2023 California Legislative Wins
We had some big legislative wins in 2023. Senate Bills 253 and 261 in particular will have global significance in the fight to reduce pollution and tackle the climate crisis. And getting these bills passed was in no small part due to the targeted advocacy work of EnviroVoters.
Over the past year, we shaped the public narrative in the press and in the Capitol, got the entire environmental movement on board with our sponsored bill, built support from the top down and bottom up, carried out a multifaceted digital advocacy campaign, and so much more.
But still, many of the bills that we worked hard to pass were unfortunately pushed to next year’s legislative session. Explore below both the bills that became law and the ones that we will be working hard to pass in 2024:
Priority bills signed into law in 2023
Climate Corporate Leadership and Accountability Act
Senator Scott Wiener
This law will require all U.S.-based companies doing business in California and make over $1 billion in annual revenuse to publicly report all of their greenhouse gas emissions, including their entire supply chain emissions.
★ SB 261
Climate Financial Risk Disclosure
Senator Henry Stern
This law will require large companies that do business in California to submit annual climate-related financial risk reports to the public.
AB 3
California Offshore Wind Energy & Jobs Act
Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur
This law will require the California Energy Commission (CEC) to strategize for offshore wind energy development and study the feasibility of the majority of manufacturing being in-state.
AB 126
Clean Transportation Program Modernization
Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes and Senator Lena Gonzalez
This law will continue a fee structure to fund clean transportation programs through 2035, and requires 50% of funding to directly benefit residents of disadvantaged communities.
AB 421
Referendum Reform
Senator Isaac Bryan
This law will reform the laws that govern referendum to ensure that voters know exactly what they are voting for, and who is bankrolling it.
AB 631
Community Safety and Protection Act
Assemblymember Gregg Hart
This law will give the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGem) the power to enforce penalties on oil companies for oil leaks and spills.
AB 1167
Orphan Well Prevention Act
Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo
This law will require anyone who owns an oil well to file for a bond that is sufficient to cover all costs of plugging, abandonment, and site restoration of the oil well.
SB 337
Codifying 30×30: Land and Coastal Waters Conservation Goal
Senator Dave Min
This law will codify a goal to conserve 30 percent of California’s land and coastal waters by 2030, also known as the 30×30 goal.
SB 389
Surface Water Rights Verification
Senator Ben Allen
This law will grant the State Water Resources Control Board the authority to review, verify, and issue decisions on senior water rights to prevent disproportionate usage of water.
★ Part of the Climate Corporate Accountability Package
Priority bills that have been paused until 2024
Find out how you can help us pass these bills and more next year →
Failed to pass the Assembly Public Employment and Retirement Committee; on pause until 2024.
★ SB 252
California Fossil Fuel Divestment Act
Senator Lena Gonzalez
This bill would have required the agencies that invest the pension funds of state employees and teachers to divest billions of dollars from fossil fuel companies.
On pause until 2024.
AB 1567
Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, and Workforce Development Bond Act of 2024
Assemblymembers Eduardo Garcia, Wendy Carrillo, Damon Connolly, Laura Friedman, and Diana Papan
This is a bond measure that would place a $15 billion bond on the ballot to invest in natural resource protection, disaster preparation, community resilience, and other climate resilience projects.
On pause until 2024.
SB 867
Drought, Flood, and Water Resilience, Wildfire, and Forest Resilience, Coastal Resilience, Extreme Heat Mitigation, Biodiversity, and Nature-Based Climate Solutions, Climate Smart Agriculture, Park Creation and Outdoor Access, and Clean Energy Bond Act of 2024
Senators Ben Allen, Josh Becker, Anthony Portantino, and Henry Stern
This is a bond measure that would place a $15 billion bond on the ballot to invest in natural resource protection, disaster preparation, community resilience, and other climate resilience projects.
On pause until 2024.
ACA 4
Voting Rights for All Californians
Assemblymember Isaac Bryan
This bill would have restored the right to vote to citizens of California who are currently completing their prison sentences.
On pause until 2024.
SCA 2
Youth Voting Rights
Senator Henry Stern
This bill would have lowered the voting age from eighteen to seventeen in all public elections throughout the state.
Vetoed by the Governor.
AB 249
School Lead Testing & Mitigation
Assemblymember Chris Holden
This law will require testing of lead levels in faucets in TK-12 school buildings built before 2010 to meet higher health standards that will keep children and families safe.
Failed to pass the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee; on pause until 2024.
AB 460
State Water Board Emergency Interim Relief
Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan
This bill would have granted the State Water Resources Control Board the authority halt wasteful uses of water that harm the environment or violate water rights, and increase penalties.
Failed to pass the Assembly Appropriations Committee; on pause until 2024.
AB 538
Multistate regional transmission system organization
Assemblymember Chris Holden
This bill would initiate the creation of a regional system to expand the distribution of clean energy resources across the western electrical transmission grid.
Failed to pass the Assembly Local Government Committee; on pause until 2024.
AB 558
Transportation 4 All
Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula
This bill would have added 1 new member from each of the following groups to the Fresno County Transportation Board: labor, disadvantaged community, youth, education.
On pause until 2024.
AB 593
Pathway to Clean Energy Buildings
Assemblymember Matt Haney
This bill would have required the California Energy Commission (CEC) to adopt a strategy, with milestones, to reduce emissions from buildings in order to meet the state’s climate goals.
Failed to pass the Assembly Local Government Committee; on pause until 2024.
AB 650
Central Valley Air District Board Reform
Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula
This bill would have added 1 new member from each of the following groups to the Central Valley Air District Board: labor, disadvantaged community, youth, education.
Failed to pass the Assembly Concurrence; on pause until 2024.
AB 985
Central Valley Air Pollution Credit Reform
Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula
This bill would have reformed the currently ineffective Emissions Reduction Credit System in San Joaquin Valley by reviewing pollution credit permits and enforcing them more strictly.
Failed to pass the Assembly Local Government Committee; on pause until 2024.
AB 1000
Warehouse Good Neighbor Policy
Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes
This bill would have required warehouses to be at a 1000-foot distance from schools, hospitals, and other sensitive sites, or at a 750-foot distance if following a set of air quality standards.
Failed to pass the Senate Governance and Finance Committee, on pause until 2024.
AB 1176
Local Electrification Planning
Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur
This bill would have ensured that governments across the state are prepared for the transition to zero emission vehicles and buildings by incorporating electrification into planning processes.
Vetoed by the Governor.
AB 1248
Independent Redistricting Commissions for Local Districts
Assemblymember Isaac Bryan
This law will require any district that contains over 300,000 residents to establish an independent redistricting commission to adopt district boundaries after each census.
Failed to pass the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee; on hold until 2024
AB 1337
Curtailing Water Usage During Shortages
Assemblymember Buffy Wicks
This bill would have empowered the State Water Resources Control Board to limit water diversions from water rights holders during shortages, during drought and non-drought years.
Failed to pass the Senate Appropriations Committee.
SB 527
Neighborhood Decarbonization Program
Senator Dave Min
This bill would have required the California Public Utilities Commission to create the Neighborhood Decarbonization Program to pilot a program that switches entire neighborhoods away from gas in a cost effective way.
Failed to pass the Senate Appropriations Committee.
SB 556
Health Protection Zones near Oil & Gas Wells
Senator Lena Gonzalez
This bill would have created a liability presumption for patients with illnesses caused by gas exposure if they resided within a specified proximity of a gas production facility.
Failed to pass the Senate Appropriations Committee; on pause until 2024.
SB 709
Dairy Biogas Low-Carbon Fuel Standard Regulations
Senator Ben Allen
This bill would have limited the amount of carbon credits given to farmers who create gas fuel from digested manure in order to limit excess manure pollution in air and water.
★ Part of the Climate Corporate Accountability Package
Tackling 2024 together
2024 is going to be a big effort — not only will we be focusing on these bills that did not pass in 2023, but there will be other bills to come that advance our state and our entire globe towards climate justice.
We know how to win these legislative battles, but we’re a small nonprofit facing tens of millions from corporate polluters and complacency from far too many elected officials. Please make a donation to allow us to put the same effort we put into our bills in 2023 into even more groundbreaking legislation next year →
