BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                SB 128
                                                                       

                      SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
                        Senator S. Joseph Simitian, Chairman
                              2009-2010 Regular Session
                                           
           BILL NO:    SB 128
           AUTHOR:     Padilla
           AMENDED:    April 2, 2009
           FISCAL:     Yes               HEARING DATE:     April 27, 2009
           URGENCY:    No                CONSULTANT:       Caroll  
           Mortensen
            
           SUBJECT  :    CALIFORNIA CLIMATE CHANGE INSTITUTE

            SUMMARY  :    
           
            Existing law  requires the Air Resources Board (ARB) to  
           determine the 1990 statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions  
           level and approve a statewide GHG emissions limit that is  
           equivalent to that level, to be achieved by 2020.  ARB must  
           adopt rules and regulations to achieve GHG emission reductions  
           from sources or categories of sources, subject to specified  
           requirements, pursuant to the California Global Warming  
           Solutions Act (AB 32, Chapter 488, Statutes of 2006).

            This bill  :

           1) Makes extensive findings and declarations related to the  
              implementation of the California Global Warming Solutions  
              Act and 

           2) Establishes the Climate Change Institute and tasks it with  
              a variety of climate change coordination and research  
              activities.

            COMMENTS  :

            1) Purpose of Bill  .  According to the author, this bill would  
              facilitate mission-oriented, applied and directed research  
              in practical technological solutions and would support  
              development of policies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG)  
              emissions.  It would also speed the transfer, deployment  
              and commercialization of technologies that have the highest  
              potential to reduce GHG emissions.









                                                                SB 128
                                                                 Page 2


            2) Continued Effort  .  Last session, SB 1762 (Perata) proposed  
              the California Climate Change Research and Workforce  
              Development Institute (Institute) at the University of  
              California funded by a redirection of existing funding from  
              the Public Interest Energy Research Program and an  
              additional fee on electric service provided by  
              investor-owned utilities and publicly owned utilities.  The  
              prime goal of the Institute is to identify and support  
              research and education through grants to California  
              universities and national labs to reduce or mitigate  
              greenhouse gas emissions.  The Governor vetoed this bill  
              citing it was limiting and premature.  This measure is a  
              vehicle to establish the Institute and address issues  
              raised in the veto message and other stakeholder concerns.

              This bill currently does not indicate where the Institute  
              would be housed nor does it establish a governance  
              structure.  It is also silent on the funding mechanism.   
              These are issues that were raised in the veto message and  
              the author will be addressing as the bill moves forward. 

            SOURCE  :        Senator Padilla  

           SUPPORT  :       None on file  

           OPPOSITION  :    California Taxpayers' Association