California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 33


Introduced by Assembly Member Quirk

December 1, 2014


An act to add and repeal Section 38561.5 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to greenhouse gases.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 33, as introduced, Quirk. California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006: scoping plan.

The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 establishes the State Air Resources Board as the state agency responsible for monitoring and regulating sources emitting greenhouse gases. The act requires the state board to adopt a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit, as defined, to be achieved by 2020 equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions levels in 1990. The act requires the state board to prepare and approve a scoping plan for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The act requires the scoping plan to be updated at least once every 5 years.

This bill, until January 1, 2020, would require, for purposes of advising the update of the next scoping plan, the state board to develop specified information by July 1, 2016. The bill would require the state board on or before January 1, 2017, to submit a report to the appropriate committees of the Legislature on the specified information. The bill would provide that the specified information is intended to assist in establishing state policy and does not change any statute, regulation, or regulatory decision.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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SECTION 1.  

The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:

3(a) Climate change is a global emissions problem.

4(b) California is responsible for approximately 1 percent of the
5world’s global greenhouse gas emissions and, thus, needs to
6address the problem of climate change with a global perspective.

7(c) Significant technological advances and major policy
8initiatives that can be deployed at scale in developed and
9developing countries will be necessary to transition away from
10fossil fuel as the primary fuel source to allow the developed and
11developing countries of the world to achieve low-carbon economic
12 growth.

13(d) It is in the best interest of the state to ensure that greenhouse
14gas reduction goals are achievable by strategies that other states
15and countries could reasonably adopt.

16(e) Demonstrating effective climate change policy can increase
17the likelihood that other states and countries will follow
18California’s lead, which is necessary for the state to have a
19significant effect on the global climate change problem.

20

SEC. 2.  

Section 38561.5 is added to the Health and Safety
21Code
, to read:

22

38561.5.  

(a) On or before July 1, 2016, for purposes of
23advising the update of the next scoping plan pursuant to subdivision
24(h) of Section 38561, the state board shall develop a proposal
25consistent with Sections 38550 and 38551 that includes all of the
26following:

27(1) A proposed goal that further reduces greenhouse gas
28emissions by 2040.

29(2) A proposed goal that further reduces greenhouse gas
30emissions beyond the 2040 goal by 2050.

31(3) A proposed goal for 2030 that includes all of the following:

32(A) An evaluation of the 2030 goal based on what policies and
33 technologies can be scaled to the rest of the country and the world.

34(B) An economic assessment using the best available economic
35models and data of the various greenhouse gas emissions-reduction
P3    1strategies required to achieve the 2030 goal. The economic
2assessment shall include a marginal cost analysis.

3(C) An analysis of the benefits to the health, safety, and welfare
4of state residents, worker safety, the state’s environment and quality
5of life, and any other benefits associated with the various
6greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategies to achieve the 2030
7goal.

8(D) The establishment of consistent metrics to accurately
9quantify reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, quantify public
10health benefits, and measure the cost-effectiveness of various
11policies and technologies.

12(b) (1) On or before January 1, 2017, the state board shall
13submit to the appropriate committees of the Legislature the
14information developed pursuant to subdivision (a).

15(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall
16be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government
17Code.

18(c) The information developed pursuant to subdivision (a) is
19intended to assist in establishing state policy and does not change
20any statute, regulation, or regulatory decision.

21(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2020,
22and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that
23is enacted before January 1, 2020, deletes or extends that date.



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