AB1923:v99#DOCUMENTBill Start
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 1923
Introduced by Assembly Member Davies
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Dixon)
|
January 25, 2024 |
An act to add Section 12812.7 to the Government Code, relating to climate change.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1923, as introduced, Davies.
Green Assistance Program.
Existing law creates the California Environmental Protection Agency, consisting of various boards, offices, and departments, including the State Air Resources Board. Existing law, 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 authorizes the state board to include the use of market-based compliance mechanisms. Existing law requires all moneys, except for fines and penalties, collected by the state board as part of a market-based compliance mechanism to be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and to be available upon appropriation by the Legislature.
This bill would establish the Green Assistance Program within the California Environmental Protection Agency to, among other things, assist
small businesses and small nonprofit organizations in applying for moneys from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. The bill would authorize the Secretary for Environmental Protection to apply for and accept grants or contributions of funds from any public or private source for the program.
Digest Key
Vote:
MAJORITY
Appropriation:
NO
Fiscal Committee:
YES
Local Program:
NO
Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 12812.7 is added to the Government Code, to read:12812.7.
(a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:(1) “Fund” means the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund established pursuant to Section 16428.8.
(2) “Secretary” means the Secretary for Environmental Protection.
(3) “Small business” shall have the same meaning as defined in Section 14837.
(b) The Green Assistance Program is hereby established within the California Environmental Protection Agency to be administered by the secretary. The program shall do all of the following:
(1) Provide technical assistance, including assistance with the development of competitive project proposals, to small businesses and small nonprofit organizations applying for an allocation of moneys from the fund.
(2) Assist small businesses in applying for funding for energy upgrades to meet and exceed the greenhouse gas emission reductions established pursuant to Section 38560 of the Health and Safety Code.
(3) Advise small businesses in complying with all applicable federal, state, and local air quality laws.
(4) Identify state agencies with appropriate grant programs.
(5) Coordinate existing local programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with new programs receiving moneys from the fund.
(c) The secretary may apply for and accept grants or contributions of funds from any public or private source for the program.