BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 693
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Date of Hearing: August 22, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Cameron Smyth, Chair
AB 693 (Huffman) - As Amended: July 6, 2012
SUBJECT : Local government: Sonoma County Regional Climate
Protection Authority.
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
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
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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 :
1)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.
2)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 funds, receipt of grant funds for greenhouse gas reduction
planning, partnerships to develop and install new
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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.
3)Support arguments : Supporters argue that in extending the
sunset for RCPA, the Legislature will enable a long term
vision to be implemented and will further enhance RCPA's
ability to work collaborative, efficiently and effectively.
Opposition arguments : None on file.
4)The subject matter of this bill has not been heard in any
Assembly policy committee this legislative session.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Sonoma County Transportation Authority �CO-SPONSOR]
Sonoma Regional Climate Protection Authority �CO-SPONSOR]
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Debbie Michel / L.GOV. / (916) 319-3958