April 22, 2023 - SACRAMENTO, CA – Assemblymember Lisa Calderon (D-Whitter) has introduced more than half a dozen pieces of legislation aiming to provide and improve access to community resources in an effort to adapt to the effects of climate change.

“With repeated drought cycles, destructive wildfires, and rising sea levels, California must continue investing in efforts that combat climate change,” stated Assemblymember Calderon. “It is imperative that we reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase utilization of renewable energy sources, and provide the resources necessary to enable Californian’s to adapt to the changing environment.”

The bill package consists of seven pieces of legislation, Assembly Bills 384, 527, 586, 824, 1108, 1172, and 1195. These measures are seeking to create climate-resilient communities at the neighborhood-level across California:

• The Cool Schools Bill (Assembly Bill 384) would require the California Department of Education to conduct a study on safe indoor temperature ranges in public schools, and develop recommendations.
• School Greening Grant Program (Assembly Bill 527) would establish a school greening grant program to support K-12 school greening efforts.
• Climate and Environmental Remediation Devices (Assembly Bill 586) would add climate change and environmental remediation to the list of community supports under the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal initiative.
• Statewide Strategic Plan for Highway Greening (Assembly Bill 824) would require the Department of Transportation to develop a statewide strategic plan to increase highway greening with native plants by at least 10% in urban areas.
• The Climate Change Preparedness, Resiliency, and Jobs for Communities Program (Assembly Bill 1195) would establish a grant program under the Strategic Growth Council to award funding to local communities that deploy multi-benefit climate projects at the neighborhood level.
• Integrated Energy Policy Report on Fusion Energy (Assembly Bill 1172) would require the California’s energy and utility regulatory agencies to submit a report to the legislature assessing the use of nuclear fusion as a reliable source of clean energy.​​​​​​​
• Periodic Updates to County Emergency Plans (Assembly Bill 1108) would require counties to update their Emergency Operations Plan at least every two years in response to the increase in climate-related disasters, and submit them to the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

“These bills will usher local communities into a new era of climate adaptation not only my district, but in communities all across the state”, continues Assemblymember Calderon. “Combatting the urban heat island effect, cleaning our local air, and creating an environment that is ready to take on the worst of climate change is what I seek to accomplish this legislative cycle. This package of legislation does that for individuals and neighborhoods throughout California.”

Read more on our website. You can also track these bills and other pieces of legislation at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.
Source: Assemblymember Lisa Calderon