By Doug Brooms, ZWAC Co-Chair, 9/13/21
The California Legislative Session for 2021 has now adjourned, as of 9/10/21. All of the Bills that have successfully passed both the Assembly and Senate Floor votes are now at some stage of amendments being concurred in, then next sent to Engrossing and Enrolling, and then presented to the Governor’s Office.
Bills which NCRA support typically come via two sources. Historically, NCRA selects Bills of interest from CalRecycles Priority List to write letters of support, which last March had begun with over 80 proposed Bills. For the second consecutive year, NCRA has been a member organization of the Clean Seas Lobby Coalition (CSLC), under the guidance of EcoConsult. NCRA is a signatory to these group sign-on letters of support.
These following ten Bills which NCRA supports have successfully emerged from the 2021 Legislature:
Priority Bills of both the CSLC and CalRecycle (4)
AB 881 Gonzalez, Lorena D Plastic waste: diversion: recycling: export.
AB 962 Kamlager D California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act: reusable beverage containers.
AB 1276 Carrillo D Single-use food accessories and service ware.
SB 343 Allen D Environmental advertising: recycling symbol.
Priority Bills of the Clean Seas Lobby Coalition (2)
AB 818 Bloom D Solid waste: premoistened nonwoven disposable wipes.
AB 1200 Ting D Plant-based food packaging: cookware: hazardous chemicals.
Priority Bills of CalRecycle – NCRA Letters of Support (4)
AB 680 Burke D Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: California Jobs Plan Act of 2021
AB 1261 Burke D State Air Resources Board: greenhouse gas emissions: incentive programs.
SB 27 Skinner D Carbon sequestration: Natural and working lands: registry of projects.
SB 244 Archuleta D Lithium-ion batteries: illegal disposal: fire prevention.
Regrettably, there were eight other NCRA supported Bills entering August, that ultimately did not pass out of the Legislature:
Both CSLC and CalRecycle (2)
AB 478 Ting D Solid waste: thermoform containers: minimum recycled content.
AB 1201 Ting D Solid waste: plastic products: labeling: compostability and biodegradability
NCRA Letters of Support (5)
AB 284 Rivas, Robert D California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006: climate goal: natural and working lands.
AB 501 Garcia, Cristina D Reduction of human remains and the disposition of reduced human remains.
AB 1086 Aguiar-Curry D Organic waste: implementation strategy.
SB 459 (Allen) Political Reform Act of 1974: Lobbying
SB 752 (Allen) Elections: Disclosure of Contributions
During the next several days, letters of support, previously addressed to Bill authors and to committee chairpersons, will be revised and addressed to Governor Newsom to urge his signature. Governor Newsom will have until October 10 to either veto or to sign Bills into law. Last year, Governor Newsom had signed into law a total of six Bills which NCRA had supported. This year, we’re entering with ten, with expectations of doing at least as well.
