Amended in Assembly March 18, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2702

Introduced by Assembly Member Atkins

February 19, 2016

An act begin insert to add Section 39733 to the Health and Safety Code, end insert relating to climate change.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2702, as amended, Atkins. begin delete Climate change. end delete begin insert Greenhouse gases: study. end insert

The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases. The state board is required to adopt a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions level in 1990 to be achieved by 2020 and to adopt rules and regulations in an open public process to achieve the maximum, technologically feasible, and cost-effective greenhouse gas emissions reductions. begin delete Existing law establishes the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program, which is administered by the Office of Planning and Research, to coordinate regional and local efforts with state climate adaptation strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change, as specified. Existing law requires the California Environmental Protection Agency to update the state’s climate adaptation strategy to identify vulnerabilities to climate change. end delete

begin delete

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would continue the work with local governments, state agencies, and others to meet the goals set forth in Governor Brown’s Under 2 MOU, which brings together subnational governments willing to commit to either reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases 80% to 95% below 1990 levels by 2050 or achieving a per capita annual emissions target of less than 2 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050.

end delete begin insert

This bill would require the state board to conduct a study that outlines best practices and policies for meeting state goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The bill also would authorize the state board to collaborate with air pollution control and air quality management districts.

end insert

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  begin delete no end delete begin insert yes end insert . State-mandated local program: no.

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

SECTION 1.  

begin delete (a) end delete begin delete   end delete The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:

begin delete

(1)

end delete

begin insert (a) end insert  California has been a leader on climate change for more
than a decade through the enactment of landmark begin delete legislation end delete
begin insert legislation, end insert such as the California Global Warming Solutions Act
of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the
Health and Safety Code) and the Clean Energy and Pollution
Reduction Act of 2015 (Chapter 547 of the Statutes of begin delete 2015) end delete begin insert 2015), end insert
and through policies and practices that allow for Californians to
be innovators and early adapters for new begin delete technologies end delete begin insert technologies, end insert
like those related to renewable energy and clean fuels.

begin delete

(2)

end delete

begin insert (b) end insert  In May of 2015, Governor begin delete Brown, end delete begin insert Edmund G. Brown Jr., end insert
along with leaders from 11 other states and provinces from seven
countries, entered into the “Under 2 MOU” committing the
signatories to either reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases
80 to 95 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 or achieving a per
capita annual emissions target of less than 2 metric tons of carbon
dioxide equivalent by 2050.

begin delete

(3)

end delete

begin insert (c) end insert  As of January of 2016, a total of 127 jurisdictions
representing 27 countries and 6 continents have signed or endorsed
the Under 2 MOU.

begin delete

(4)

end delete

begin insert (d) end insert  In December of 2015, 195 counties from around the globe
adopted the Paris Agreement to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (FCCC/CP/2015/L.9/Rev.1) at
the United Nations Climate Conference (COP21) in Paris, France,
signaling a commitment to limit the effects of climate change and
further reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases.

begin delete

(5)

end delete

begin insert (e) end insert  California’s leadership and vision on climate change helped
open the door to the historic Paris Agreement.

begin delete

(6)

end delete

begin insert (f) end insert  The achievements made in COP21, the Under 2 MOU, and
recent legislative efforts in California are by no means the end in
the state’s effort to combat climate change. In California, we know
the serious damage climate change can cause to everything from
our supply of food and clean water to the health of the forests and
from neighborhood public safety to our national security. We need
to continue to work together to create and implement innovative
policies that move us forward in our efforts to address the impacts
of climate change.

begin delete

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that
would continue the work with local governments, state agencies,
and others to meet the goals set forth in Governor Brown’s Under
2 MOU, which brings together subnational governments willing
to commit to either reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases
80 to 95 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 or achieving a per
capita annual emissions target of less than 2 metric tons of carbon
dioxide equivalent by 2050.

end delete

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 2. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 39733 is added to the end insert begin insert Health and Safety Code end insert begin insert ,
to read: end insert

begin insert

begin insert 39733. end insert   

No later than July 1, 2018, the state board shall conduct
a study that outlines best practices and policies for meeting state
goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In conducting the study,
the state board may collaborate with districts.

end insert