State Capitol Updates
Streetsblog California
2015 Legislative Wrap-up: California Bills That Won and Lost
In its rush to Friday's deadline, the California legislature managed to pull off a win with the passage of its leaders' signature climate change bill, even if S.B. 350 had been scaled back in the days leading to the final vote. The other main climate change bill, S.B. 32, was held over until next year because it could not muster enough votes to pass. Both bills were held up by demands from Assembly Democrats that the authority of the California Air Resources Board be reduced, subjecting its every action to legislative approval. The governor and Senate leaders refused to give on that point.
September 14, 2015
CA Legislative Leaders Pull Gas Reduction Goals, Vow to Fight On
Governor Jerry Brown, Senate President Pro-Tem Kevin de Leon, and Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins met with reporters late yesterday to announce that they would amend their signature climate change bill to eliminate the goal of reducing petroleum use. With only two days remaining before the legislative session ends, they say they don't have the votes to pass S.B. 350, the so-called “50-50-50” bill, with that provision.
September 10, 2015
Climate Change Legislation Hits a Bump
The push to legislate broad climate change goals in California hit a bump last night when S.B. 32, one of the most important of the current bills, lost in a vote on the Assembly floor.
September 9, 2015
CalBike: Support Active Transportation Funding Now
Last Friday afternoon, Melanie Curry broke the news of the introduction of Assembly Bill X1-23, a bill that would double state funding for active transportation projects, better known as bicycling and pedestrian projects.
September 8, 2015
Breaking: Last-Second Bill Would Increase Active Transportation Funding
This just in: Active transportation is finally getting some love in Sacramento. A bill was introduced today to double the funding available for projects and programs that encourage people to walk or ride bikes by making streets and paths safe and comfortable for them.
September 4, 2015
Op-Ed: Transportation Funding Talks Must Include Transit, Climate Change
An op-ed piece in the Sacramento Bee this morning points out the strange disconnects in current legislative discussions on funding transportation.
September 2, 2015
Another Fact-Free Attack on California Climate Change Bills
There's been a lot of media noise about ongoing efforts to pass new climate change legislation in California before the rapidly approaching deadline. One particular op-ed in the Orange County Register adds nothing useful to the debate, but as one of several efforts lately that have been working very hard to obscure facts, it deserves a wagging finger of shame.
September 2, 2015
Opaque Process Leaves Californians in the Dark about Transportation Funding
Amid the swirling madness that is the final few weeks of the California legislative session—all bills must be voted on by September 11, or wait until next year—the question of how to raise, and spend, money on transportation is still very much up in the air. Increasingly, it looks like major decisions will be made behind closed doors and out of the public eye.
August 28, 2015
California Legislative Update: How to Fund Transportation
The legislature came back from its summer break on Monday, and has only a month to resolve some big goals before the session ends on September 11. Over 600 bills are pending in both the Senate and the Assembly, plus there are behind-the-scenes negotiations on leftover budget issues and two concurrent special sessions aimed at forging agreements on priorities and funding for transportation and health care.
August 21, 2015
#DamienTalks Episode 14: Assemblymember Richard Bloom
Today, #DamienTalks with Assemblymember Richard Bloom, who represents western Los Angeles County in the State Assembly. Bloom is on the Finance Special Session Committee in the State Assembly, meaning that for the next two and a half weeks, the Assemblymember will have a chance to weigh in on any transportation bills before they come to the full Assembly for a vote.
August 21, 2015