Capitol Voice September 2018

The 2018 regular legislative session has finally ended, and per usual, the outcome had some highlights and some disappointments.

 

We began the year with a list of more than 450 bills we were monitoring or had taken positions on. By the end of the year, about 65 bills that we really cared about had made it through the process and were either headed to the governor’s desk or had been signed.

 

This is far fewer environmental bills than we have seen move through the legislature in recent years.

 

Among the highlights, was the passage of SB 100, the 100 percent clean energy bill. That bill was stopped short in the Assembly the last night of the 2017 legislative session. Then, thanks to a lot of work by a lot of people all over the state, it came back to life and got out with more votes than needed. As I write this, we’re awaiting word on whether and when the governor will sign the bill.

 

Also, AB 813, the grid regionalization bill that we opposed, did not move out of the Senate. The Senate President Pro Tem, Toni Atkins, held it in the Rules Committee. The bill didn't have the votes and it had a lot of opposition from a cross-section of interests.

 

The notion of greater collaboration across states on electricity generation and sharing is still very much alive and we'll be participating in what we hope are more open conversations in the future about how to reasonably achieve that collaboration.

 

Both AB 1775 and SB 834, the bills that ultimately became identical to each other and that would both impose barriers to new offshore oil drilling in federal waters off the coast of California, passed.

 

Those bills created tense moments throughout the legislative session as the authors and advocates for ocean protection worked to get them through negotiations with the administration and past the resistance of the oil industry. It was a great thing that they both passed.

 

Unfortunately, SB 901, the bill designed to address fire liability was loaded with a section that undercuts some key oversight of logging and road building on private commercial lands, so we had to oppose that bill. It passed both houses very quickly and is certain to be signed by the governor, whose office brought the logging industry in to negotiate that part of the bill.

 

Each year, we create a priority bill list so that our members know what they should advocate for when they meet with or just randomly bump into their state legislators while in district. You can see the latest version of that list here.

 

The volunteer engagement in legislators' districts is what Sierra Club is known for at the Capitol and it's what gives Sierra Club California lobbyists the power to push hard each year for environmental policies that will literally save the planet. Thank you to all of you for everything you do each legislative session—from phone calls to emails to in-district visits—to help keep the pressure on for environmental commitment in the legislature.

This week climate leaders from around the world will descend on San Francisco for the Global Climate Action Summit to “take ambition to the next level” for preventing climate change and reducing emissions.

 

International delegates will discuss solutions and make commitments that will put us on track to fulfill the historic Paris Agreement.

 

The Sierra Club will co-host several affiliate events throughout the week that are open to the public. Here’s a list of our events:

 

Wednesday, 9/12 from 9:00 am - 12:30 pm: Buy Clean: How Governments and Companies can use procurement to close the carbon loophole panel will discuss clean procurement as a pathway to reduce imported carbon. California’s Buy Clean Act, passed in 2017, set carbon standards for some of the heaviest-emitting sectors and aligns spending with climate priorities. Corporate champions, government policymakers and others will present their plans to Buy Clean. 

 

Wednesday, 9/12 from 11:00 am - 4:30 pm: Experience the joy of driving electric at the Electric Vehicle Ride and Drive at Pier 27. The event is part of a nationwide celebration to heighten awareness of the availability and benefits of electric vehicles.

 

Wednesday, 9/12 from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm: The Gas/Diesel Car Phaseouts: Global Strategy to End Gasoline Use panel will address next steps for an international movement to accelerate the end of gasoline-powered vehicles and toward clean, zero-emission vehicles.

 

Thursday, 9/13 from 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm: The Women Leaders in Global Climate Action reception will feature of panel of climate leaders and inspiring feminist climate action art.