BILL NUMBER: SB 535 INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator De León FEBRUARY 17, 2011 An act relating to climate change. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 535, as introduced, De León. California Climate Change Community Benefits Fund. The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 requires the State Air Resources Board to adopt regulations to require the reporting and verification of emissions of greenhouse gases and to monitor and enforce compliance with the reporting and verification program, and requires the state board to adopt a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions level in 1990 to be achieved by 2020. The act requires the state board to adopt rules and regulations in an open public process to achieve the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective greenhouse gas emission reductions. The act authorizes the state board to include the use of market-based compliance mechanisms. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish the California Climate Change Community Benefits Fund, and require a certain percentage of revenues generated for the state each year from the state sale of compliance instruments for market-based compliance mechanisms pursuant to the act to be deposited into that fund. The bill would also state the intent of the Legislature that moneys in the fund would be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, in the most impacted and disadvantaged communities to fund programs or projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or mitigate direct health or environmental impacts of climate change through competitive grants, loans, or other funding mechanisms. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to do all the following: (a) Establish in the State Treasury the California Climate Change Community Benefits Fund. (b) Require a certain percentage of revenues generated for the state each year from the state sale of compliance instruments for market-based compliance mechanisms pursuant to Section 38570 of the Health and Safety Code to be deposited into the fund. (c) Require moneys in the fund to be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, solely in the most impacted and disadvantaged communities to fund programs or projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or mitigate direct health or environmental impacts of climate change through competitive grants, loans, or other funding mechanisms.