BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 693
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 693 (Huffman)
As Amended July 6, 2012
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: | |(May 19, 2011) |SENATE: |22-13|(August 13, |
| | | | | |2012) |
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(vote not relevant)
Original Committee Reference: TRANS.
SUMMARY : Extends authorization for the Sonoma County Regional
Climate Protection Authority (RCPA) from 2016 to 2020.
The Senate amendments delete the Assembly version of this bill,
and instead:
1)Extend the sunset date for the authorization for the Sonoma
RCPA until January 1, 2020.
2)Find and declare that a special law is necessary and that a
general law cannot be made applicable because of the unique
greenhouse gas emission reduction goals of the County of
Sonoma.
3)Provide that no reimbursement is required by the bill's
provisions because the only costs that may be incurred by a
local agency or school district are the result of a program
for which legislative authority was requested by that local
agency or school district.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Creates the Sonoma RCPA until December 1, 2015.
2)Provides for the Sonoma RCPA to be governed by the same board
as that governing the Sonoma County Transportation Authority
and imposes certain duties on the Sonoma RCPA.
3)Authorizes the Sonoma RCPA, in cooperation with local
agencies, as defined, that elect to participate, to perform
coordination and implementation activities, within the
boundaries of the County of Sonoma, to assist those agencies
AB 693
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in meeting their greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals and
to develop, coordinate, and implement programs and policies to
comply with the California Global Warming Solutions Act of
2006 and other federal or state mandates and programs designed
to respond to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill required the Department of
Motor Vehicles to provide an online option for drivers to
connect to the California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS : AB 881(Huffman), Chapter 375, Statutes of 2009,
established the Sonoma RCPA to coordinate and help implement
actions that local Sonoma County agencies take to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. Authorized activities of RCPA include
assisting with the reduction of energy consumption, increasing
energy efficiency, increasing water use efficiency, addressing
carbon sequestration, addressing transportation alternatives,
and quantifying greenhouse gas reduction.
The RCPA has the same board membership as the Sonoma County
Transportation Authority (SCTA), but is a distinct legal entity.
RCPA board members include representatives from the County of
Sonoma and from all of that county's nine cities. The RCPA may
receive grants, and it may use SCTA funds identified to assist
in greenhouse gas reduction. The RCPA cannot override the
actions of other local agencies. Existing law sunsets the RCPA
on January 1, 2016.
The purpose of this bill, sponsored by the Sonoma RCPA, is to
continue RCPA's authority to assist local agencies in Sonoma
County in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The RCPA is a single-purpose entity that coordinates county-wide
efforts on developing efficient buildings, clean energy,
alternative transportation, and other efforts to adapt to
climate change. Examples of RPCA-driven activities include
implementation of the Energy Upgrade California residential home
program with federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
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funds, receipt of grant funds for greenhouse gas reduction
planning, partnerships to develop and install new technologies,
such as an electric vehicle charging station network, and
assisting in the development of transportation and land use
plans to further the goals of SB 375 (Steinberg), Chapter 728,
Statutes of 2008.
The RCPA has adopted a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions
25% below the 1990 level by 2015. Much work remains beyond 2015
to further address climate change issues.
The subject matter of this bill has not been heard in any
Assembly policy committee this legislative session.
Analysis Prepared by : Debbie Michel / L.GOV. / (916) 319-3958
FN: 0004478