issued license. Allows the public to access information about a state agency’s official actions and provides the regulating board with information useful in maintaining the integrity of horse racing.
AB 1589: Alcoholic Beverages: Appeals: Tied-House Restrictions
Clarifies that a licensed retailer is not obligated to buy or sell the alcoholic beverage products of a distilled spirits wholesaler when selling marketing data to that wholesaler. Corrects an oversight in existing law. Allows licensees to file an appeal with the Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board (board) electronically and the board to deliver their response electronically. Updates law to allow the use of electronic filing.
Deletes specific references to two potential veterans cemetery locations available in Orange County, thereby allowing the county and surrounding cities more flexibility in the placement of the Southern California Veterans Cemetery. Creates a Study Donation Fund within the State Treasurers’ office to accept donations to fund a Southern California Cemetery location study. Grants the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) the flexibility and funding to work with the County of Orange and the Department of General Services (DGS) to oversee and coordinate the study, acquisition, design, development, and construction of a Southern California Veterans’ Cemetery.