California Legislature – – 2020 Year End Summary
During the second half of the 2019-2020 California Legislative Session, CalRecycle had started with 48 Priority Bills, 33 Assembly and 15 Senate, nearly all new. At the 9/01 Session conclusion, there had been 51 Priority Bills, 29 Assembly and 22 Senate. Of these, only three Assembly Bills and no Senate Bills had been sent to Governor Newsom, which he signed.
Starting in 2020, NCRA had become a member of the Clean Seas Lobby Coalition (CSLC), under the guidance of EcoConsult. CSLC had supported 9 Priority Bills, 6 Assembly and 3 Senate, including AB 793 and AB 2287 which were also CalRecycle Bills. Of these, there had been one additional Assembly Bill and two Senate Bills sent to Gov. Newsom, which he signed.
NCRA Supported Bills – Approved by Governor and Enacted
1. Clean Seas Lobby Coalition’s Priority Bills are denoted with (*)
2. CalRecycle’s Priority Bills are denoted with (**)
AB 793 (Ting & Irwin) Recycling: plastic beverage containers: minimum recycled content. * ** Sample Letter
Would, on and after January 1, 2022, require the total number of plastic beverage containers filled with a beverage by a beverage manufacturer to contain, on average, specified amounts of postconsumer recycled plastic content per year, pursuant to a tiered plan that would require the total number of plastic beverage containers to contain, no less than 50% postconsumer recycled plastic content per year by 2030. The bill would impose civil penalties, on a beverage manufacturer for violating these requirements.
09/24 Approved, Chapter 115
AB 2287 Eggman D Solid waste: Plastic Film Compostability * ** Sample Letter
Polyethelene film is used widely in agriculture, which is not biodegradable and essentially not recyclable. Bill authorizes the use of mulch film plastic labeled “soil degradable” if it meets specified standards, and clarifies changes relating to biodegradable and compostable labeling. It prevents the sale of products making fraudulent claims of degradability. It gives the Statewide Commission on Recycling Markets and Curbside Recycling an additional six months to make market development policy recommendations, and to identify recyclable or compostable products.
09/29 Approved, Chapter 281
AB 2762 (Muratsuchi, Quirk, and Wicks) Cosmetic products: Safety Sample Letter
AB 2762 will explicitly prohibit the sale of beauty and personal care products in California containing 12 specific toxic chemicals, including mercury, formaldehyde, parabens, phthalates plus 13 per- or poly-fluoroalkyl compounds (PFAS chemicals). All of these ingredients are already banned in the European Union, which restricts the use of nearly 1,400 chemicals in cosmetics, compared to only 11 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. At least 88 different carcinogens and reproductive toxins are intentionally added to cosmetics sold in California today. AB 2762 would provide Californians the same protections from harmful cosmetics provided to people that shop for the exact same products in the European Union and numerous other countries.
09/30 Approved, Chapter 314
AB 3214 Limón D Oil Spills Fines and Penalties * Sample Letter
AB 3214 doubles financial penalties for violations, including failing to notify state and federal agencies of the discharge of oil into waters of the state, and allows a fine of up to $1,000 dollars per gallon spilled in excess of 1,000 gallons of oil. In May 2015, a highly pressurized oil pipeline ruptured in Santa Barbara County, releasing over 140,000 gallons of oil, severely damaging the coastal ecosystem and local economy. Plains All American Pipeline was convicted of one felony and eight misdemeanors for failing to maintain the pipeline, along with mishandling the response to the spill. Due to the current limit on criminal penalties, an $18 billion company was required to pay a penalty of a little over $3 million. AB 3214 gives the court flexibility, and a built-in accountability deterrent, to prevent these types of spills in the future.
09/24 Approved, Chapter 119
SB 312 (Leyva) Cosmetic Fragrance and Flavor Ingredient Right to Know Act of 2020 * Sample Letter
SB 312, would require the disclosure of potentially harmful ingredients in cosmetic and professional salon products, and require reporting such ingredients to the California Safe Cosmetics Program that appear on one or more of the 23 authoritative hazard lists referenced in the bill. Currently, there are no federal or state laws that require such disclosures. Professional salon workers are disproportionately exposed to fragrance chemicals, with hairdressers and beauticians have a 47-fold higher risk of fragrance skin allergies, and higher risks of asthma. SB 312 will provide all consumers and salon workers will important ingredients information that they want and deserve, so as to avoid and minimize their potential health risks.
09/30 Approved, Chapter 315
SB 1044 (Allen) Firefighting equipment and foam: PFAS chemicals * Sample Letter
PFAS are a class of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl man-made chemicals used widely in industrial and consumer products, from cookware and water- or stain-resistant clothing to firefighting foam. These persistent “forever” chemicals are linked to a long list of health problems, and can be harmful at extremely low doses. SB 1044 will protect Californians and firefighters from unnecessary exposures by prohibiting the sale and use of firefighting foam containing PFAS chemicals in California, and mandating that purchasers of firefighting gear are provided written notice if the equipment contains PFAS chemicals.
09/29 Approved, Chapter 308
Priority Bills Failing to Pass the California Legislature in 2020
There is quite a long list of Priority Bills considered during 2020, which failed to make it through the Legislature before adjournment, August 31. The furlough of most environmentally proactive Bills has been attributed to prioritization of State resources towards Covid-19 relief, wildfires and homelessness.
Consider which Bills that you believe may/should be worthy of being reintroduced during 2021. Click on the highlighted Bill number to access the Legislature’s records, and check for any “Bill Analysis”. For others, visit http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?, and enter the Bill number. Your preferences and comments would be appreciated if sent to dougrecycle@yahoo.com, with your optional permission to share with NCRA Zero Waste Advocacy Committee members.
1. Clean Seas Lobby Coalition’s Priority Bills (Assembly 3, Senate 2)
AB 345 (Muratsuchi) Environmental Justice: Oil and Gas: Regulations
AB 1968 (Ramos) The Tribal Land Acknowledgment Act of 2021
AB 3030 (Kalra) Resource conservation: land and ocean conservation goals
SB 1052 (Hertzberg) Storm-water Capture and Diversion Authority
SB 1056 (Portantino) Methodologies to Measure Toxic PFAS Chemicals in Water
2. CalRecycle’s Priority Bills (Assembly 37, Senate 22)
AB 238 Santiago D Unlicensed automobile dismantlers: enforcement and compliance activities.
AB 353 Muratsuchi D Once-through cooling policy: extension.
AB 432 Quirk D Released waste: certification of local officers.
AB 802 Stone, Mark D Reports to the Legislature: Statewide Open Data Portal
AB 1080 Gonzalez D California Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction Act
AB 1506 McCarty D Previously: Solid waste: commercial and organic waste: recycling bins
AB 1509 Mullin D Solid waste: lithium-ion batteries.
AB 1567 Aguiar-Curry D Organic waste: scoping plan.
AB 1652 Wicks D Crimes: littering.
AB 1770 Frazier D Tire recycling program: rubberized pavement.
AB 1840 Ting D Recycling: reports.
AB 1860 Santiago D Local government finance: special taxes: homeless housing and services.
AB 1922 Rivas, Luz D Pupil instruction: science requirements: climate change.
AB 1952 Stone, Mark D Washing machines: microfiber filters: state laundry facilities: pilot program.
AB 2028 Aguiar-Curry D State agencies: meetings.
AB 2089 Rivas, Luz D Resilient Economies and Community Health Pilot Program.
AB 2093 Gloria D Public records: writing transmitted by electronic mail: retention.
AB 2214 Carrillo D Administrative Procedure Act: notice of proposed action.
AB 2323 Friedman D California Environmental Quality Act: exemptions.
AB 2381 Choi R The California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act: processing payments and handling fees.
AB 2562 Holden D California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act: Empty beverage container redemption.
AB 2592 Garcia, Cristina D Reduction of human remains and the disposition of reduced human remains.
AB 2612 Maienschein D Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: recycling: appropriation
AB 2680 Aguiar-Curry D Solid waste: green material: land application.
AB 2706 Fong R California Environmental Quality Act: record of proceedings.
AB 2733 Flora R California Beverage Container Recycling Fund: Reporting.
AB 2734 Chiu D California Environmental Quality Act.
AB 2737 Garcia, Cristina D Community emissions reduction programs.
AB 2744 Limón D Environmental protection: environmental data.
AB 2831 Flora R Carbon offset credits: whole orchard recycling: healthy soils.
AB 2882 Chu D Hazardous emissions and substances: schoolsites: private and charter schools.
AB 2959 Calderon D Solid waste: byproducts from the processing of food or beverages.
AB 2993 Levine D Hazardous waste: classification: exclusions: green waste.
AB 3046 Mathis R The Energy, Environment, and Economy Council.
AB 3141 Friedman D Retail plastics recycling program: plastic bags, packaging, and shipping envelopes.
AB 3158 Melendez R Solid waste: Rechargeable Battery Recycling Act.
AB 3162 Obernolte R Reports submitted to legislative committees.
SB 54 Allen D California Circular Economy and Plastic Pollution Reduction Act.
SB 405 Archuleta D Solid waste: reclaimed asphalt pavement: pilot project: the County of Los Angeles.
SB 409 Wilk R Illegal dumping.
SB 424 Jackson D Tobacco products: single-use and multiuse components.
SB 634 Glazer D The California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act.
SB 667 Hueso D Greenhouse Gases: Recycling infrastructure and Facilities (GGRF).
SB 815 Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review – State government.
SB 857 Bates R Solid waste: integrated waste management plans: composting component.
SB 937 Hill D State agencies: web accessibility.
SB 964 Skinner D Chemicals: outdoor application: residential areas.
SB 997 Borgeas R Worker status: independent contractors.
SB 1000 Hertzberg D Litter: receptacles.
SB 1028 Dodd D Agriculture: Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995: Environmental Farming Incentive Program.
SB 1070 Leyva D Land use: general plans.
SB 1132 Dodd D Recycling: beverage containers: Recycling financial analysis and policy development unit.
SB 1152 Skinner D Solar panels: disposal: labeling. Previously: Litter: receptacles.
SB 1156 Archuleta D Lithium-ion batteries: illegal disposal: fire prevention.
SB 1191 Dahle R Organic waste: reduction goals: local jurisdictions: noncompliance and penalties.
SB 1227 Skinner D Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Program.
SB 1235 Caballero D Administrative Procedure Act: adverse economic impact.
SB 1238 Hueso D Department of Transportation: highways and roads: recycled plastics study and specifications.
SB 1332 Allen D Solid waste: recycling and composting infrastructure.
SB 1346 Dahle R State fleet: recycling program.
SB 1457 Borgeas R Small businesses: reduction or waiver of civil penalties for violation of regulations or statutes.
3. Other
SB-246 Wieckowski D Oil and gas severance tax.