BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Senator Isadore Hall, III
Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 362 Hearing Date: 6/9/2015
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|Author: |Waldron |
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|Version: |3/16/2015 Amended |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes |
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|Consultant:|Felipe Lopez |
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SUBJECT: State printing: demonstration project: process free
printing.
DIGEST: This bill allows the Department of General Services
(DGS) to engage in a pilot program to show the environmental and
economic benefits that may be achieved by utilizing "process
free printing plates." The bill requires that if DGS conducts
such a pilot, that the participating private vendor will pay for
the project's cost.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
1)Requires that all the state printing shall be done in the
Office of State Printing.
2)Specifies that DGS shall execute promptly all order for
printing or binding received from the various state agencies.
This bill:
1)Authorizes DGS to engage in a "process free printing plates"
pilot project to demonstrate the possible environmental and
economic benefits of this technology and associated technology
for state printing jobs.
2)Specifies that DGS shall make best efforts to adhere to the
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following best practices:
a) Reduce the overall chemical usage in making printing
plates.
b) Maximize the use of low-volatile organic compounds and
less hazardous chemicals.
c) Minimize water usage.
d) Reduce electricity usage.
e) Maximize the recycling of paper, ink, aluminum plates,
and related materials.
f) Reduce the carbon footprint.
3)Requires that if DGS conducts such a pilot, the participating
private vendor shall pay for costs associated with the
demonstration project, including process free printing plates,
necessary for the pilot project.
4)Defines "process free printing plates" as printing plates that
can be put on press in offset printing, also known as
lithography, immediately after imaging on a platesetter, with
no intermediary plate processing step required.
Background
Purpose of the bill. According to the author, traditional
printing plates are imaged on a platesetter, and then the plates
are run through a bath of chemical developer and water in the
plate processing equipment. Once processed, the plates are put
on the printing press to begin the printing. The author argues
that this process uses a lot of water and a lot of chemicals
that are hard on the environment.
The author concludes that process free plates use newer
technology to skip the chemical processing step completely which
dramatically reduces water and chemical use compared to the
traditional printing process.
Kodak's SONORA XP Process Free Plate. Kodak's SONORA XP
Process Free Plate is a thermal plate that requires no
processing equipment or chemistry, using press-ready technology
to enable a printer to go directly from platesetter to press
with no intermediary processing or clean-out step. According
to the Kodak website, benefits of Process Free Plates include
the reduction of energy, water, and chemistry costs; freeing up
space by eliminating processing equipment; eliminating the
AB 362 (Waldron) Page 3 of ?
variability from processing to improve consistency and quality;
getting to press faster; reducing maintenance costs and downtime
with less equipment; and providing a cleaner, and safer working
environment.
Prior/Related Legislation
SB 1079 (Walters, Chapter 513, Statutes of 2010) clarified the
placement of paid advertisements in state agency publications to
reflect current practice.
SB 528 (Maldonado, Chapter 381, Statutes 2005) struck the sunset
on the Advertising Pilot Project which allows state agencies to
include advertisements in their publications as a means of
reducing printing costs.
AB 2315 (Chu, Chapter 220, Statutes of 2002) allowed the Office
of State Printing to accept paid advertisements in materials
printed or published by the state.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.: Yes Local: No
SUPPORT:
Kodak
OPPOSITION:
None received
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According to Kodak, offset printing,
the dominant printing method, typically uses traditional
printing plates that are developed in a bath of chemicals,
consuming much precious water in the process. Kodak argues that
process free printing plates use newer technology that skips the
chemical processing stem completely; saving water and energy,
removing chemical and waste, and reducing the overall carbon
footprint of printing.
Kodak concludes that this bill would show state government how
it could exercise more leadership in environmental stewardship
through the use of green procurement and sustainable management
practices while maintaining high quality print projects for all
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government clients it serves.