December 6, 2018 - SACRAMENTO – California Senate Leader Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), Senator Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) and Senator Henry Stern (D-Canoga Park) have introduced legislation to protect California’s environment, workers and consumers from the harmful consequences of reckless deregulation at the federal level.

(Left) California Senate Leader Toni Atkins (D-San Diego)

Senate Bill 1, the California Environmental, Public Health, and Workers Defense Act of 2019, makes landmark federal environmental, labor and consumer protection standards enforceable under state law. The bill would complicate efforts by Congress and the President to undermine vital protections granted by the federal Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and other laws.

“Californians are feeling the impacts of climate change here and now, and they want us to find solutions,” Atkins said. “This measure is about preserving some of the qualities that make California such a special place to live and work, from our environment to workers’ rights.”

“SB 1 ensures that Californians can continue to enjoy the best of our state,” Portantino said. “We already have our fair share of challenges protecting our precious air and water, and we can’t afford to move backward.”

“SB 1 is Trump insurance for California’s environment,” Stern said. “With the impacts of climate change ravaging our state, stealing lives, property and our future, we must exercise a new progressive version of federalism and fight for our state’s right to guarantee clean air and water for all our citizens.”

PROPOSAL DETAILS

SB 1: California Environmental, Public Health, and Workers Defense Act of 2019
 

• Makes current federal clean air, climate, clean water, worker safety, and endangered species standards enforceable under state law, even if the federal government rolls back and weakens those standards.

• Directs state environmental, public health, and worker safety agencies to take all actions within their authorities to ensure standards in effect and being enforced as of January 2017 remain in effect.

In 2017, the Senate approved a similar measure, SB 49 (de León). That measure was held in the Assembly Rules Committee.

For more information, visit: https://focus.senate.ca.gov/preserve-california 

#PreserveCA

#ActOnClimate

Source: California Senate Leader Toni Atkins