BILL NUMBER: SB 1217 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 27, 2014
AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 7, 2014
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 21, 2014
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 10, 2014
INTRODUCED BY Senator Leno
(Coauthors: Senators Jackson and Pavley)
FEBRUARY 20, 2014
An act to add Section 12805.4 to the Government Code, relating to
climate change.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1217, as amended, Leno. Climate change: preparedness.
Existing law establishes the Natural Resources Agency and requires
the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to develop a strategic
vision for the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Fish and Game
Commission that includes reforms necessary to take on the challenges
of the 21st century, including, among other things, climate change
and adaptation. Existing law establishes the Strategic Growth Council
and requires the council to, among other things, identify and review
activities and funding programs of its member state agencies that
may be coordinated to, among other things, meet the goals of the
California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006.
This bill would require the agency,
Natural Resources Agency, in consultation with other
appropriate state agencies and departments, on or before January 1,
2017, 2019, and every 5 years
thereafter, to prepare a climate risk assessment and
change strategy evaluation of the state'
s vulnerability and risk for climate change impacts, including a
description of any mitigation measures or that
evaluates climate change risks to the state. The bill would require
the strategy to identify mitigation measures that increase
climate change resiliency methods.
resiliency. The bill would require the Natural Resources Agency to
identify possible funding for mitigation measures identified in the
strategy. The bill would require the council, on or before
January 1, 2018, 2020, and every 5
years thereafter, in consultation with the agency,
Natural Resources Agency, the California Environmental
Protection Agency, and other appropriate state agencies and
departments, to take specified actions with regard to reviewing the
impacts of climate change and identifying capital outlay and public
infrastructure projects. The bill would require the council to report
its findings and provide a description of major projects relating to
climate change to the appropriate state agencies, departments,
commissions, and boards that make decisions related to capital
funding. The bill would also require the council to report to the
Legislature on those findings so that the Legislature may consider
further action that may be necessary to address climate change in the
state.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) California's climate is changing, posing an escalated threat
to public health, the environment, and public and private property in
the state. The increasing frequency of extreme weather events,
rising sea levels, and changes in hydrology, including diminishing
snowpack, among other climate change impacts, will touch every part
of Californians' lives in the next century, and planning
appropriately for these impacts will help us be better prepared for
the future.
(b) The impacts of climate change, including longer droughts,
extended floods, prolonged fire seasons with larger and more intense
fires, heat waves, and sea level rise are already creating challenges
for public health and causing destructive property damage.
(c) Climate changes pose a threat not just to the lives and health
of the state's residents, but to the financial health of our state
and local governments.
(d) According to the Natural Resources Agency's draft report,
entitled "Safeguarding California: Reducing Climate Risk,"
state-of-the-art modeling shows that a single extreme weather event
in California could cost approximately $725 billion dollars, with
total direct property losses of nearly $400 billion dollars, the
effects of which could cause devastating impacts on the state's
residents, economy, and natural resources.
(e) Reducing the impacts of climate change on California's natural
and agricultural resources is essential to building the state's
resiliency and ensuring its capacity to support its economy over
time.
(f) Given the potential impacts and long-term nature of effective
planning, California needs to consider and prepare for these climate
change impacts now.
(g) Without appropriate planning to make the state more resilient
to the identified impacts of climate change, in addition to
addressing the human and social costs of the effects of climate
change, California could face billions of dollars per year in direct
costs, and expose trillions of dollars of assets in the state to
collateral risk.
SEC. 2. Section 12805.4 is added to the Government Code, to read:
12805.4. (a) On or before January 1, 2017,
2019, and every five years thereafter, the Natural
Resources Agency, in consultation with other appropriate state
agencies and departments, shall prepare a climate risk
assessment and change strategy
evaluating California's vulnerability and risk for climate change
impacts, that evaluates climate change risks to the
state, including, but not limited to, sea level rise, drought
and flooding, impacts on wildlife habitats, increasing temperatures,
increased occurrence of extreme weather events, and increased
wildland fire risk. The risk assessment and strategy shall
also describe any mitigation measures or climate change resiliency
methods, as may be appropriate, to address identified vulnerabilities
and risks. The strategy shall also identify
mitigation measures that increase climate resiliency. The Natural
Resources Agency shall identify possible funding for mitigation
measures identified in the strategy.
(b) (1) On or before January 1, 2018,
2020, and every five years thereafter, the Strategic Growth
Council shall, in consultation with the Natural Resources Agency, the
California Environmental Protection Agency, and other appropriate
state agencies and departments, do all of the following:
(A) Review the impacts of climate change in the state with regard
to capital outlay and public infrastructure projects, including, but
not limited to, the impacts described in subdivision (a).
(B) Identify and prioritize climate resiliency projects of major
significance that would benefit essential public infrastructure and
that would provide near-term and longer-term climate change
resiliency to the state.
(C) Identify possible funding sources for the projects described
in subparagraph (B).
(2) (A) The Strategic Growth Council shall report its findings and
provide a description of major projects identified in paragraph (1)
to the appropriate state agencies, departments, commissions, and
boards that make decisions related to capital funding.
(B) (i) The Strategic Growth Council shall also report to the
Legislature on its findings regarding climate change under paragraph
(1) so that the Legislature may consider further action that may be
necessary to address climate change in the state.
(ii) A report submitted to the Legislature pursuant to this
subparagraph shall comply with Section 9795 of the Government Code.