Senate BillNo. 398


Introduced by Senator Leyva

(Coauthors: Senators Beall and Pavley)

February 25, 2015


An act to add Part 10 (commencing with Section 44480) to Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to nonvehicular air pollution.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 398, as introduced, Leyva. Green Assistance Program.

The California 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 act authorizes the state board to include the use of market-based compliance mechanisms. Existing law requires all moneys, except for fines and penalties, collected by the state board from the auction or sale of allowances as part of a market-based compliance mechanism to be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and to be available upon appropriation by the Legislature.

Existing law generally designates the state board as the state agency with the primary responsibility for the control of vehicular air pollution, and air pollution control and air quality management districts with the primary responsibility for the control of air pollution from all sources other than vehicular sources.

This bill would establish the Green Assistance Program, to be administered by the Secretary for Environmental Protection, that, among other things, would provide technical assistance to small businesses and small cities in applying for an allocation of moneys from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and would provide assistance to small businesses and small cities in complying with all applicable state, federal, and local air quality laws.

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) Small businesses and small cities often lack the technical
4expertise to develop grant and financing options.

5(b) In order for the state to meet its air quality goals, every
6business and community must have the same opportunity to
7compete for funding that is available to meet those air quality
8goals.

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SEC. 2.  

Part 10 (commencing with Section 44480) is added to
10Division 26 of the Health and Safety Code, to read:

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12PART 10.  Green Assistance Program

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44480.  

The Green Assistance Program is hereby established
15and shall be administered by the Secretary for Environmental
16Protection. The program shall do all of the following:

17(a) Provide technical assistance to small businesses and small
18cities when applying for an allocation of the moneys deposited in
19the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, created pursuant to Section
2016428.8 of the Government Code.

21(b) Assist small cities in equitably applying for funding to help
22mitigate the impacts of poor air quality and help improve the health
23of the state’s most disadvantaged communities.

24(c) Assist small businesses in applying for funding for energy
25efficiency upgrades to meet and exceed the greenhouse gas
26emissions goals established by the state board pursuant to the
27California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5
28(commencing with Section 38500)).

29(d) Assist small businesses and small cities in complying with
30all applicable state, federal, and local air quality laws.



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