Amended in Senate June 30, 2014

Amended in Senate June 10, 2014

Amended in Assembly May 23, 2014

Amended in Assembly April 21, 2014

Amended in Assembly March 26, 2014

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2050

Introduced by Assembly Member Quirk

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Ammiano and Williams)

February 20, 2014

An act to begin delete amend Section 38591 of, and to end delete add and repeal Section 38561.5 begin delete of, end delete begin insert of end insert the Health and Safety Code, relating to greenhouse gases.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2050, as amended, Quirk. California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006: scoping begin delete plan: advisory committee. end delete begin insert plan. end insert

The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 establishes the State Air Resources Board as the state agency responsible for monitoring and regulating sources emitting greenhouse gases. The act requires the state board to adopt a statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit, as defined, to be achieved by 2020, equivalent to the statewide greenhouse gas emissions levels in 1990. The act requires the state board to prepare and approve a scoping plan for achieving the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The act requires the scoping plan to be updated at least once every 5 years.

This begin delete bill, until January 1, 2019, end delete begin insert bill end insert would require begin insert , for purposes of advising the update of the next scoping plan, end insert the state board to begin delete include end delete begin insert develop end insert specified begin delete elements when updating the scoping plan. end delete begin insert information by January 1, 2016. end insert The bill would require the state board, on or before January 1, begin delete 2019, end delete begin insert 2016, end insert to submit a report to the appropriate committees of the Legislature on begin delete those end delete begin insert the end insert specified begin delete elements of the updated scoping plan. end delete begin insert information. The bill would provide that the specified information is intended to assist in establishing state policy and does not change any statute, regulation, or regulatory decision. end insert

begin delete

Existing law requires the state board to appoint an Economic and Technology Advancement Advisory Committee to advise the state board on activities that will facilitate investment in and implementation of technological research and development opportunities, as specified. Existing law also authorizes the committee to advise the state board on economic and technological developments relating to greenhouse gas emission reductions.

end delete begin delete

This bill would require the committee to consist of between 5 and 10 members who are experts in energy technology and economics. The bill would delete the authorization for the committee to advise the state board on developments relating to greenhouse gas emission reductions and would instead require the committee to conduct an economic assessment that includes a marginal cost analysis of various strategies for reducing greenhouse gases.

end delete

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

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

SECTION 1.  

The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:

(a) Climate change is a global emissions problem.

(b) California is responsible for approximately 1 percent of the
world’s global greenhouse gas emissions and, thus, needs to
address the problem of climate change with a global perspective.

(c) Significant technological advances and major policy
initiatives that can be deployed at scale in developed and
developing begin delete counties end delete begin insert countries end insert will be necessary to transition away
from fossil fuel as the primary fuel source to allow the developed
and developing begin delete nations end delete begin insert countries end insert of the world to achieve
low-carbon economic growth.

(d) It is in the best interest of the state to ensure that greenhouse
gas reduction goals are achievable by strategies that other states
and begin delete nations end delete begin insert countries end insert could reasonably adopt.

(e) Demonstrating effective climate change policy can increase
the likelihood that other states and begin delete nations end delete begin insert countries end insert will follow
California’s lead, which is necessary for the state to have a
significant effect on the global climate change problem.

SEC. 2.  

Section 38561.5 is added to the Health and Safety
Code, to read:

38561.5.  

(a) On or before January 1, begin delete 2019, end delete begin insert 2016, end insert for purposes
of begin insert advising end insert the update of the begin insert next end insert scoping plan pursuant to
subdivision (h) of Section 38561, the state board shall begin delete include, but
not be limited to, end delete begin insert develop end insert all of the following:

(1) A proposal for further reducing greenhouse gas emissions
by 2050, including intermediate goals.

(2) An evaluation of the emissions-reduction goals proposed
pursuant to paragraph (1) based on what policies and technologies
can be scaled to the rest of the country and the begin delete world that ensure
cost-effectiveness and maintain local and systemwide reliability
of the electrical grid. end delete begin insert world. end insert

begin insert

(3) An economic assessment using the best available economic
models and data of the various greenhouse gas emissions-reduction
strategies required to achieve the goals proposed pursuant to
paragraph (1). The economic assessment may include a marginal
cost analysis.

end insert begin insert

(4) An analysis of the benefits to the health, safety, and welfare
of state residents, worker safety, the state’s environment and
quality of life, and any other benefits associated with the various
greenhouse gas emissions-reduction strategies to achieve the goals
proposed pursuant to paragraph (1).

end insert begin delete

(3)

end delete

begin insert (5) end insert  The establishment of consistent metrics to accurately
quantify reductions in greenhouse gas begin delete emissions end delete begin insert emissions, quantify
public health benefits, end insert and measure the cost-effectiveness of
various policies and technologies.

(b) (1) On or before January 1, begin delete 2019, end delete begin insert 2016, end insert the state board shall
submit to the appropriate committees of the Legislature the
begin delete elements of the update of the scoping plan included end delete begin insert information
developed end insert pursuant to subdivision (a).

(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to this begin delete paragraph end delete
begin insert subdivision end insert shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795
of the Government Code.

begin insert

(c) The information developed pursuant to subdivision (a) is
intended to assist in establishing state policy and does not change
any statute, regulation, or regulatory decision.

end insert begin delete

(c)

end delete

begin insert (d) end insert  This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, begin delete 2019, end delete
begin insert 2016, end insert and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute,
that is enacted before January 1, begin delete 2019, end delete begin insert 2016, end insert deletes or extends
that date.

begin delete

SEC. 3.  

Section 38591 of the Health and Safety Code is
amended to read:

38591.  

(a) The state board, by July 1, 2007, shall convene an
environmental justice advisory committee, of at least three
members, to advise it in developing the scoping plan pursuant to
Section 38561 and any other pertinent matter in implementing this
division. The advisory committee shall be comprised of
representatives from communities in the state with the most
significant exposure to air pollution, including, but not limited to,
communities with minority populations or low-income populations,
or both.

(b) The state board shall appoint the advisory committee
members from nominations received from environmental justice
organizations and community groups.

(c) The state board shall provide reasonable per diem for
attendance at advisory committee meetings by advisory committee
members from nonprofit organizations.

(d) (1) The state board shall appoint an Economic and
Technology Advancement Advisory Committee, of at least five
members but not to exceed 10 members, to advise the state board
on activities that will facilitate investment in and implementation
of technological research and development opportunities, including,
but not limited to, identifying new technologies, research,
demonstration projects, funding opportunities, developing state,
national, and international partnerships and technology transfer
opportunities, and identifying and assessing research and advanced
technology investment and incentive opportunities that will assist
in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions on a global basis.

(2) The committee shall also conduct an economic assessment
that includes, but is not limited to, a marginal cost analysis of the
various strategies for reducing greenhouse gases.

(3) The membership of the committee shall consist of experts
in energy technology and economics.

end delete