OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON. WE'LL GET
STARTED. WE DO NOT HAVE A QUORUM
, BUT WE HAVE A MEMBER READY TO
GO. AND, I GUESS WE NEED A
COLLEAGUE FROM. FRIEND? THANK
YOU. OH, WE'LL DO OUR
PLEASANTRIES HERE. WELCOME,
EVERYONE. ASSEMBLY,
ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY AND TOXIC
MATERIALS MEETING BEFORE WE
OFFICIALLY GET STARTED, I WANT
TO WELCOME EVERYONE. SERGEANTS,
PLEASE CALL THE MEMBERS SO THAT
WE CAN GET A QUORUM. REMIND THE
PRIMARY WITNESSES. TESTIMONY IS
LIMITED TO FOUR MINUTES TOTAL
FOR EACH SIDE. ALL ADDITIONAL
WITNESSES WILL BE LIMITED TO
STATING THEIR NAME, ORGANIZATION
IF THEY REPRESENT ONE AND THEIR
POSITION ON THE BILL. I ALSO
WANT TO NOTE THAT WE ARE
ACCEPTING WRITTEN TESTIMONY
THROUGH THE POSITION LETTER
PORTAL. ON THE COMMITTEE'S
WEBSITE. WE WILL HEAR 13
MEASURES TODAY AND LOOK FORWARD
TO GETTING STARTED VERY SOON
.
OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO START AS A
SUBCOMMITTEE, AND SO, THANK YOU,
MEMBERS. AND WE WILL START WITH
FILE NUMBER THREE. THAT IS
ASSEMBLY MEMBER PHIL TING AB
2244, PLEASE. THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR. FIRST, LET ME JUST SAY
THANK YOU FOR YOUR AND YOUR
COMMITTEE'S ASSISTANCE WITH THE
BILL. WE ARE HAPPY TO, TAKE THE
AMENDMENTS CLARIFYING THAT
UNAVOIDABLE TRACE QUANTITIES OF
BISPHENOLS ARE NOT A VIOLATION
OF THIS BILL'S PROVISIONS, QUITE
SIMPLY, AB 2244 WOULD PROHIBIT
THE USE OF BISPHENOL A, BPA,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS BPA, IN PAPER
RECEIPTS, BY JANUARY 1ST, 2025,
AND ALL OTHER BISPHENOL
CHEMICALS IN PAPER RECEIPTS BY
JANUARY 1ST, 2026, MOST PEOPLE
HAVE NO IDEA THAT THE RECEIPTS
THAT WE GET EVERY SINGLE DAY
WHEN WE'RE BUYING SOMETHING,
THEY ACTUALLY CONTAIN TOXIC
MATERIAL. AND THE WAY THAT THAT
TOXICITY IS TRANSMITTED IS NOT,
BY BREATHING IT OR BY, YOU KNOW,
BY, DOING SOMETHING WITH IT
ACTUALLY JUST TOUCHING IT IS HOW
THAT TOXICITY GETS TRANSFERRED.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY EVERY DAY WE
ARE COMING INTO CONTACT WITH
THIS CANCER CAUSING CHEMICAL. SO
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
TAKING EVERY Kò, YOU KNOW, EVERY
STEP TO BAN IT FROM PAPER
RECEIPTS, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE
ARE ALL COMING INTO CONTACT WITH
IT EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND IT'S
ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL THAT WE SEND
THE SIGNAL TO PAPER
MANUFACTURERS WHO ARE PRODUCING
THESE RECEIPTS THAT WE NO LONGER
WANT BPA OR ANY BISPHENOL
CHEMICALS IN THOSE RECEIPTS.
WITH THAT, I'M HONORED TO HAVE
NANCY BUMILLER WITH BREAST
CANCER PREVENTION TO BE MY
PRIMARY WITNESS. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, NANCY
BURGMEIER, ON BEHALF OF BREAST
CANCER PREVENTION PARTNERS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
TESTIFY. AND THANK YOU, ASSEMBLY
MEMBER TANG FOR YOUR CONTINUED
LEADERSHIP ON THIS IMPORTANT
ISSUE. AB 2244 IS AN IMPORTANT
BILL WITH REAL LIFE IMPLICATIONS
FOR OUR HEALTH. BCRP IS A
SCIENCE BASED ORGANIZATION
WORKING TO PREVENT BREAST CANCER
BY REDUCING OUR EXPOSURE TO
CHEMICALS LINKED TO THE DISEASE.
BISPHENOL A, OR BPA, HAS LONG
BEEN A CHEMICAL THAT WE ARE
DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT, GIVEN
ITS LINK TO BREAST CANCER AND
NUMEROUS OTHER HEALTH HARMS,
BCRP WORKED WITH OUR ALLIES TO
REMOVE BPA FROM BABY BOTTLES AND
SIPPY CUPS MANY YEARS AGO, AND
TODAY YOU WILL SEE BPA FREE
STICKERS ON NUMEROUS PRODUCTS.
UNFORTUNATELY ALL TOO OFTEN, BPA
WAS REPLACED WITH AN ALPHABET
SOUP OF BISPHENOLS SUBSTITUTES.
BPF BPA, AF, AND SO ON. WHILE
THESE SUBSTITUTES ARE OFTEN LESS
WELL STUDIED, THE MORE WE LEARN,
THE BETTER WE UNDERSTAND THAT
THE ENTIRE CLASS HAS
IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR HEALTH,
INCLUDING INCREASED RISK OF
ASTHMA AND HYPERACTIVITY IN
CHILDREN AND CARDIOVASCULAR
DISEASE, FERTILITY PROBLEMS,
OBESITY, DIABETES, AND AN
INCREASED RISK OF BREAST AND
OTHER CANCERS IN ADULTS. BPA AND
BPPS ARE LISTED ON CALIFORNIA'S
PROP 65 LIST AS REPRODUCTIVE
TOXICANTS. THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON HAS DESIGNATED BPA
AND BPF AS CHEMICALS OF HIGH
CONCERN FOR CHILDREN. OUR
EXPOSURES TO BISPHENOL IS
UBIQUITOUS AND CONTINUOUS.
ACCORDING TO CDC BIOMONITOR
DATA, OVER 90% OF US HAVE BPA
AND IN OUR BODIES, AND OVER 65%
OF US HAVE BPF. THEY ARE. THEY
DISRUPT OUR SENSITIVE BALANCE OF
HORMONES AND HAVE PROFOUND
NEGATIVE EFFECTS AT VERY LOW
LEVELS. AND EARLY LIFE EXPOSURES
ARE PARTICULARLY CONCERNING
BECAUSE THIS DEVELOPMENTAL
PERIOD IS WHEN THESE CHEMICALS
HAVE THEIR BIGGEST AND LONGEST
LASTING IMPACTS. BISPHENOLS ARE
ABSORBED THROUGH THE SKIN WHEN
HANDLING THERMAL RECEIPT PAPERS.
THIS EXPOSURE IS CONCERNING FOR
ALL CONSUMERS. HOWEVER THE
GREATEST RISK IS FOR CASHIERS,
70% OF WHOM ARE WOMEN IN
OCCUPATIONAL STUDIES HAVE
CONFIRMED THAT BPA AND LEVELS
ARE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER IN
CASHIERS. US, CONNECTICUT,
ILLINOIS AND THE EU HAVE ALREADY
BANNED BPA FROM THERMAL PAPER.
HOWEVER A 2023 REPORT SHOWS THAT
BPA HAS LARGELY BEEN REPLACED
WITH LPS. ANOTHER CASE OF
REGRETTABLE SUBSTITUTION OF THE
OVER 350 RECEIPTS TESTED, A
WHOPPING 79% CONTAINED PSE,
WHILE LESS THAN 1% CONTAINED
BPA. THE VERY GOOD NEWS IS THAT
20% OF THOSE RECEIPTS WERE FREE
OF ANY OF THESE TOXIC
BISPHENOLS. CLEARLY,
ALTERNATIVES ARE CURRENTLY
AVAILABLE AND IN USE. IT'S TIME
TO REMOVE ALL BISPHENOLS FROM
THERMAL PAPER BY PASSING AB
2244. I URGE YOUR AYE VOTE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BEFORE WE PROCEED, WE'RE GOING
TO ESTABLISH A QUORUM,
OFFICIALLY ESTABLISH A QUORUM.
THANK YOU. TO ESTABLISH QUORUM,
GARCIA. PRESIDENT GARCIA IS
HERE. HOOVER. HOOVER HERE.
CONNOLLY. CONLEY. HERE. MCKENNA.
PAPA PAPIN HERE. REYES. REYES
HERE TO. WE HAVE A QUORUM. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH, I DON'T SEE
ANOTHER PRIMARY WITNESS, SO
WE'LL ASK, FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN
THE HEARING ROOM, PLEASE COME
FORWARD IF YOU WISH TO INDICATE
YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS MEASURE,
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME,
ORGANIZATION AND AGAIN, YOUR
POSITION. AFTERNOON. THE
COLLAPSE OF CALIFORNIANS AGAINST
WASTE AND SUPPORT. I WANT TO
COMMEND THE AUTHOR FOR HIS FIVE
YEARS OF WORK ON THIS ISSUE.
THANK YOU. BILL ALLIO,
ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP IN
SUPPORT. THANKS. GOOD AFTERNOON.
COMMITTEE. LEAH JONES, ON BEHALF
OF A VOICE FOR CHOICE ADVOCACY
AND FULL SUPPORT AND THANK YOU,
MR. ASSEMBLY MEMBER TANG, FOR
ALL THE WORK YOU DO. EMILY
GARCIA WITH NRDC AND SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SEEING NO ONE ELSE COME FORWARD,
WE WILL ASK FOR THOSE WHO WISH
TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO AB 2
TO 4 FOR JULIE WEDGE. RETHINK
DISPOSABLE IN SUPPORT FOR CLEAN
WATER ACTION. THANK YOU. CHAIR
MEMBERS RJ CERVANTES HERE ON
BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN FOREST
AND PAPER ASSOCIATION, FIRST OF
ALL, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK
YOU TO THE AUTHOR AND TO THE
COMMITTEE STAFF FOR ALL THEIR
WORK IN DRAFTING THE AMENDMENTS
UNDER CONSIDERATION. WE ARE
STILL REVIEWING THOSE. SO
UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T CHANGE MY
POSITION TODAY. BUT I DO WANT TO
THANK AND RECOGNIZE THE EFFORTS
HAVE BEEN MADE THERE. AND WE'LL
FOLLOW UP HERE SHORTLY. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE
ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK? OKAY.
WE'LL BRING THE ISSUE BACK. ANY
QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS? ALL RIGHT. LEFT SEEING
NONE. JUST RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
AYE VOTE. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING THIS MEASURE FORWARD,
FOR ACCEPTING THE AMENDMENTS TO
ADDRESS THE CONCERN FROM
MANUFACTURERS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO
PROTECT HEALTH OF CALIFORNIANS
AND RESTRICT SOURCES OF
EXPOSURE. THANK YOU AGAIN, I'LL
MOVE THE BILL, IT IS
RECOMMENDED. THERE'S A SECOND.
AND, TO DO PASS RECOMMENDATION.
MADAM SECRETARY. THIS IS ITEM
NUMBER THREE, AB 2244. CHING.
THE MOTION IS Dð PASS AS AMENDED
AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
JUDICIARY. GARCIA. GARCIA, I
HOOVER. NO. HOOVER. NO.
CONNOLLY. CON LI I MCKINLEY.
PAPIN. PAPIN I REYES. REYES I TO
. WE HAVE FOUR VOTES, SO
CONGRATULATIONS. WE'LL LEAVE THE
ROLL OPEN, WE'LL MOVE ON TO FILE
NUMBER FOUR. AB 2408. MR. HANEY,
FIREFIGHTER, PERSONAL PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT. THIS DOES HAVE A I
RECOMMENDATION. OKAY THANK YOU,
MR. CHAIR. AND MEMBERS, AB 2408
WILL PROTECT OUR FIREFIGHTERS
FROM CANCER BY ENSURING THAT
THEIR GEAR ARE FREE OF CANCER
CAUSING CHEMICALS. FIREFIGHTER
GEAR HAS BEEN FOUND TO CONTAIN
SIGNIFICANT LEVELS OF PFAS. PFAS
ARE MAN MADE CHEMICALS THAT HAVE
BEEN LARGELY FOUND TO BE HARMFUL
TO BOTH HUMAN HEALTH AND THE
ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE THEY ARE
CONSIDERED FOREVER CHEMICALS,
MEANING THEY STAY IN BOTH THE
BODY AND THE NATURE AND NATURE.
FOR A LIFETIME. ADDITIONALLY,
RESEARCH HAS ESTABLISHED THAT
PFAS ARE A KNOWN CARCINOGEN,
INDICATING THE POTENTIAL TO
CAUSE CANCER. 20 YEARS AGO,
HEART DISEASE WAS THE BIGGEST
THREAT TO FIREFIGHTER HEALTH.
TODAY, CANCER HAS REPLACED HEART
DISEASE AS THE BIGGEST KILLER OF
FIREFIGHTERS, WITH THE
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
FIREFIGHTERS ATTRIBUTING 66% OF
DEATHS BETWEEN 2002 AND 2019 TO
CANCER. WHILE FIREFIGHTING IS AN
INHERENTLY DANGEROUS PROFESSION,
IT IS CRITICAL FOR THE HEALTH
AND SAFETY OF CALIFORNIA'S
FIREFIGHTERS THAT ALL
UNNECESSARY CANCER EXPOSURES ARE
ELIMINATED. THE NATIONAL FIRE
PROTECTION ASSOCIATION CURRENTLY
SETS THE SAFETY AND QUALITY
STANDARDS FOR FIREFIGHTER GEAR
AND PFAS. INCLUSION IN
FIREFIGHTER GEAR HINGES SOLELY
ON THE ASSOCIATIONS UV LIGHT
TEST. THE TEST IS CURRENTLY
BEING EVALUATED AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL, AND IT'S PENDING REMOVAL
OBLIGATES CALIFORNIA TO BE READY
TO IMMEDIATELY BAN PFAS IN
FIREFIGHTER GEAR. AFTER A
DECISION IS MADE. FIREFIGHTERS
PUT THEIR LIVES AT RISK EVERY
DAY ON THE FRONT LINES, SAVING
LIVES, RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES
AND TAKING CARE OF THE
VULNERABLE. AND WE HAVE AN
OBLIGATION TO THEM TO PROTECT
THEM. THIS BILL WILL DIRECT THE
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
STANDARDS BOARD TO REVISE ITS
REGULATIONS TO MEET THE LATEST
TASTE TESTING SAFETY STANDARD
WITHIN A YEAR AFTER IT HAS BEEN
UPDATED WITH ME TODAY IN SUPPORT
OF THE BILL IS ADAM WOOD, A
FIREFIGHTER FROM SAN FRANCISCO.
ON BEHALF OF LOCAL 798, AND
MEGAN SUMMERS, REPRESENTING THE
CALIFORNIA PROFESSIONAL
FIREFIGHTERS. THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR, AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. MEGAN SUMMERS, ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS. AND
WE ARE PROUD TO SPONSOR THIS
BILL AND WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR.
HANEY FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD
TODAY, MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE
THAT CPF HAS BEEN FOCUSING ON
CANCER AND THE FIRE SERVICE FOR
MANY YEARS, TRYING TO REDUCE ANY
EXPOSURES THAT OUR MEMBERS ARE
FACED WITH ON THE JOB. WE'VE
WORKED IN THIS LEGISLATURE ON
ISSUES TO REMOVE TOXIC CHEMICAL
TOXIC FLAME RETARDANTS FROM
FURNITURE. WE'VE WORKED MOST
RECENTLY ON REMOVING PFAS FROM
FIREFIGHTING FOAMS. AND A BILL
BY SENATOR ALLEN IN 2020. AND WE
FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE
APPROPRIATE NEXT STEP ON THAT
VENTURE. AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE
TO DEFER THE REST OF MY TIME TO
MY MEMBER FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO
SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT HIS
EXPERIENCE. THANK YOU, THANK
YOU, THANK YOU, MEGAN. THANK
YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER, HANEY.
CHAIR GARCIA AND COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME
IS ADAM WOOD. I'VE BEEN A SAN
FRANCISCO FIREFIGHTER FOR OVER
28 YEARS AND CURRENTLY SERVE AS
THE SECRETARY FOR THE
FIREFIGHTERS UNION IN SAN
FRANCISCO AND VICE PRESIDENT OF
OUR CANCER PREVENTION
FOUNDATION. AND I'M HERE TO
SPEAK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT THE
ELEVATED RISK FOR CANCER FACED
BY CALIFORNIA'S FIREFIGHTERS AND
THIS IMPORTANT STEP THAT YOU CAN
TAKE TO HELP US REDUCE THAT
RISK. WE'VE KNOWN FOR SOME TIME
THAT WE FACE AN ELEVATED RISK
FOR OCCUPATIONAL CANCER VERSUS
THE GENERAL POPULATION. AND
THAT'S BEEN CONFIRMED LAST YEAR
BY THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION
FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER, WHICH
CLASSIFIED FIREFIGHTING AS A
GROUP ONE CARCINOGEN. FOR MOST
OF THE TIME, WE'VE BEEN AWARE OF
THIS PROBLEM. WE'VE BELIEVED
THAT THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF OUR
EXPOSURE TO CARCINOGENS HAS BEEN
ON THE FIRE GROUND. IN THE SMOKY
CHEMICAL SOUP WE CRAWL INTO
EVERY TIME WE GO INTO A FIRE
BUILDING OR INTO A WILDFIRE. BUT
WHAT WE'VE LEARNED RECENTLY IS
SOME OF THE CHEMICALS THAT ARE
MOST DANGEROUS TO OUR HEALTH ARE
BEING CARRIED INTO THE FIRE BY
US IN THE VERY GEAR THAT'S
DESIGNED TO PROTECT US. AND
THESE ARE THE PFAS CHEMICALS.
THESE ARE THE POOR AND
POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES THAT
PERMEATE THE MATERIAL. THAT'S
USED TO MAKE OUR PROTECTIVE
GEAR, WHICH WE CALL TURNOUTS AND
IN THE WEAR AND TEAR OF A FIRE,
MIGRATE FROM THAT MATERIAL INTO
OUR BODIES, WHERE THEY TAKE UP
RESIDENCE FOREVER AND ARE LINKED
TO A NUMBER OF CANCERS,
INCLUDING CANCERS OF THE LIVER
AND CANCER OF THE PANCREAS. THIS
UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE PRESENCE
OF THESE PFAS CHEMICALS IN OUR
PROTECTIVE GEAR MAY GO A LONG
WAY TO EXPLAINING WHAT'S BEEN
ONE OF THE MOST FRUSTRATING AND
TRAGIC MYSTERIES IN THE WORLD OF
CANCER PREVENTION AND
FIREFIGHTING, WHICH IS DESPITE
THE FACT THAT WE HAVE AN ENTIRE
GENERATION OF FIREFIGHTERS WHO
HAVE COME INTO THE PROFESSION
NOW WITH A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF
THE RISK OF CANCER AND COMMITTED
TO MAKING CHANGES TO BOTH THE
PRACTICE AND THE CULTURE OF THE
FIRE SERVICE TO REDUCE THAT
RISK. WE HAVE BEEN NOT BEEN ABLE
TO MOVE THE NUMBER ON OUR CANCER
CASELOADS AT ALL, JUST IN SAN
FRANCISCO ALONE OVER THE PAST
SIX YEARS. SO THIS IS NOT GOING
INTO ANCIENT HISTORY. JUST THE
PAST SIX YEARS, WE'VE HAD 62
ACTIVE MEMBERS AND 141 RETIRED
MEMBERS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER.
THIS IS A DEPARTMENT OF 1500
MEMBERS, AND I ASSURE YOU, YOU
WILL FIND COMPARABLE NUMBERS IN
EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THE STATE.
WE'VE BEEN MISSING KEY PIECES OF
THE PUZZLE ON THE ISSUE OF
CANCER AND FIREFIGHTING, AND
WE'RE CONVINCED THAT THE
PRESENCE OF THESE PFAS CHEMICALS
IN OUR PROTECTIVE GEAR IS ONE OF
THOSE MISSING PIECES. AND UNLIKE
ANY OF THE OTHER RISKS WE FACE
ON THE FIRE GROUND, THIS RISK IS
COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY. RIGHT
NOW IN SAN FRANCISCO AND FIVE
OTHER MAJOR AMERICAN CITIES,
WE'VE BEEN WHERE TESTING TURNOUT
GEAR THAT IS PFAS FREE. AND SO
FAR, THE RESULTS IN TERMS OF
DETERMINING WHETHER THEY CAN
STILL PERFORM THE JOB THEY'RE
DESIGNED TO DO, PROTECT US FROM
FIRE WITHOUT THESE TOXIC
CHEMICALS, HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY
PROMISING. I WAS ACTUALLY JUST
IN A WAREHOUSE FIRE TWO DAYS AGO
ON SUNDAY, WEARING A SET OF
THESE PFAS FREE TURNOUTS AND
THEIR PERFORMANCE AND THE WAY
THEY HELD UP COMPARED FAVORABLY
TO ANY SET OF PROTECTIVE GEAR
I'VE HAD THROUGHOUT MY ENTIRE
CAREER. SO WE'RE RIGHT ON THE
CUSP OF TECHNOLOGY AND
REGULATORY CHANGE THAT SHOULD
MAKE THESE PFAS FREE TURNOUTS
AVAILABLE AT SCALE TO EVERY
DEPARTMENT IN CALIFORNIA. THAT'S
WHY WE'RE ASKING YOU TO SUPPORT
AB 2408. THE BILL CREATES A
REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME TO GET
US TO THAT POINT, TO GET TO THE
POINT WHERE THE TURNOUTS ARE
AVAILABLE. THEY'VE BEEN TESTED,
THEY'VE BEEN APPROVED. AND WHEN
WE GET TO THAT POINT REMOVES ANY
EXCUSE ANYONE COULD MAKE FOR
CONTINUING TO POISON
FIREFIGHTERS. SO I AM HOPEFUL
THAT IF WE CAN TAKE THIS STEP
TOGETHER, IT'LL GET US CLOSER TO
A PLACE WHERE WE AS FIREFIGHTERS
, CAN GO BACK TO FOCUSING ON
WHAT WE DO BEST, SAVING OTHER
PEOPLE'S LIVES RATHER THAN
HAVING TO COME TO YOU AND ASK
YOU FOR HELP TO SAVE OURS. I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
AND CONSIDERATION FOR THIS
ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY AND YOUR SERVICE.
THANK YOU. A MOTION AND A
SECOND, THAT WILL BE THE END OF
OUR TWO KEY WITNESSES. WE'LL ASK
FOR OTHERS WHO WANT TO COME
FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME AND
AFFILIATION AND SUPPORT. PLEASE
NAME, AFFILIATION AND SUPPORT.
NANCY BIERMAIER, BREAST CANCER
PREVENTION PARTNERS IN SUPPORT
AND PARTICULARLY IN SUPPORT OF
THE FIREFIGHTER WOMEN WITH
BREAST CANCER. LEAH JONES, ON
BEHALF OF A VOICE FOR CHOICE
ADVOCACY AND FULL SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. EMILY GARCIA WITH NRDC AND
SUPPORT JULIE WEDGE. RETHINK
DISPOSABLE AND SUPPORT FOR CLEAN
WATER ACTION. BIANCA LOPEZ WITH
VALLEY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR
SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL. THANK
YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. ELMER
LAZARD, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA LABOR FEDERATION IN
SUPPORT. BEALL ENVIRONMENTAL
WORKING GROUP DID NOT GET A
LETTER IN TIME, BUT WILL WILL BE
SUPPORTING THIS GOOD BILL. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DO WE
HAVE ANYONE IN OPPOSITION TO AB
2408? PLEASE COME FORWARD.
ANYONE IN OPPOSITION? IF SO,
PLEASE COME FORWARD. SEEING NO
ONE, WE'LL BRING THIS DISCUSSION
BACK TO THE COMMITTEE. ANY
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS, CONCERNS?
WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A
SECOND. THIS DOES HAVE A Dð PASS
RECOMMENDATION, THIS WOULD GO TO
THE LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
COMMITTEE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE? YES. JUST WANT TO THANK
MR. WOOD AND ALL OF OUR
FIREFIGHTERS. AND I RESPECTFULLY
ASK FOR YOUR. I VOTE. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MADAM
SECRETARY. PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, AB 2408.
HANEY. THE MOTION IS Dð PASS AND
RE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT. GARCIA.
GARCIA I HOOVER. HOOVER I
CONNELLY. CONNELLY I. MCKENNA.
MCKENNA I. PAPIN. PAPIN I REYES
TO. WE HAVE THE VOTES. WE HAVE
FIVE. OKAY. WE'LL LEAVE THE ROLL
OPEN FOR OTHER MEMBERS TO ADD
ON. THE NEXT BILL WILL HEAR IS
FILE NUMBER SIX, AB 2552. IT'S,
FRIEDMAN. I HAVE A SECOND. DO
YOU WANT ME? WE HAVE ANOTHER
BILL. I'M SORRY. OKAY. PLEASE
PROCEED. ITEM 13. GOT YOU.
PLEASE. GREAT. THANK YOU. CHAIR
AND MEMBERS AB 3073, THE SEWAGE
WATER DRUG TESTING ACT EMPOWERS
THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
HEALTH TO WORK WITH LOCAL WATER
AGENCIES WHO VOLUNTEER TO
PARTICIPATE IN A LIFE SAVING
PROGRAM TO COLLECT AND TEST
WASTEWATER SAMPLES FOR DRUGS
LIKE COCAINE, FENTANYL,
METHAMPHETAMINE, XYLAZINE,
METHADONE, BUPRENORPHINE AND
NALOXONE. SUCCESSFULLY USED IN
EUROPE FOR OVER A DECADE.
WASTEWATER BASED DRUG TESTING
ALLOWS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO
PINPOINT DOWN TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL DANGEROUS
SPIKES IN THE USE OF ILLICIT
DRUGS. WASTEWATER TESTING ALSO
ALLOWS LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH
DEPARTMENTS TO ACCURATELY
ALLOCATE RESOURCE FORCES TO
TACKLE THE RISE OF ILLEGAL
DRUGS, ALLOWING COMMUNITIES TO
BE SAFER. THE SURGE IN ILLICIT
DRUG USE HAS INTENSIFIED.
CALIFORNIANS STRUGGLE WITH ITS
OVERDOSE EPIDEMIC, DRIVEN BY THE
PROLIFERATION OF FENTANYL AND
TRAGIC OVERDOSE RELATED DEATHS
IN SAN FRANCISCO PEAKED TO MORE
THAN 750 PEOPLE IN 2023, NEARLY
THREE TIMES AS MANY LIVES AS
COVID 19, IN ITS PEAK IN 2021.
NATIONALLY AN ESTIMATED 109,680
OVERDOSE DEATHS WERE RECORDED IN
2022 ALONE. THIS IS DEVASTATING.
300 LIVES LOST A DAY, WASTEWATER
BASED DRUG TESTING IS A PROVEN
TECHNIQUE WHERE WASTEWATER
SAMPLES ARE TAKEN FROM THE SEWER
SYSTEM AND TESTED FOR SPECIFIC
TARGETS IN THE COVID 19
PANDEMIC, THIS TECHNOLOGY WAS
USED TO EFFECTIVELY PRODUCE
COMMUNITY LEVEL DATA THAT HELPED
LIMIT THE SPREAD OF COVID 19.
OAN AB 3073 REPRESENTS A
SIGNIFICANT ADVANCEMENT IN OUR
ABILITY TO MONITOR AND RESPOND
TO DRUG MISUSE PATTERNS
EFFECTIVELY BY ADOPTING THIS
BILL, WE NOT ONLY LEVERAGE
PROVEN TECHNOLOGY, BUT AFFIRM
OUR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC HEALTH,
SAFETY, AND THE WELL-BEING OF
ALL CALIFORNIANS. IT WILL MAKE
THIS DATA PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE,
ASSURING TRANSPARENCY WHILE
SAFEGUARDING INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY,
AND EMPOWERS COMMUNITIES WITH
THE KNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORTS TO
INFORM OUR RESPONSE AND
PREVENTION. IT HAS RECEIVED
BROAD SUPPORT AND TEAR TO
TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL
TODAY, DOCTOR HANNAH IN AN
EPIDEMIC EPILEPSY. GENEALOGIST
FROM THE COUNTY OF MARIN AND
DOCTOR KEITH HUMPHREYS FROM
STANFORD UNIVERSITY. THANKS
CHAIRPERSON GARCIA AND
DISTINGUISHED ASSEMBLY MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU
TODAY. I'M AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST
WITH THE COUNTY OF MARIN
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES, AND I'LL SPEAK FROM MY
EXPERIENCE MANAGING A PILOT,
EXPLORING HOW WASTEWATER
MONITORING OF OVERDOSE INVOLVED
DRUGS COULD BE USED FOR PUBLIC
HEALTH ACTION. OVERDOSES ARE THE
LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR MARIN
RESIDENTS UNDER 55 YEARS, MAKING
IT A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH
PRIORITY. THE CURRENT TOOLS WE
USE TO TRACK OVERDOSES OFTEN
ALERT US TO AN ISSUE AFTER IT'S
ALREADY PASSED, WHEN IT'S TOO
LATE TO WARN RESIDENTS. AS OF
2021, STUDY OUT OF BRITISH
COLUMBIA SHOWED PEOPLE OFTEN
MODIFY THEIR DRUG USE BEHAVIOR
IF THEY DIE AFTER AN OVERDOSE
ALERT. KNOWING ABOUT INCREASED
RISK SOONER WOULD THUS ALLOW US
TO ALERT THE COMMUNITY IN TIME
TO PREVENT FATAL OVERDOSES FROM
HAPPENING. IN 2023, MARIN COUNTY
CONDUCTED A PILOT MONITORING
WASTEWATER FOR FENTANYL,
METHAMPHETAMINE, COCAINE,
XYLAZINE AND THEIR METABOLITES.
AFTER A PERIOD OF DATA
VALIDATION, WE FOUND THAT
INCREASED LEVELS OF FENTANYL, A
METABOLITE USED AS A MARKER OF
FENTANYL USE, MAY BE ASSOCIATED
WITH INCREASED IN NONFATAL AND
FATAL OVERDOSES. WE ISSUED TWO
PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORIES BASED
ON INFORMATION LEARNED FROM
WASTEWATER ONE NOTIFYING THE
COMMUNITY ABOUT LOCAL
WASTEWATER, DETECTION OF TRANK,
WHICH WAS CONTAMINATING THE
ILLEGAL DRUG SUPPLY IN PLACES
LIKE SAN FRANCISCO, BUT WAS
OTHERWISE AN UNKNOWN ON WHETHER
IT WAS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND A
SECOND ONE NOTIFYING THE
COMMUNITY ABOUT AN ACUTE
INCREASE IN OVERDOSE RISK WHEN A
SPIKE IN PHENOL AND WASTEWATER
WAS FOLLOWED BY AN INCREASE IN
911 CALLS FOR OPIOID OVERDOSES.
THE PILOT ALSO RAISED OUR LEVEL
OF AWARENESS ABOUT HIGHER THAN
ANTICIPATED METHAMPHETAMINE USE
IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH ACTED AS
A CATALYST FOR INCREASING
OUTREACH TO PEOPLE WHO USE
STIMULANTS THROUGH COMMUNITY
PARTNERS. MARIN COUNTY'S PILOT
IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT
OTHER JURISDICTIONS MAY HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN. IF THIS
BILL IS PASSED IN 2021, WE LOST
MORE THAN 30 PEOPLE A DAY TO
OVERDOSE IN CALIFORNIA. I HOPE
YOU WILL SUPPORT THIS AND OTHER
INNOVATIVE EFFORTS THAT IMPROVE
OUR STATE'S CAPACITY TO RESPOND
EFFECTIVELY TO THE OVERDOSE
CRISIS. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
CHAIRMAN GARCIA, AND THANK YOU
TO THE COMMITTEE FOR ALLOWING ME
TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY. MY NAME
IS KEITH HUMPHREYS. I'M A
PROFESSOR AT STANFORD
UNIVERSITY, AND I'VE STUDIED
ADDICTION AND DRUG POLICY FOR 35
YEARS. AND I'M HERE TO SAY, WHY
I THINK AB 3073 IS A GREAT STEP
FORWARD FOR OUR STATE. WE DON'T
REALLY HAVE GOOD INFORMATION ON
WHAT DRUGS CALIFORNIANS USE.
DRUGS LIKE XYLAZINE, FENTANYL,
METHAMPHETAMINE. PEOPLE USE
DRUGS. DON'T ANSWER GOVERNMENT
SURVEYS. OBVIOUSLY, DRUG
TRAFFICKERS DON'T FILE CORPORATE
REPORTS AND TELL US WHAT THEY'RE
DOING. SO WE FIND OUT WHAT DRUGS
ARE OUT THERE IN THE WORST
POSSIBLE WAY. WE FIND OUT FROM
AUTOPSIES, THAT'S NOT THE WAY WE
WANT TO LEARN ABOUT IT. MOST
OTHER DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, AS
ASSEMBLYMEMBER HANEY MENTIONED,
SURMOUNT THIS PROBLEM BY
ANALYZING WATER SAMPLES FROM
SEWERAGE SYSTEMS. HUMAN BEINGS
EXCRETE DRUGS AND METABOLITES OF
THE DRUGS THEY USE. THOSE CAN BE
DETECTED AND MEASURED IN
WASTEWATER IN A FASHION VERY
SIMILAR TO HOW WE MEASURE THE
PREVALENCE OF COVID. IF WE HAD
THIS KIND OF TESTING IN
CALIFORNIA, WE COULD DO TWO VERY
IMPORTANT THINGS WE CAN'T DO
NOW. FIRST, WHEN A NEW DRUG
ENTERED A TOWN OR A CITY OR A
COUNTY, PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS
COULD DETECT ITS PRESENCE ALMOST
IMMEDIATELY AND RESPOND
ACCORDINGLY. FOR EXAMPLE, WITH
INCREASED DRUG CHECKING, PUBLIC
EDUCATION, IMPROVED OVERDOSE
PROTOCOLS, WHATEVER IS SENSIBLE.
SECOND, WE'D BE BETTER ABLE TO
DETERMINE WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF
THE VERY LARGE INVESTMENTS WE
MAKE IN PREVENTION, TREATMENT,
HARM REDUCTION AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT
THEY'RE DOING IN POPULATION DRUG
CONSUMPTION. IF WE KNEW THAT, WE
COULD MAKE SMARTER INVESTMENTS
IN THE FUTURE. SO I THEREFORE
HOPE YOU'LL SUPPORT THIS
INNOVATIVE EFFORT TO IMPROVE OUR
STATE'S CAPACITY TO RESPOND
EFFECTIVELY TO OUR DRUG CRISIS.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS IF THANK YOU VERY MUCH
TO BOTH OF YOU. I'LL ASK IF
THERE'S ANYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM
WANTING TO EXPRESS THEIR SUPPORT
OF THE BILL. YOUR NAME,
ORGANIZATION AND YOUR POSITION,
MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS, JESSICA
GALLAGHER WITH THE CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF SANITATION
AGENCIES, REPRESENTING THE
PUBLIC WASTEWATER COMMUNITY IN
THE STATE IN SUPPORT. I WANT TO
THANK THE AUTHOR FOR WORKING
WITH US ON THE LATEST AMENDMENTS
THAT REMOVED ALL OF OUR CONCERNS
WITH THE BILL, AND ALSO HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW
THIS WORKS ON SORT OF THE
WASTEWATER SIDE OF THE EQUATION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
AND MEMBERS. JASON IKAT, ON
BEHALF OF THE SAN FRANCISCO
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION,
WANT TO ECHO MISS GAGA'S
COMMENTS? APPRECIATE THE AUTHOR
AND HIS STAFF WORKING WITH US.
HAPPY TO BE HERE IN SUPPORT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIR AND
MEMBERS. JOLIE ONODERA WITH THE
CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION OF
COUNTIES, REPRESENTING ALL 58
COUNTIES HERE IN SUPPORT, AND
WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ECHO THE
THANKS TO THE AUTHOR'S OFFICE
AND SPONSOR. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR.
CHAIR AND MEMBERS. BETSEY
ARMSTRONG, ON BEHALF OF THE
COUNTY HEALTH EXECUTIVES
ASSOCIATION, REPRESENTING
CALIFORNIA'S LOCAL HEALTH
DEPARTMENTS IN STRONG SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. OKAY. YOU KNOW NOW,
SO I'LL ASK IF THERE'S ANYONE
WISHING TO, EXPRESS THEIR
OPPOSITION TO AB 3073. ANYONE
WISHING TO COME FORWARD IN
OPPOSITION, SEEING NO ONE, I'LL
BRING THE CONVERSATION UP TO THE
DAIS AND QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
THIS DOES HAVE A Dð PASS
RECOMMENDATION. IT WOULD GO TO
APPROPRIATIONS. I WILL MOVE THE
ITEM. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND?
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? THANK
YOU SO MUCH, MR. CHAIR.
APPRECIATE IT, RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR YOUR VOTE. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. DO PASS RECOGNITION.
APPROPRIATIONS. MADAM SECRETARY.
THIS IS ITEM 13 AB 3073. HAYNIE.
THE MOTION IS Dð PASS. AND WE
REFER TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS AS GARCIA. GARCIA
I HOOVER, CONNELLY, MCKENNA
MCKENNA I PAPIN. REYES TO. OKAY.
WE'LL LEAVE THAT OPEN FOR THE
MEMBERS TO ADD ON. WE'LL ASK A
FOLLOW NUMBER SIX. AB 2552,
SENATE MEMBER FRIEDMAN, PLEASE.
HELLO GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIR
AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I WANT TO
THANK YOU AND YOUR COMMITTEE
STAFF FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK
ON THIS BILL. DESPITE THE
PASSING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF
BILLS SUCH AS AB 1788 AND AB
1322, RECENT EVIDENCE FROM THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH
AND WILDLIFE SUGGESTS THERE IS
STILL WIDESPREAD EXPOSURE AND
DEATHS TO WILDLIFE FROM ESCHARS
AND OTHER ANTI COAGULANT
RODENTICIDES. AND JUST SO YOU
ALL KNOW, THESE ARE THE RAT
POISON THAT POISON P 22. AND IF
YOU SEE COYOTES AND MOUNTAIN
LIONS AND BOBCATS WALKING AROUND
WITH WHAT LOOK LIKE MANGE,
THAT'S TYPICALLY POISONING FROM
THIS CLASS OF DRUGS. AND IT
OFTEN KILLS THESE ANIMALS. IT
ALSO KILLS OUR APEX PREDATOR
LIKE HAWKS AND OWLS. THE
EXPOSURE TO THESE ANTICOAGULANTS
CAN RESULT IN LETHAL AND
SUBLETHAL EFFECTS ON NON-TARGET
WILDLIFE, INCLUDING THE SEVERE
SKIN DISEASES I MENTIONED AND
DECREASED IMMUNE SYSTEM
RESPONSES. RODENTICIDES IS ALSO,
IRONICALLY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO
RODENT CONTROL BECAUSE IT
POISONS AND KILLS THE NATURAL
PREDATORS THAT WOULD HELP
REGULATE RODENT POPULATIONS
THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA. AB 2552
ADDS. THE TWO REMAINING FIRST
GENERATION ANTICOAGULANT
RODENTICIDES, RODENTICIDES, WE
CALL THEM F GARS, CHLOROACETONE
AND PARAFFIN TO THE EXISTING
RODENTICIDE MORATORIUM TO BETTER
PROTECT OUR WILDLIFE FROM
UNINTENTIONAL RODENTICIDE
POISONING, WHILE MAINTAINING
EXEMPTIONS FOR ITS USE TO
PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH, WATER
SUPPLIES, AND AGRICULTURE. THE
BILL ALSO EXPANDS THE DEFINITION
OF WILDLIFE HABITAT AREA TO
INCLUDE OPEN SPACE LAND, AND
PROHIBITS THE ILLEGAL USE OF
ANTICOAGULANT RODENTICIDES
WITHIN 2500FT OF A WILDLIFE
HABITAT AREA. IT ALSO REQUIRES
THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE
REGULATION ENACT STRONGER,
PERMANENT RESTRICTIONS ON F CARS
TO LIMIT UNINTENDED WILDLIFE
POISONINGS, WHILE MAKING
CHLOROACETOPHENONE AND PARAFFIN
A RESTRICTED MATERIAL, SO THAT
YOUR AVERAGE JOE ISN'T BUYING
THIS PRODUCT AT THEIR LOCAL HOME
DEPOT. ANTICOAGULANT
RODENTICIDES CONTINUE TO RESULT
IN AN UNREASONABLE NUMBER OF
PUBLIC HEALTH INCIDENTS, WITH
OVER 3000 HUMAN POISONINGS IN
2021 AND AT LEAST 2300 OF THOSE
INVOLVING CHILDREN UNDER SIX
YEARS, ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN
ASSOCIATION OF POISON CONTROL
CENTERS. UNFORTUNATELY, LIMITED
RESOURCES, BAR COUNTY AG
COMMISSIONERS AND DPR FROM
EFFECTIVE EARLY PREVENTING
UNINTENDED POISONINGS FOR BOTH
HUMANS AND WILDLIFE. THAT IS WHY
AB 2552 FURTHER ALLOWS COMMUNITY
MEMBERS TO BRING LEGAL ACTION
AGAINST THE ILLEGAL USE OR SALE
OF ANTICOAGULANT RODENTICIDES TO
REDUCE ENFORCEMENT COSTS ON
STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS. OUR
LAWS DON'T MATTER IF WE CAN'T
ENFORCE THEM, AND THIS WILL HELP
ENFORCE LAWS THAT ARE ALREADY ON
THE BOOKS. I TOOK AUTHOR
AMENDMENTS THAT REDUCE THE RANGE
OF THE BUFFER ZONE, AND WE
CLARIFIED EXEMPTIONS UNDER THE
DEFINITION OF OPEN SPACE LAND TO
AVOID CONFUSION ABOUT LOCATION.
TO ADDRESS CONCERNS BY THE
OPPOSITION. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO
TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT OTHER
CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE HEARD
ABOUT. AB 2552 TO BE CLEAR, THE
VAST MAJORITY OF AGRICULTURE
REMAINS EXEMPT FROM OUR BILL.
THE BILL WOULD ONLY AFFECT
AGRICULTURAL AREAS THAT ARE
WITHIN 2500FT OF A WILDLIFE
HABITAT AREA. WE MADE THIS
DECISION BECAUSE THE SCIENCE
SHOWS THAT WILDLIFE SUCH AS
RAPTORS ROUTINELY FORAGE IN
AGRICULTURAL AREAS ADJACENT TO
WILDLIFE HABITAT AND THEY ARE
CONTINUING TO EXPERIENCE
UNACCEPTABLE HIGH RATES OF
POISONINGS DUE TO THIS TOXIC
POISON. WHEN IT COMES TO
EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVES,
FERTILITY PROJECTS SUCH AS
CONTRA, CONTRA, PEST AND EVOLVE
ARE READILY AVAILABLE IN THE
STATE AND ARE CATEGORIZED AS A
MINIMUM RISK PESTICIDE THAT
POSES LITTLE OR NO RISK TO
PEOPLE, PETS, AND PREDATORS. WE
ARE NOT ADVOCATING FOR OTHER
POISONS, AND WE DO HAVE DATA ON
THE IMPACTS OF THESE CHEMICALS
ON MANY WILDLIFE SPECIES FROM
THE UNITED STATES AND WORLDWIDE
AND WORLDWIDE. IT'S ALSO FAIR TO
PREDICT THE USE OF THE REMAINING
F CARS WILL INCREASE FOLLOWING
AB 1322, WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO
HARM WILDLIFE. LASTLY, NUMEROUS
STATE AND FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL
AND CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS ALREADY
CONTAIN CITIZEN SUIT PROVISIONS
SUCH AS THE ENDANGERED SPECIES
ACT, THE CLEAN AIR ACT, THE
CLEAN WATER ACT, THE CALIFORNIA
CONSUMER PRIVACY ACT, AMONG
OTHERS. THE CITIZEN SUPERVISION
AND AB 2552 WAS MODELED AFTER
THESE EXISTING LAWS AND OTHER
SIMILAR LAWS, WHICH HAVE NOT
OVERLOADED THE COURTS WITH
FRIVOLOUS LITIGATION. I ALSO
WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT A PERSON
CANNOT EVEN BRING AN ACTION
UNDER THE CITIZEN SUPERVISION
UNLESS THEY, NUMBER ONE, NOTIFY
THE DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE
REGULATIONS, AND TWO, AFTER 60
DAYS, NEITHER THE DEPARTMENT NOR
ANY LOCAL OFFICIALS HAVE STARTED
ADDRESSING THE VIOLATION. SO IF
THEY MOVE, IF WE START TO
ENFORCE, YOU CANNOT BRING THE
SUIT FORWARD, WHICH I THINK IS
VERY REASONABLE. SO THIS IS ONLY
INTENDED TO APPLY TO INSTANCES
IN WHICH THE STATE AND LOCAL
OFFICIALS LACK THE CAPACITY TO
ENFORCE. THAT SAID, WE HAVE HAD
DISCUSSIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS
ABOUT POTENTIALLY NARROWING THE
CITIZENS SUIT PROVISION
PROVISION AND ARE VERY OPEN TO
FUTURE AMENDMENTS IN THE NEXT
TWO COMMITTEES TO ESTABLISH MORE
SAFEGUARDS TO ENSURE THIS
PROVISION DOES NOT LEAD TO
FRIVOLOUS LITIGATION OR
UNNECESSARY BURDENS ON SMALL
BUSINESSES. THERE ARE A WIDE
RANGE OF SAFER, MORE SUSTAINABLE
AND COST EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVES
TO THESE VERY DANGEROUS
RODENTICIDES AVAILABLE TODAY
THAT DON'T THREATEN CALIFORNIA'S
WILDLIFE, OUR FAMILIES AND OUR
PETS. TESTIFYING AND SUPPORT
THIS AFTERNOON IS DOCTOR REBECCA
GULLEY, A SMITH FELLOW AND
POSTDOC AT UC DAVIS, AND LISA
OAN BIANCHI, DIRECTOR OF
RAPTORS ARE THE SOLUTION AND
WITH THAT, I WOULD REQUEST AN
AYE VOTE. OKAY YEAH. GOOD
AFTERNOON, CHAIR GARCIA AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
LISA VILLANI, AND I AM HERE ON
BEHALF OF RAPTORS ARE THE
SOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF 2552. I
FOUNDED THIS NONPROFIT WITH A
RAPTOR BIOLOGIST IN 2011, WHEN
BIRDS OF PREY BEGAN BLEEDING TO
DEATH ON THE STREET IN MY BAY
AREA NEIGHBORHOOD, HAVING EATEN
RODENTS THAT HAD BEEN POISONED
WITH TOXIC, TOXIC
ANTICOAGULANTS, WE HAD THE
BODIES TESTED AT UC DAVIS AND
THEY ALL CAME BACK POSITIVE FOR
NUMEROUS ANTICOAGULANTS. WE HAVE
BEEN EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT
THE DANGERS OF THESE POISONS
EVER SINCE, AND ABOUT BETTER
WAYS TO CONTROL RODENTS THAN
POISON. ANTICOAGULANTS HAVE A
UNIQUE MODE OF TOXICITY THAT
MAKES THEM PARTICULARLY LETHAL
TO OTHER ANIMALS IN THE FOOD
WEB, THEY BIOACCUMULATE, AND
THEY INFILTRATE THE ENTIRE FOOD
WEB FROM EARTHWORMS TO EAGLES.
IN 2023, THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
PUBLISHED A SUMMARY OF THE
POISONED WILDLIFE THEY STUDIED.
IN 2022, OVER 88% OF BIRDS OF
PREY TESTED POSITIVE FOR
ANTICOAGULANTS. OVER 80% OF
LARGE GAME MAMMALS, ANIMALS THAT
PEOPLE EAT, 80, OVER 80% OF
BOBCATS, AND 90% OF MOUNTAIN
LIONS AND GRAY FOXES ALL TESTED
POSITIVE. AB 2552 REDUCES THIS
HARM TO WILDLIFE BY ADDING THE
REMAINING ANTICOAGULANTS INTO
THE MORATORIUMS OF 1788 AND
1322, WHILE THE STATE STATE
STUDIES THESE PRODUCTS AS OUR
STATE PIVOTS TO MORE SUSTAINABLE
AND LESS INHERENTLY FLAWED
PRODUCTS, MORE HUMANE AND
STRATEGIC PEST CONTROL CAN WORK
IN CONCERT WITH OUR WILDLIFE
PREDATORS, NOT AGAINST THEM. A
PILOT STUDY MY ORGANIZATION
PERFORMED IN SEATTLE IN 2022
REDUCED RAT NUMBERS BY OVER 90%
IN JUST THREE MONTHS OF
FERTILITY CONTROL. PRODUCTS DO
NOT BIOACCUMULATE AND THEY DO
NOT HARM WILDLIFE PREDATORS. WE
RECEIVED NUMEROUS REPORTS FROM
CITIZENS WHO SEE BROKEN,
POISONED BAIT BOXES WITH BAIT
SPILLING OUT, ANIMALS BREAKING
INTO THEM, OR BOXES USING
CHEMICALS THAT ARE NOW ILLEGAL.
THE PRIVATE RIGHT TO ACTION WILL
HELP SUPPLEMENT ENFORCEMENT BY
THE AG COMMISSIONER'S, REDUCING
COSTS TO THE STATE AND GIVING
VIOLATORS A REASONABLE 60 DAYS
TO FIX THE PROBLEM. MANY PEST
CONTROL COMPANIES HAVE NOW FOUND
A BETTER BUSINESS MODEL
CONTROLLING RODENTS WITH
EXCLUSION AND SANITATION,
FINDING OUT WHERE RODENTS ARE
GETTING INTO A PROPERTY AND
USING SAFER, NONTOXIC METHODS TO
PREVENT THEM. THESE COMPANIES
ARE PROVING THEY CAN DO A
THRIVING BUSINESS WITHOUT
POISON. AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE
A SHOUT OUT TO ONE NEAR WHERE I
LIVE CALLED RAT EXCLUSION
SERVICE IN PETALUMA. IT'S A MOM
AND POP COMPANY. THEY DIDN'T USE
ANY POISON AND THEY FIXED A
PROBLEM IN THE WELL HOUSE WHERE
I LIVE VERY EFFICIENTLY AND
SUCCESSFULLY. SO THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK. I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
YOUR. I VOTE ON 2552. I'M JUST
GONNA. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON,
CHAIR GARCIA AND COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DOCTOR
REBECCA GULLY. I AM A
CONSERVATION SCIENTIST
INVESTIGATING THE IMPACT OF
RODENTICIDE IN CALIFORNIA
WILDLIFE. OVER 50% OF DECEASED
MOUNTAIN LIONS THAT WERE
SCREENED BY CDFW IN 2021 TESTED
POSITIVE FOR CLOFAZIMINE OR
WARFARIN. EVEN WHEN THESE
POISONS DON'T DIRECTLY KILL THE
INDIVIDUAL, THEY CAN MAKE THEM
SICK AND WEAK. SUBLETHAL DOSES
OF CLOFAZIMINE AND WARFARIN HAVE
BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH
THERMOREGULATORY DYSFUNCTION,
INCREASED PARASITE AND PATHOGEN
LOADS, REDUCED EGG HATCHING,
LOWERED FLEDGING SUCCESS, AND
REDUCED BODY WEIGHT OF OFFSPRING
. ALL OF THESE IMPACTS SURVIVAL.
WILDLIFE HAVE A RIGHT TO NOT BE
POISONED, PROVIDING PROTECTED
BUFFER ZONES AROUND NATURAL
HABITAT IS A WELL ESTABLISHED
AND SCIENTIFIC BACKED MANAGEMENT
PRACTICE, AND ONE THAT IN THIS
CASE ALLOWS CALIFORNIA WILDLIFE
HABITAT AND HOME RANGES THAT ARE
FREE FROM HARM AND POISON.
IMPROVED SANITATION AND
EXCLUSION PRACTICES REMAIN THE
MOST EFFECTIVE LONG TERME
SOLUTION FOR RODENT MANAGEMENT.
WHILE CONCERN HAS BEEN RAISED
THAT SEVERAL OF THE REMAINING
RODENTICIDES HAVE NO ANTIDOTES,
WE WOULD LIKE TO FIRMLY STATE NO
RODENTICIDE, ANTICOAGULANT OR
OTHERWISE SHOULD BE USED NEAR
CHILDREN OR PETS, AND THAT FOR
WILDLIFE POISONED WITH
ANTICOAGULANTS IS OFTEN
DIFFICULT OR TOO LATE TO SAVE
THEM. EVEN WITH AN ANTIDOTE,
LETHAL POPULATION CONTROL OF
RODENTS HAS REMAINED
UNSUCCESSFUL DUE TO THE ECOLOGY
OF THE RAT AND A MORE
SOPHISTICATED AND HUMANE
ADDITION TO EXISTING MANAGEMENT
IS RODENT FERTILITY CONTROL. A
SINGLE BREEDING PAIR OF RATS CAN
PRODUCE OVER 1200 DESCENDANTS IN
A SINGLE YEAR, AND RAT FERTILITY
CONTROL TARGETS. THIS SHOWING
SIGNIFICANT RESULTS AT REDUCING
ALREADY ESTABLISHED POPULATIONS
IN AGRICULTURAL, NATURAL AND
RURAL SETTINGS. A PILOT STUDY
WAS CONDUCTED FROM 2019 TO 2021
AT AN ANIMAL PRODUCTION FACILITY
HERE IN CALIFORNIA, AND THEY
SHOWED THAT RAT ACTIVITY WAS
SUCCESSFULLY REDUCED BY 94.
WHILE SOME PROPOSED ALTERNATIVES
MAY TAKE A MORE UPFRONT
INVESTMENT, THEY OFFER MORE
SUSTAINABLE AND COST EFFECTIVE
SOLUTIONS OVER TIME. WITH THIS
BILL, CALIFORNIA WILL CONTINUE
TO MOVE TOWARDS A MORE
BIODIVERSE AND COMPASSIONATE
FUTURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
MR. CHAIR. I DID PASS SOME
PHOTOS OF THE EFFECTS OF THESE
POISONS ONTO THE DÍAS THAT
PERHAPS CAN BE CIRCULATED WITH
MEMBERS WHEN THEY COME. TAKE A
LOOK AT THOSE. WE'LL ASK OTHER
MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE IF THEY
WANT TO COME FORWARD AND STATE
THEIR POSITION OF SUPPORT, NAME,
ORGANIZATION AND AGAIN, POSITION
WITH THE PESTICIDE ACTION
NETWORK IN CALIFORNIANS FOR
PESTICIDE REFORM IN SUPPORT
KAYLA ROBINSON, ON BEHALF OF THE
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE
DISTRICT AND SUPPORT. THANK YOU,
ELISE VONDRAK ON BEHALF OF
ENVIRO VOTERS IN SUPPORT AND
THANKS TO THE AUTHOR, AARON
WOOLLEY, ON BEHALF OF SIERRA
CLUB CALIFORNIA, IN SUPPORT
KATIE JONES WITH JELLY'S PLACE
ANIMAL RESCUE AND FULL SUPPORT.
HELLO, LEAH JONES ON BEHALF OF A
VOICE FOR CHOICE ADVOCACY AND
FULL SUPPORT, CHRISTOPHER KROLL
WITH CALIFORNIA URBAN STREAMS
PARTNERSHIP IN STRONG SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY MEMBER
FRIEDMAN. MAGGIE RUFO, ON BEHALF
OF MY 23 YEARS AS A VOLUNTEER AT
WILDCARE WILDLIFE HOSPITAL,
ALONG WITH RAPTORS ARE THE
SOLUTION AND PEEKABOO COMPANION
BIRD RESCUE, AND ALSO ON BEHALF
OF NATURE WHICH NEEDS OUR
VOICES. PLEASE SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. MARTHA KUTLACIC ON BEHALF
OF PEEKABOO COMPANION BIRD
RESCUE IN SUPPORT JP ROSE ON
BEHALF OF THE CENTER FOR
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AND ITS
THOUSANDS OF MEMBERS IN
CALIFORNIA IN FULL SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. BIANCA LOPEZ WITH
VALLEY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR
SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
FOR. IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL.
ARIEL RYAN IN FULL SUPPORT OF
THIS BILL. JIM ARRUTI FROM
HAMILTON RAPTOR CENTER IN PENN
VALLEY, IN FULL SUPPORT. TIM.
RUDY, I'M IN SUPPORT OF MY WIFE.
ALEX LIMMER ON BEHALF OF
DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE, AUDUBON
CALIFORNIA AND THE MOJAVE DESERT
LAND TRUST IN SUPPORT MATT
ROBINSON WITH SHINER, ANTHONY
SCHMELZER AND L®NG ALSO IN
SUPPORT OF JIM'S WIFE, BUT ALSO
THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED
STATES IN STRONG SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, SUSAN MADINET W
STRATEGIES HERE ON BEHALF OF
ANIMAL LEGAL DEFENSE FUND, A
PROUD CO-SPONSOR OF THIS MEASURE
AS WELL AS SOCIAL COMPASSION IN
LEGISLATION AND STRONG SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. PRISCILLA. KUDOS HERE
ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL AND
SUPPORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AT
THIS TIME, I'LL ASK ANYONE
WISHING TO COME FORWARD AND,
REGISTER THEIR OPPOSITION TO THE
BILL. AB 2552 YOU HAVE, FOUR
MINUTES OR. OKAY, WELL, WE'LL
LET YOU, PROVIDE FOUR MINUTES OF
OPPOSITION AND THEN. ME TOO.
SURE. ALL RIGHT. YEAH SO, TAYLOR
ROSEN, ON REPRESENTING A
COALITION OF AGRICULTURAL
ASSOCIATIONS AND THE RODENTICIDE
TASK FORCE, UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO
HAVE SOMEONE FROM, LOCAL PEST
CONTROL COMPANY THAT'S HERE TO
TESTIFY ON BEHALF OF THE URBAN
IMPACTS. BUT I'D LIKE TO ADD
SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE SEE
WITH THIS BILL THAT WE BELIEVE.
OH, I'M SORRY. SHOULD WE ASK
THEM TO COME FORWARD AND SPLIT
OUR TIME WITH THEM? OKAY. YEAH.
LET'S HAVE THEM COME UP AND
WE'LL SPLIT YOUR TIME WITH THEM
TWO MINUTES AT A TIME. OKAY
PLEASE PROCEED. AND THEN WE'LL
GIVE YOU YOUR TWO MINUTES AND
TWO MINUTES. YOU COME OVER HERE.
YEAH, THAT MAKES SO
UNFORTUNATELY WE BELIEVE THAT AB
2552 IS AN ABRIDGMENT OF THE
PROCESS. THAT'S CURRENTLY IN
PLACE GOVERNING PESTICIDES IN
CALIFORNIA, THE BILL IMMEDIATELY
BANS THE USE OF TWO RODENTICIDES
AND THEN PROVIDES THE PERMISSIVE
AUTHORITY FOR THE DEPARTMENT IF
IT CHOOSES TO, TO MOVE FORWARD
WITH ALLOWING FOR USE, BUT ONLY
AFTER THOSE PRODUCTS HAVE MET A
NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE STANDARDS. AND
WE BELIEVE THAT THE SCIENCE
SHOULD DICTATE THE DECISION
MAKING IN THAT PROCESS. IT'S
ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT AT ANY
POINT IN TIME, THE SPONSORS,
ACADEMIA, NGOS, A PUBLIC MEMBER
CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE
REGULATION ABOUT THE DATA THAT
THEY HAVE ABOUT IMPACTS TO
INVASIVES, TO EXISTING SPECIES.
AND THE DEPARTMENT IS DUTY BOUND
IF THE DATA IS LEGITIMATE TO
RESTRICT USE TO IMPOSE NEW
MITIGATIONS OR TO BAN PRODUCTS
ALTOGETHER, WE BELIEVE THAT OUR
SCIENTIFIC AGENCIES ARE WELL
APPOINTED AND RESOURCED TO MAKE
THIS DECISION. AND I KNOW LATER,
IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, WE'LL BE
HEARING A CONVERSATION ABOUT
FULLY RESOURCING DPR TO DO
THINGS JUST LIKE THIS. AB 222552
IGNORES THIS PROCESS AND
DRAMATICALLY EXPANDS THE AREA
PROHIBITED FOR USE IN CALIFORNIA
TO ALSO INCLUDE OPEN SPACE. AND
THE SPONSORS ALLUDED TO THAT.
FOR CONTEXT, OPEN SPACE AS
DEFINED IN THE BILL INCLUDES
HIGH FIRE SEVERITY ZONES AND
EARTHQUAKE FAULT ZONES. WE
BELIEVE THAT THIS EXPANSIVE
APPLICATION, IN ADDITION TO
REQUIRING A HALF MILE BUFFER
AROUND THESE EXISTING AREAS, IS,
IN EFFECT A PROHIBITION ON
RODENTICIDES IN ENTIRE COUNTIES
IN CALIFORNIA, THIS ALSO HAS A
SIGNIFICANT EFFECT NOT ONLY IN
URBAN AND SUBURBAN PEST
MANAGEMENT, WHICH MISS SMITH
WILL GO OVER, BUT CERTAINLY FOR
AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS. WHEN
THE SECOND GENERATION
RESTRICTION WAS NEGOTIATED WITH
THE LEGISLATURE AFTER THE
LEGISLATURE SAW FIT THAT KEEPING
OUR FARMS, PACKING HOUSES AND
FOOD PROCESSING FACILITIES FREE
FROM RODENTS, PESTS AND DISEASES
AND THE DROPPINGS IS ESSENTIAL
FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND MANAGES
FOOD SECURITY RISKS. THAT'S WHY
THE BILL AT THAT TIME PROVIDED A
VERY CLEAR EXEMPTION FOR
AGRICULTURE THAT WAS CAREFULLY
NEGOTIATED. THIS BILL ERODES
THAT EXEMPTION AND WOULD
PROHIBIT USE WITHIN ANY OF THESE
MILE WIDE CONNECTING BUFFER
ZONES. IN CALIFORNIA, OUR FARMS
AND RANCHES ARE MORE OFTEN THAN
NOT ADJACENT TO OPEN SPACE, AND
WITH THE ADVENT OF SIGMA AND 30
BY 30 BIODIVERSITY INITIATIVE,
THE STATE HAS THESE AREAS WILL
GROW AND THEY WILL BE REBUT
AGRICULTURE WITH RESPECT.
SUGGESTIONS OF RODENT FERTILITY
TECHNIQUES IS NOT A REALISTIC
SOLUTION FOR OUR FARMS AND
RANCHES. IN THESE SITUATIONS. TO
THAT END, WE BELIEVE THAT THE
BILL LIMITS TOOLS THAT ARE
ESSENTIAL FOR PROTECTING
OURSELVES, OUR ENVIRONMENT, OUR
COMMUNITY, AND OUR FARMS, AND
FOR THAT REASONS, WE OPPOSE.
THANK YOU. TWO MINUTES PLEASE.
THANK YOU, CHAIR AND MEMBERS,
FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT ON
THIS VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC TODAY.
MY NAME IS BLAIR SMITH AND I'M
THE DIRECTOR OF TECHNICAL AND
QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR CLARKE
PEST CONTROL. AND WE ARE AN
ASSOCIATION MEMBER OF THE PEST
CONTROL OPERATORS OF CALIFORNIA
OR PCOC. NOW PCOC REPRESENTS
AROUND 80% OF THE STATE'S TOTAL
VOLUME OF PEST CONTROL BUSINESS,
AND OUR MEMBERS ARE COMMITTED TO
PROTECTING COMMUNITIES, SCHOOLS,
HOMES AND BUSINESSES ALL WHILE
STEWARDING OUR PRODUCTS AND
STEWARDING THE ENVIRONMENT. THIS
BILL TODAY, AB 2552, BUILDS UPON
THE RESTRICTIONS OF TWO PREVIOUS
BILLS THAT LIMIT OUR ACCESS TO
THESE TOOLS CHLOROACETONE AND
WARFARIN ARE TOOLS FOR
PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH AND
TAKING THESE PRODUCTS WILL MEAN
REMOVING THEM FROM THE HANDS OF
LICENSED PROFESSIONALS THAT USE
THEM. THESE TOOLS HAVE READILY
AVAILABLE AND WIDELY KNOWN
ANTIDOTES, AND WITH THEIR
REMOVAL PROFESSIONALS MAY TURN
TO ALTERNATIVE PRODUCTS, AND
THAT CANNOT BE SAID FOR SOME OF
THOSE MATERIALS. ALSO DEEPLY
CONCERNING IS THE FACT THAT THIS
BILL PERMITS A PRIVATE RIGHT OF
ACTION FOR VIOLATIONS. NOW, THIS
IS TRULY UNPRECEDENTED AND COULD
BE POTENTIALLY DEVASTATING TO
PEST CONTROL PROFESSIONALS WHO
MAY BE INNOCENT. LITIGATION
COSTS FOR PARTIES TO DEFEND A
CIVIL CASE ARE EXTREMELY HIGH,
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT
A MAJORITY OF PCOC MEMBERS ARE
SMALL BUSINESSES WITH FIVE OR
FEWER EMPLOYEES, AND IF THEY'RE
FORCED TO SETTLE A FRIVOLOUS
LAWSUIT, MAINTAIN THEIR OWN
REPRESENTATION THAT COULD BE
FINANCIALLY RUINOUS FOR THAT
BUSINESS. IN ADDITION TO THIS,
ONCE INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE
AWARE OF THIS NEW LIABILITY, WE
COULD EXPECT THOSE RATES TO
INCREASE, WHICH WOULD BE THEN
PASSED ON TO END USERS OF OUR
SERVICES. SO THERE ARE A NUMBER
OF OTHER CONCERNING ASPECTS OF
THE BILL, BUT I RESPECTFULLY
URGE A NO VOTE. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. WE'LL OPEN IT UP NOW FOR
OTHERS TO REGISTER THEIR
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL. YOUR
NAME, YOUR ORGANIZATION OR
AFFILIATION AND YOUR POSITION,
PLEASE, MR. CHAIR, MEMBERS CHRIS
REARDON, CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA
FARM BUREAU, IN OPPOSITION OF
2552. GOOD AFTERNOON, BRENDA
BASS, CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE IN OPPOSITION. MR.
CHAIR AND MEMBERS MATTHEW
SEIBERLING, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL
COMMISSIONERS AND SEALERS
ASSOCIATION, IN OPPOSITION.
THANK YOU, JAKE, RENT KILL
TERMINIX IN OPPOSITION. JIM
STEED WITH NEIGHBORLY PEST
MANAGEMENT AND PEST CONTROL,
OPERATORS OF CALIFORNIA IN
OPPOSITION. MARGIE SAMSON,
ADVISORS ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA LEAGUE OF FOOD
PRODUCERS AND RESPECTFUL
OPPOSITION. PAUL POISTER WITH
NUTRIEN AG SOLUTIONS,
RESPECTFULLY IN OPPOSITION.
DENNIS ALBIANI WITH CALIFORNIA
GRAIN AND FEED CALIFORNIA SEED
ASSOCIATION, SEVERAL OTHER AG
ASSOCIATIONS IN OPPOSITION.
THANK YOU. KIRK WILBUR WITH THE
CALIFORNIA CATTLEMEN'S
ASSOCIATION IN OPPOSITION. THANK
YOU. MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS
TRICIA GERINGER WITH
AGRICULTURAL COUNCIL OF
CALIFORNIA, RESPECTFULLY OPPOSED
. GOOD AFTERNOON. AARON NORWOOD,
ON BEHALF OF THE ALLMAN
ALLIANCE, ALSO IN RESPECTFUL
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE WISHING
TO COME FORWARD OKAY. SEEING NO
ONE ELSE, I'LL BRING BACK THE
ITEM TO THE DAIS. ANY QUESTIONS?
ANY COMMENTS, THE ITEM DOES HAVE
A DO PASS RECOMMENDATION. THE
BILL WOULD GO TO WATER PARKS AND
WILDLIFE. AND THEN IF, GIVEN THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE FORWARD, I
THINK IT HAS ANOTHER COMMITTEE
TO GO TO. IT'S A TRIPLE REFERRED
, BILL THAT WILL SEE AGAIN
ANOTHER POLICY COMMITTEE TO
ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE THE MEMBER, THE
AUTHOR, OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE
ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS
THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED BY THE
OPPOSITION. SURE, WE ARE MORE
THAN HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO SIT
DOWN WITH THE OPPOSITION, TO TRY
TO NARROW THE BILL IN PLACES
WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE NARROWED TO
ADDRESS CONCERNS. WE ALL LIKE TO
EAT. WE UNDERSTAND, THE ISSUES.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT
SOMETHING THAT I HEAR CONSTANTLY
FROM PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY IS
DESTROY THIS, OVERSEEING THESE
POISONED ANIMALS. AND WE
UNFORTUNATELY STILL SEE WAY TOO
MANY OF THEM, THE COYOTES WITH
THE OBVIOUS POISONING WHEN P-22
WAS NECROPSIED AND FOUND THIS
EXTENSIVE POISONING IN HIS
SYSTEM, IT BROKE THE HEART OF
THE PEOPLE OF LOS ANGELES. I
MYSELF HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS DEAD
OWLS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, SO WE
HAVE TO FIND THAT BALANCE
BECAUSE NATURE IS STRUGGLING. IT
NEEDS ALL THE HELP IT CAN GET,
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PUTS
THINGS OUT OF BALANCE AND
IRONICALLY, CREATES THE PESTS TO
ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO THRIVE IN A
LOT OF OUR AREAS WHEN THEY DON'T
HAVE THOSE APEX PREDATORS. SO
WITH THAT, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY
REQUEST AN AYE VOTE SO WE CAN
CONTINUE THROUGH OUR MULTIPLE
OF, COMMITTEE HEARINGS AHEAD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR.
THANK YOU. AND WE APPRECIATE YOU
ACCEPTING THE AMENDMENTS THAT AT
LEAST MAKE AN EFFORT TO TRY TO
NARROW THIS DOWN A BIT FURTHER,
BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S SOME
MORE WORK TO BE DONE. AND AGAIN,
THERE'S TWO OTHER COMMITTEES
WHERE THIS WILL BE HAPPENING. I
DO HAVE A Dð PASS,
RECOMMENDATION. I WILL SECOND
THE BILL, THE MOTION AS THE
SECRETARY TO CALL THE QUESTION.
ITEM SIX AB 2552. FRIEDMAN, THE
MOTION IS Dð PASS AND RE REFER
TO THE COMMITTEE ON WATER, PARKS
AND WILDLIFE. GARCIA HI. GARCIA
I HOOVER. CONLEY MCKENNA. PAPPIN
REYES REYES I TO THANK YOU. YOU
WILL LEAVE THE ROLE OPEN FOR
OTHER MEMBERS TO ADD ON. MOVE ON
TO FILE NUMBER SEVEN AB 2614.
MR. RAMOS, WELCOME.
THE BILL DOES ENJOY A Dð PASS
RECOMMENDATION.
PLEASE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
AND MEMBERS, TODAY I'M
PRESENTING AB 2614, A BILL THAT
WOULD ADD TRIBAL CULTURAL USES
OF WATER TO THE EXISTING STATE.
BENEFICIAL USE OF WATER STATUTE.
CALIFORNIA TRIBES SINCE TIME
IMMEMORIAL HAVE BEEN STEWARDS OF
THEIR ENVIRONMENT, WASTE
WATERWAYS AND BODIES OF WATER
HAVE BEEN AN IMPORTANT CULTURAL
ASPECT AND MUST BE PROTECTED. AN
EXISTING STATE STATUTE,
BENEFICIAL USES OF WATER HAVE
BEEN PROTECTED AND REQUIRED TO
BE PROTECTED BY LOCAL WATER
AUTHORITIES. THIS BILL WOULD
SIMPLY ADD THE REQUIREMENT FOR
TRIBAL CULTURAL USES TO BE
PROTECTED IN THE SAME MANNER. IN
MAKING THIS ADDITION, THE STATE
CAN BUILD PARTNERSHIP WITH
CALIFORNIA TRIBES AND TRIBES,
CAN FULLY PROTECT THE CULTURAL
RESOURCES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO
THEIR SURVIVAL. WATER IS LIFE
AND MUST BE TREATED AS SUCH IN
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. WITH ME
TO TESTIFY ON THE BILL TODAY IS
VICE CHAIR MELISSA TAYABA OF THE
SHINGLE SPRINGS BAND OF MIWOK
INDIANS, THE SPONSORS OF THE
BILL AND SHERRY NORRIS,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
CALIFORNIA INDIAN ENVIRONMENTAL
ALLIANCE. PLEASE PROCEED. GOOD
AFTERNOON, CHAIR GARCIA AND
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MY NAME IS
MELISSA TAYABA, AND I AM THE
VICE CHAIR. AND DIRECTOR OF
TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE
FOR THE SHINGLE SPRINGS BAND OF
MIWOK INDIANS. WE ARE THE
SPONSOR OF AB 2614, WHICH WOULD
ESTABLISH TRIBAL BENEFICIAL USES
OF WATER IN STATUTE. MY TRIBE IS
COMPRISED OF NISENAN AND MIWOK
ANCESTRY. OUR ANCESTRAL
HOMELANDS SPANNED SEVEN
COUNTIES, INCLUDING SACRAMENTO.
WE HAVE MAJOR VILLAGE SITES
LOCATED NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE,
NEAR THE CONFLUENCE OF THE
SACRAMENTO AND AMERICAN RIVERS,
THE SACRAMENTO AND FEATHER
RIVERS WITH VARIOUS SIGNIFICANT
LOCATIONS WITHIN AND BEYOND THE
SACRAMENTO DELTA. OUR PEOPLE
HAVE RELIED UPON THESE WATERWAYS
AND THE CULTURAL LANDSCAPES
CONNECTED TO THEM SINCE LONG
BEFORE EUROPEAN COLONIZATION. IN
RECENT YEARS, WE HAVE BECOME
INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE
DEGRADED CONDITIONS IN OUR
RIVERS, WHICH IMPACT THE ABILITY
OF OUR PEOPLE TO MAINTAIN
CULTURE, TRADITION AND FOOD
SOVEREIGNTY. WE HAVE ALSO HEARD
SIMILAR CONCERNS FROM OTHER
TRIBES, AND DETERMINED THAT
CURRENT STATE EFFORTS TO PROTECT
TRIBAL WATER ISSUES ARE
INSUFFICIENT, WHICH IS WHY WE
ARE PURSUING LEGISLATION. AB
2614 WOULD PLACE TRIBAL WATER
USERS ON EQUAL FOOTING WITH
OTHER STATEWIDE BENEFICIAL USES
OF WATER, SUCH AS RECREATION,
THÀNH AND ESTHETIC ENJOYMENT. A
STATUTORY DESIGNATION WOULD
ENSURE THAT STATE REGULATORS
UNDERSTAND AND PROTECT THE WATER
USES OF ALL CALIFORNIA TRIBES.
ADDITIONALLY, THE BILL WOULD
CREATE IMPROVED FRAMEWORKS FOR
STATE AGENCIES TO CONSULT WITH
TRIBES AND BENEFIT FROM THEIR
KNOWLEDGE WHEN SETTING WATER
QUALITY STANDARDS. FURTHERMORE,
IT WOULD ALLOW THE LEGISLATURE
TO TRACK PROJECT PROGRESS ON
IMPLEMENTATION OF TRIBAL
BENEFICIAL USES AND EVALUATE
WHETHER REGULATIONS CONFORM TO
STATUTORY POLICY DIRECTIVES.
THIS BILL CONTAINS KEY ELEMENTS
THAT ARE INTENDED TO SUPPORT
TRIBES, INCLUDING A CONSISTENT
AND EXPEDITED IMPLEMENTING
TIMELINES. THE BILL WOULD SET
TIMELINES FOR THE STATE WATER
BOARD AND ALL NINE REGIONAL
WATER BOARDS TO INCLUDE TRIBAL
WATER USES AND WATER QUALITY
CONTROL PLANS, AND BEGIN SETTING
WATER QUALITY STANDARDS TO
PROTECT OUR WATER USES. IT HAS
BEEN A DECADE SINCE THE STATE
BOARD FIRST COMMITTED TO
DEVELOPING TRIBAL BENEFICIAL
USES, AND SOME REGIONAL BOARDS
ARE STILL TELLING US THAT IT
WILL TAKE ANOTHER DECADE TO
ADOPT AND IMPLEMENT THEM. THIS
IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THE CURRENT
REGULATORY DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK
DIVIDES TRIBAL WATER USES INTO
DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, CULTURAL
USES AND SUBSTANCE USES. AS A
RESULT, THE WATER BOARDS ARE
STAGGERING. THEIR DEVELOPMENT,
LEADING TO THE UNACCEPTABLY LONG
TIMELINES, AND WE NEED IMPROVED
CONSULTATION AND EVALUATION.
WATER MANAGEMENT IS COMPLEX AND
CONTINUOUS, AND TOO OFTEN TRIBES
HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT. THE BILL'S
CONSULTATION ON PROVISIONS WOULD
HOLD STATE AGENCIES ACCOUNTABLE
FOR ROBUST AND CONSTRUCTIVE
CONSULTATION, AND ENGAGEMENT
WITH TRIBES ON WATER
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND
OPERATION PLANS. THE STATE HAS
MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN
RESPECTING TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY
AND ADDRESSING CENTURIES OF
IMPACTS FROM COLONIZATION TO THE
PRESENT. HOWEVER, TRIBES STILL
FACE STRUCTURAL DISADVANTAGES
AND INEQUALITIES WHEN IT COMES
TO WATER. MANY TRIBES ARE STILL
NOT BEING HEARD AND VALUED. ALL
TRIBES DESERVE STATE ACTION TO
HELP MAINTAIN OUR WAYS OF LIFE.
THIS BILL REPRESENTS AN
IMPORTANT STEP TOWARDS
PROTECTING ALL TRIBAL WATER USES
FOR ALL CALIFORNIA TRIBES. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. I
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR
SUPPORT, HELLO. THANK YOU,
CHAIRMAN GARCIA AND COMMITTEE
MEMBERS, I APPRECIATE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. MY
NAME IS SHERRY NORRIS. I'M WITH
THE CALIFORNIA INDIAN
ENVIRONMENTAL ALLIANCE AND WE
WERE FORMED IN 2006 TO SUPPORT
CALIFORNIA TRIBES AND TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES IN RESTORING AND
PROTECTING WATER QUALITY
OBJECTIVES FOR CONTINUED TRIBAL
SUBSISTENCE AND CULTURAL USES,
TRIBES AND OUR ORGANIZATION
WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE STATE
WATER BOARD STAFF, INCLUDING
LEGAL COUNSEL, TO ENSURE TRIBAL
BENEFICIAL USE. LANGUAGE WAS
APPROPRIATELY DISTINCT FROM
COMMERCIAL AND SPORTS FISHING
AND REC. ONE WHICH IS SWIMMING
AND WADEABLE, THOSE TWO
BENEFICIAL USES WERE IDENTIFIED
AS TRIBES AS NOT BEING
PROTECTIVE OF THOSE MOST AT RISK
IN TRIBAL COMMUNITIES.
COMMUNITIES NOTABLY FREQUENT
CULTURAL USERS AND THOSE OF
CHILDBEARING AGE BABIES IN
UTERO, AND INFANTS. IN 2017, THE
WATER BOARD ADOPTED A PROVISION
OF THE WATER QUALITY CONTROL
PLAN FOR INLAND SURFACE WATERS,
ENCLOSED BAYS, AND ESTUARIES OF
CALIFORNIA, OFTEN CALLED ICB, IN
RECOGNITION THAT TRIBAL
BENEFICIAL USES WERE THE FIRST
USES OF WATER IN CALIFORNIA,
IT'S NOW BEEN 18 YEARS SINCE
CALIFORNIA TRIBES FIRST
REQUESTED TRIBAL BENEFICIAL USES
TO BE INCLUDED IN BASIN PLANS AT
THE REGIONAL BOARD LEVEL, AND
SEVEN YEARS SINCE THE ADOPTION
OF THE ICB RESOLUTION. WHILE
STATE AGENCIES EXPEDITE WATER
PROJECTS IN GENERAL, REGIONAL
BOARDS CONTINUE TO MOVE TBU
SLOWLY, WHICH DISALLOWS TRIBES
TRIBAL USERS TO BE CONSIDERED
BEFORE NEW PROJECTS ARE
IMPLEMENTED, AND ALSO SO THAT
MAKES IT SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE
TRIBES HAVE TO CONTINUALLY ASK
FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
REGIONAL BOARDS TO BALANCE
TRIBAL USES OF THEIR WATERSHEDS.
AND EACH REGION IS MOVING AT A
DIFFERENT PACE AND EACH OF THEM
ARE LOOKING FOR SOME SUPPORT SO
THAT THEY CAN ALL BE MOVING IN
A, YOU KNOW, AND HAVE SOME
CONSENSUS, AMONG THEM. AND
TRIBES ARE ASKING FOR THAT TODAY
, SIA SUPPORTS THE INTENTION OF
THE BILL AND ARE WORKING ON
TECHNICAL CLARIFYING AMENDMENTS
THAT DO NOT CHANGE THE NATURE OF
THE BILL. IN PARTICULAR, WE'RE
EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE OF HOW THIS
BILL STRENGTHENS PORTER-COLOGNE
WATER QUALITY CONTROL ACT TO
CLEARLY INCLUDE TRIBAL WATER
USES AS WATERS OF THE STATE THAT
MAY BE PROTECTED AGAINST QUALITY
DEGRADATION AND THAT THIS THIS,
IT'S AMENDS SECTION ONE 305 Þ OF
THE WATER CODE TO PROTECT
TRIBAL, CULTURALLY SENSITIVE
INFORMATION FROM PUBLIC
DISCLOSURE BY PREVENTING SUCH
INFORMATION, PROVIDING SUCH
INFORMATION, I'M SORRY, TO STATE
AND REGIONAL WATER BOARDS
THROUGH CONSULTATION. NUMEROUS
FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES DO
HAVE POLICIES IN PLACE TO
PROTECT TRIBAL INFORMATION FROM
THOSE WHO MAY MISUSE THAT OR THE
RESOURCES, OR ATTEMPT TO CAUSE
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES HARM, WE ALSO
ARE IN SUPPORT OF, IN THE BILL
OF INCLUDING TRIBAL COMMUNITIES,
THAT THE STATE WILL BOARD, WILL
CONSULT WITH AND CAREFULLY
EVALUATE THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF
CONCERNED FEDERAL AND LOCAL
AGENCIES THAT THIS WOULD INCLUDE
TALKING WITH CALIFORNIA TRIBES
AS WELL. AND THIS IS IN KEEPING
WITH THE INTENT OF EXECUTIVE
ORDER B 1011 AND EXECUTIVE ORDER
13 175. AND THEN LASTLY, WE ARE
IN SUPPORT OF THE PORTION OF THE
BILL THAT INCLUDE CALIFORNIA
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES AS
PARTICIPANTS IN THE MONITORING
COUNCIL, TO THIS END, WE ARE IN
SUPPORT OF THE NATURAL RESOURCE
AGENCY TO AMEND THEIR MOA TO
INCLUDE THESE ELEMENTS, SO THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME
TODAY, AND WE'RE HERE FOR
QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM.
THANK YOU, I'M GONNA ASK TO SEE
IF ANYONE IN THE ROOM WANTS TO
REGISTER THEIR SUPPORT FOR THIS
MEASURE. NAME, ORGANIZATION AND
POSITION, PLEASE. ABBY ALVAREZ
WITH THE PESTICIDE ACTION
NETWORK IN SUPPORT. ALEX LOOMER,
ON BEHALF OF DEFENDERS OF
WILDLIFE AND CALIFORNIA. TROUT
IN SUPPORT JULIE WEDGE, RETHINK
DISPOSABLE FOR CLEAN WATER
ACTION IN SUPPORT. CODY
PHILLIPS, ON BEHALF OF
CALIFORNIA COASTKEEPER ALLIANCE
IN SUPPORT. AARON WOOLLEY ON
BEHALF OF SIERRA CLUB CALIFORNIA
AND SUPPORT. THAT CHRIS SNYDER
WITH THE MONO LAKE COMMITTEE IN
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. BILL
ELLIOTT, ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING
GROUP IN SUPPORT PETER RAMIREZ,
TRIBAL COUNCIL MEMBER FOR
CALIFORNIA VALLEY MIWOK TRIBE,
ASSISTANT CULTURAL RESOURCE
SPECIALIST, AND WE ARE IN FULL
SUPPORT. BIANCA LOPEZ, VALLEY
IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR SOCIAL
AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AYSO
VIDA. WE ARE IN SUPPORT. GOOD
AFTERNOON, ARTIE VALENCIA WITH
RESTORE THE DELTA AND WE ARE IN
SUPPORT. GOOD AFTERNOON,
CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, FRANK MOLINA, ON
BEHALF OF THE SANTA YNEZ BAND OF
CHUMASH INDIANS IN STRONG
SUPPORT. VICTOR TORRES WITH
FUTURE LEADERS OF CHANGE IN
STRONG SUPPORT. SANTIAGO TORRES,
A STUDENT AT THE GREENFIELD HIGH
SCHOOL HERE IN SUPPORT. ALL
RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE
HAVE, ANYONE WISHING TO REGISTER
THEIR OPPOSITION, WE HAVE ANY Kò
WITNESSES THAT WILL BE
TESTIFYING IN OPPOSITION. PLEASE
COME FORWARD. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. AND MEMBERS,
YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE ALL FOUR
MINUTES. YOU CAN USE FOR
MINUTES. YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES.
THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT, MY
NAME IS BOB REEB, AND I'M WITH
REEB GOVERNMENT RELATIONS. I'M
REPRESENTING THE VALLEY WATER
COALITION, WHICH IS ABOUT 40
AGRICULTURAL WATER SUPPLIERS IN
THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, I'D LIKE
TO TAKE SOME OF MY FOUR MINUTES
TO ACKNOWLEDGE ON BEHALF OF OUR
CLIENT THAT THEY RECOGNIZE THE
IMPORTANCE TO THE CULTURE, THE
RELIGION AND THE SUSTENANCE FOR
THE NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLES OF
CALIFORNIA, OF CLEAN WATER AND
ABUNDANT WATER, MY CLIENT ALSO
RECOGNIZES THE ATROCITIES THAT
WERE VISITED UPON THE NATIVE
PEOPLES WHEN CALIFORNIA STARTED
DEVELOPING AND SETTLING, AND THE
SUBSEQUENT MARGINALIZATION AND
DISPLACEMENT, SO THERE'S A LOT
OF ELEMENTS IN THIS BILL THAT WE
INDICATED IN OUR OPPOSED, UNLESS
AMENDED LETTER THAT, ARE WE
THINK ARE ACCEPTABLE. CERTAINLY
ADDING TRIBAL WATER USES TO THE
WATER CODE AS A AN EXAMPLE OF A
BENEFICIAL USE. WE HAVE NO
OBJECTION TO THE CRITICAL PART
OF THIS BILL, HOWEVER, IS THAT
IT UPENDS 50 YEARS OF WATER
QUALITY CONTROL LAW IN
CALIFORNIA. WHILE IT'S TRUE THAT
STATE AND REGIONAL BOARDS, IN
ESTABLISHING WATER QUALITY
OBJECTIVES, IN THEIR JUDGMENT
THEY HAVE TO ENSURE THE
REASONABLE PROTECTION OF
BENEFICIAL USES. BUT THERE'S A
SECOND PART OF SECTION 13 241,
AND IT RECOGNIZES THAT IT MIGHT
BE POSSIBLE FOR THE QUALITY OF
WATER TO BE CHANGED TO SOME
DEGREE WITHOUT UNREASONABLY
AFFECTING BENEFICIAL USES. NOW,
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE
WATER QUALITY CONTROL PLANS HAVE
TO INCLUDE IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIONS TO ACHIEVE THOSE WATER
QUALITY OBJECTIVES, AND THAT'S
WHERE WE GET INTO, WATER RIGHTS,
WATER QUALITY CONTROL PLANS WILL
WILL INEVITABLY INCLUDING THE
BAY DELTA WATER QUALITY CONTROL
PLAN INCLUDE WATER RIGHTS,
PERMIT LICENSE TERMS AND
CONDITIONS. AND IN THE WATER
RIGHTS ARENA, THE BOARD IS
CHALLENGED AS CHARGED WITH
BALANCING THE COMPETING USES OF
WATER. IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING
THAT CALIFORNIA TODAY IS A LOT
DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS IN IN THE
1800S. WE'VE GOT 40 MILLION
PEOPLE, CITIES OF 7 MILLION
PEOPLE. I MEAN, NOTHING THAT
ANYONE COULD IMAGINE BACK IN
1800. AND SO IF YOUR ASSEMBLY
DISTRICTS ARE IN, YOU KNOW, THE
BAY AREA, SOUTH BAY AREA, LOS
ANGELES, THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY,
COACHELLA VALLEY, YOU RELY ON
THE STATE WATER PROJECT AND
DELIVERIES OF WATER THROUGH THE
BAY DELTA. WATER QUALITY
WATERSHED. AND IN IN THIS BILL,
WE FEAR, WILL ESTABLISH THE
REASONABLE PROTECTION WITHOUT
THE BALANCING COMMITMENT THAT IS
INCLUDED IN THE WATER CODE. SO
WE THINK WE CAN GET TO A GOOD
PLACE WITH A LOT OF PROVISIONS
IN THIS BILL, BUT WE CAN'T
ACCEPT PLACING ONE NON
BENEFICIAL USE OF WATER OVER ALL
OTHER COMPETING BENEFICIAL USES.
AND FOR THAT REASON, WE OPPOSE
THE BILL UNLESS AMENDED. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'LL
ASK IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER,
PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE WISHING
TO REGISTER THEIR OPPOSITION ON
THE BILL. PLEASE COME FORWARD AT
THIS TIME. NAME, ORGANIZATION.
POSITION, SEEING NO ONE WILL
BRING IT BACK TO THE DAIS AND
ASK IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS
FROM ANY OF THE COLLEAGUES ON
THE COMMITTEE, PLEASE. THANK
YOU, MR. CHAIR. THE LAST COMMENT
MADE BY THE OPPOSITION. HOW IS
THAT BEING ADDRESSED? THE
BALANCING OF THE COMPETING
INTERESTS OF WATER. WELL, TRIBES
ARE ASKING FOR THE OPPORTUNITY
FOR THEIR BENEFICIAL USES, TO BE
RECOGNIZED AS PART OF THE
BALANCE OF DEVELOPING WATER
QUALITY OBJECTIVES. FOR EXAMPLE,
WHEN WATER QUALITY OBJECTIVES
ARE CREATED OR TMDLS ARE CREATED
TO CREATE A NUMERIC OR A
NARRATIVE OBJECTIVE, ALL OF THE
BENEFICIAL USES FOR THAT WATER
BODY THAT'S BEING CONSIDERED,
ARE, PUT BEFORE THE REGIONAL
BOARDS AND ALL STAKEHOLDERS USES
ARE, ARE THERE TO BE BALANCED
OUT, AND THEN THEY THE, THOSE
REALISTIC OBJECTIVES ARE
DEVELOPED. IT'S NOT THAT TRIBAL
USES WOULD BE ABOVE, IT WOULD BE
PART OF THE CONVERSATION OF ALL
THE USES THAT NEED TO BE
BALANCED OUT TO CREATE THAT,
THAT OBJECTIVE. THANK YOU. AND
ONE MORE QUESTION, MR. CHAIR. IN
THE ANALYSIS, IT WASN'T BROUGHT
UP BY THE OPPOSITION, BUT THE
ANALYSIS IS, THE ISSUE OF SEQUA,
THAT THE LEGISLATION WOULD
REQUIRE SEQUA REVIEW OF ANY
PROJECT OR PROGRAM SUBJECT TO
APPROVAL BY THE STATE TO
DESCRIBE HOW THE PROJECT EFFECT
WILL IMPACT TRIBAL WATER USES,
BUT IT ALLOWS TRIBAL COMMUNITY,
NOT TO PUBLICLY DISCLOSE ITS
TRIBAL WATER USES DUE TO
CONFIDENTIALITY. HOW HOW WILL
HOW WILL THAT BE DETERMINED
THEN? SO THAT IS ONE OF THE
PIECES THAT THE STATE WATER
RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD AND
REGIONAL BOARDS ARE WORKING WITH
TRIBES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
THAT AT THIS TIME. ONE OF THERE
ARE OTHER AGENCIES, AS I
MENTIONED IN MY, MY, MY PIECE,
THAT SOME OF THE AGENTS, THE
OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO HAVE SOME PUBLICLY FACING
INFORMATION AND THEN GO INTO
CLOSED DOOR CONSULTATION SO THAT
SOME OF THE SACRED SITES AND
THEN RESOURCES THAT MIGHT BE,
USED OR OVERHARVESTED BY WE'VE
SEEN, FOR EXAMPLE, SEAWEED, YOU
HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT WILL GO OUT
AND SCRAPE THE ROCKS AND TAKE
THAT AND SELL THAT. AND THAT'S A
MISUSE OF THE RESOURCE. AND SO
UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S SOME
PROTECTIONS THAT NEED TO BE IN
PLACE, WHAT TRIBES ARE TRYING TO
DO IS TO EXPAND OUT THOSE
RESOURCES SO THAT THEY'RE
AVAILABLE FOR MORE PEOPLE IN
CALIFORNIA. AND WE'RE NOT THERE
YET WITH EVERYTHING. BUT THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ALL
WORKING ON TOGETHER, SO WHEN IT
COMES TO THE CEQA REVIEW, THAT
THAT PIECE IS, WOULD CAN TAKE
PLACE IN SOME CASES PUBLICLY, IN
SOME CASES PRIVATELY. BUT THE
IT'S BEEN A BARRIER TO, THIS
MOVING FORWARD. AND WHAT WE'VE
HEARD IS THAT IT DOESN'T
NECESSARILY NEED TO BE THERE.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF ANY OF MY
OTHER COLLEAGUES OR ANY OF OUR,
OUR SUPPORT STAFF MIGHT WANT TO
PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. I
WOULD LIKE TO REFER TO ONE OF MY
STAFF MEMBERS.
HI, SO AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
SEQUA AND SPECIFICALLY THE
EXEMPTION THAT WE'VE BUILT IN
THAT IS JUST TO HELP MOVE ALONG
THE DESIGNATION OF TRIBAL
BENEFICIAL USES, IT DOESN'T MEAN
THAT SEQUA IS EXEMPT FROM WHEN
WE START GOING IN AND
ESTABLISHING WATER QUALITY
STANDARDS. AND THROUGHOUT THAT
WHOLE ENTIRE PROCESS THAT SHERRY
TALKED ABOUT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF
THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. I
THINK IT DOES FOR NOW. OKAY.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU,
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. YES I
THANK THE AUTHOR FOR BRINGING
THIS BILL FORWARD AND I THINK
I'M A COAUTHOR, BECAUSE I
BELIEVE THAT WATER IS CLEAN,
WATER IS A HUMAN RIGHT, AND
THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TBUS WOULD
ENSURE THAT ALL THE CALIFORNIA
TRIBES CAN BENEFIT FROM WATER
QUALITY MANAGEMENT. BUT, YOU
KNOW, YOU GUYS CAN'T YOU CAN'T
HAVE GOOD LIFE WITHOUT ACCESS TO
CLEAN WATER FROM RIVERS AND
LAKE. SO I MOVE THE BILL SECOND.
OKAY WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE,
MISS RAMOS? WELL, THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR AND MEMBERS, FOR YOUR
QUESTIONS. AND THANK YOU FOR,
THE WILLINGNESS TO COAUTHOR THIS
IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION
AND BILL MOVING FORWARD. THE
YEAR 1800 WAS BROUGHT UP, BUT
WHAT HAPPENED IN 1800? THE
INDIANS, PEOPLE'S VOICES WEREN'T
THERE AS THEY ARE NOW AT THIS
DÍAS AND BEING MOVED FORWARD IN
THE IN THE DEBATE AND THE DIALOG
MOVING FORWARD. CULTURAL
SENSITIVITY IS ANOTHER AREA THAT
TRIBES HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH
THE ADMINISTRATION HERE IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, WORKING
THROUGH SOME OF THOSE TOUGH
AVENUES AS FAR AS IDENTIFYING
CULTURAL RESOURCES AND
PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF
CULTURAL RESOURCES. THAT'S WHY
IT DIVES INTO THAT, WHY IT
WARRANTS MORE DISCUSSION, SO
THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION TO ENSURE THAT THE
VOICES OF CALIFORNIA'S FIRST
PEOPLE ARE AT THE TABLE DURING
THIS DISCUSSION ON MOVING
FORWARD, THERE IS REPORTING
MECHANISMS IN THE BILL THAT
WOULD BRING THIS INFORMATION
BACK TO THIS LEGISLATURE. AS
THIS BILL MOVES FORWARD, THIS IS
AN IMPORTANT BILL THAT STARTS TO
PAVE THE WAY FOR CALIFORNIA'S
FIRST PEOPLE TO HAVE A SEAT AT
THE TABLE AND TO HAVE THEIR
VOICES BE HEARD, AS LONG AS WELL
AS PROTECT AND PRESERVING
CULTURAL RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT
THERE. AND SO THOSE ARE AREAS
THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON HERE
IN THE YEAR 2024. AND THANK YOU
FOR BRINGING THIS BILL FORWARD
AND FOR YOUR, YOUR YOUR MOTION
AND YOUR SECOND AND FOR THE I
ECHO FROM THE CHAIR, THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO
CALIFORNIA'S FIRST PEOPLE AS WE
REQUEST YOUR I VOTE. THANK YOU.
MR. RAMOS. IS DOES HAVE A Dð
PASS. IT WILL GO TO WATER PARKS
AND WILDLIFE. I'M CONFIDENT THAT
YOU'LL WORK WITH, THE WATER
COMMUNITY, TO WORK ON THOSE
CONCERNS THAT WERE RAISED, I
FIND IT, BOTH IRONIC, BUT ALSO
IMPORTANT, RIGHT? THAT WE'RE
ASKING TO BE AT THE TABLE,
RIGHT? THAT THE BILL IS. HEY, WE
WANT TO BE AT THE TABLE AND THE
WATER COMMUNITY SAYING, WELL, WE
WANT TO BE AT THE TABLE TO BE
PART OF THE, YOU KNOW,
CONVERSATION WHERE WE CAN FIGURE
OUT HOW NOT TO, CREATE GREATER
COMPLEXITIES TO WHAT IS ALREADY
A VERY COMPLEX, SYSTEM WHEN IT
COMES TO WATER POLICY IN
CALIFORNIA. AND SO I THINK WE
FIND OURSELVES, AT A GOOD PLACE
THEN, GIVEN THAT WE ARE TRYING
TO BOTH BE AT A PLACE WHERE WE
CAN SHARE, WHAT IS A VISION OF
RESPONSIBLY, TAKING CARE OF THIS
PRECIOUS RESOURCE THAT WE HAVE
THAT ULTIMATELY WILL HELP US
THRIVE IN THE STATE? THAT
DEPENDS ON IT SO HEAVILY. AND,
AND THE TRIBES. AND YOU'RE
ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. RIGHT. THE
TRIBES NOW HAVE A STRONG VOICE,
A SEAT AT THE TABLE, LITERALLY
AND FIGURATIVELY, TO BE ABLE TO
HELP MANAGE THIS RESOURCE, FOR
GENERATIONS TO COME. SO WE WILL
CALL THE QUESTION AND THANK YOU
FOR BRINGING THIS BILL FORWARD.
MADAM SECRETARY. ITEM SEVEN AB
2614 RAMOS. THE MOTION IS Dð
PASS AND RE REFER TO THE
COMMITTEE ON WATER, PARKS AND
WILDLIFE. GARCIA GARCIA I HOOVER
. CONNELLY. CONNELLY I MCKINLEY
I MCKINLEY I PAPIN. REYES REYES.
I TO YOUR. BIDEN PASSES. WE WILL
KEEP THE ROLL OPEN FOR OTHER
MEMBERS TO ADD ON. THE NEXT BILL
IS FILE NUMBER EIGHT. IT IS AB
2686. GRAYSON.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER GRAYSON. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER. GRAYSON YOU MAY BEGIN.
THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIR. I DIDN'T
MEAN TO RUN THE, COMMITTEE CHAIR
OFF. I DIDN'T THINK I WAS THAT
SCARY, BUT, HERE WE ARE. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN
BY THANKING THE COMMITTEE FOR
THEIR EXCELLENT WORK ON THIS
BILL. AND BY ACCEPTING THE
COMMITTEE'S PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THE
ANALYSIS, AB 2686 IS A NECESSARY
BILL, THAT WOULD HELP PREVENT
SIGNIFICANT COST INCREASES FOR
HOUSING DEVELOPERS WHO REMEDIATE
CONTAMINATED SOIL AND RETURN
LAND TO PRODUCTIVE USE. IN 2021,
THE LEGISLATURE PASSED SB 158.
IT WAS A BUDGET TRAILER BILL
WITH THE INTENT OF STABILIZING
THE STRUCTURAL DEFICIT OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF TOXIC SUBSTANCE
CONTROL, OR AS WE KNOW IT, DTSC.
IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THIS, SB 158
MADE CHANGES TO ONE OF THE MAJOR
FEES THAT ARE PAID TO DTSC WHEN
REMEDIATING A SITE. PREVIOUSLY A
TIERED MODEL, THE QUOTE UNQUOTE
GENERAL AND HANDLING FEE WAS
INSTEAD SET AT A RATE OF $49.25
PER TON. THIS FEE IS PAID TO
DTSC FOR THE PURPOSE OF
MONITORING AND CERTIFYING A SITE
AS THE DEVELOPER IS CONDUCTING
AND PAYING FOR THE REMEDIATION
WORK, THE NEW FEE STRUCTURE
APPLIED TO ALL PROJECTS THAT
WERE IN DEVELOPMENT AT THE TIME
OF PASSAGE OF SB 158, AS WELL AS
PROJECTS THAT RECENTLY COMPLETED
THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. THE
REVISED FEE STRUCTURE HAD A
SIGNIFICANT DETRIMENTAL IMPACT
ON MANY PROJECTS, INCLUDING
ESSENTIAL HOUSING PROJECTS AND
PROJECTS THAT HELP PROVIDE
ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY SERVICES.
THIS FEE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED
THE COST OF REMEDIATING
CONTAMINATED SOIL IN URBAN
INFILL SITES OR IN SITUATIONS
WHERE DEVELOPERS ENCOUNTERED
NATURALLY OCCURRING TOXIC
MATERIALS. THE INCREASED FEE HAS
MADE SEVERAL PROJECTS
INFEASIBLE. AT A TIME WHERE
CALIFORNIA IS ALREADY STRUGGLING
WITH RISING COSTS. SO TO HELP
PROVIDE GREATER CERTAINTY FOR
AFFECTED PROJECTS, AB 2686 WOULD
PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE FEE FOR
HOUSING AND NONPROFIT
DEVELOPMENTS THAT WERE DEEMED
COMPLETE BY DECEMBER 31ST, 2021.
THIS ALTERNATIVE FEE WOULD BE
SET AT $5.72 PER TON OF
HAZARDOUS WASTE, MIRRORING A
SIMILAR FEE THAT WAS SET IN A
SUBSEQUENT BUDGET TRAILER BILL
LAST YEAR. THE STATE SHOULD NOT
PENALIZE BUILDERS FOR OPENING UP
LAND FOR PRODUCTIVE USE,
ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE THE
VERY ONES CLEANING UP THE
POLLUTION INSTEAD OF CREATING
IT. AND AT A TIME WHERE MANY IN
CALIFORNIA ARE FACING INCREASED
DEVELOPMENTAL DEVELOPMENT COSTS,
WE MUST DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP
CREATE A MORE FAVORABLE
ENVIRONMENT THAT ALLOWS US TO
BUILD HOUSING THAT IS
AFFORDABLE. SO WHILE I AM VERY
AWARE OF THE IMPORTANT NEED TO
KEEP DTSC FISCALLY STABLE, IT IS
ALSO EQUALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE
DO NOT DO IT SOLELY ON THE BACKS
OF THOSE WHO CREATE ESSENTIAL
HOUSING AND PROVIDE VITAL
COMMUNITY SERVICES. I DO HAVE
SOME WITNESSES WITH ME THROUGH
THE CHAIR, THEY WILL SELF
INTRODUCE VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT.
IT'S FOUR MINUTES BETWEEN THE
TWO OF YOU, FIRST WITNESS. GOOD
AFTERNOON EVERYONE. MY NAME IS
MICHAEL WIRKOLA, AND I AM THE
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR THE
SAN FRANCISCO MARIN FOOD BANK,
THANK YOU, ASSEMBLY MEMBER
GRAYSON, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON
THIS BILL. OUR MISSION IS TO END
HUNGER IN SAN FRANCISCO AND
MARIN, WHERE 1 IN 5 PEOPLE ARE
FACING HUNGER EVERY DAY FOOD. WE ARE A VITAL LIFELINE
TO PEOPLE IN NEED. WE ARE A
NONPROFIT AND WE ARE DEDICATED
TO ENDING HUNGER. WE ARE NOT A
DEVELOPER AND NOT A WASTE
GENERATOR. IN FACT, ONE OF THE
THINGS WE DO IS RESCUE AND
RESCUE AND DIVERT GOOD FOOD THAT
WOULD OTHERWISE GO TO THE WASTE
STREAM AND GET IT TO PEOPLE THAT
NEED SUPPORT. TODAY I'M HERE TO
SHARE THE IMPACTS OF EFFORTS TO
CHANGE THE FEE. DEVELOPERS AND
OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE OURS
PAY WHEN EXCAVATING AND REMOVING
CONTAMINATED SOIL FROM
CONSTRUCTION SITES, WHICH WILL
BE EXCAVATION, WE
TESTED THE ROCK AND FOUND THAT
IT CONTAINED NATURALLY OCCURRING
ASBESTOS, AS SERPENTINE ROCK
TYPICALLY DOES. BECAUSE OF THIS,
WE REMOVED THE SERPENTINE ROCK
FROM THE SITE USING STRICT WASTE
REMOVAL PROTOCOLS AND PAID ALL
FEES REQUIRED AT THE TIME BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES
CONTROL, THE DTSC. THIS FEE
COMPENSATES THE DTSC TO CERTIFY
REMEDIATION HAS BEEN DONE. NO
WORK IS DONE ON SITE BY THE DTSC
FOR OUR PROJECT. THESE FEES
TOTALED NEARLY $175,000, AND
THEY HAVE BEEN PAID TO COMPLY
WITH THE LAW, AND THAT WAS IN
EFFECT AT THE TIME OF THE SOIL
REMOVAL. WE'RE HERE TODAY
BECAUSE A LAW CHANGED IN THE
MIDDLE OF OUR PROJECT IN 2022.
THE LEGISLATURE PASSED AB 158, A
BUDGET TRAILER BILL THAT MADE
CHANGES TO THE DTSC AND THE FEE
PAID IN RESPONSE TO EXCAVATING
CONTAMINATED SOIL FROM A
DEVELOPMENT SITE. SPECIFICALLY,
THE NEW FEE CHANGED THE PAYMENT
CALCULATION FROM APPEARED FROM A
TIERED MODEL TO A PRICE PER TON
MODEL. IN ADDITION, THIS NEW FEE
STRUCTURE APPLIED TO PROJECTS
LIKE OURS THAT WERE ALREADY IN
DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS PROJECTS
THAT WERE RECENTLY COMPLETED.
THE IN EFFECT, SB 158 DUPLICATED
THE WASTE REMOVAL FEES REQUIRED
OF ENTITIES LIKE THE SAN
FRANCISCO MARINE FOOD BANK.
UNDER THE NEW FEE STRUCTURE, THE
FOOD BANK IS FACED WITH AN
ADDITIONAL $175,000 IN
UNANTICIPATED FEES FOR THE SAME
MATERIAL OFF HAUL, FOR WHICH
FEES HAD ALREADY BEEN PAID. TO
BE CLEAR, THIS IS ON TOP OF THE
$175,000 ALREADY PAID. SIMPLY
SAID, OUR PAYMENT OF ADDITIONAL
FEES IMPOSED BY SB 158 WILL
RESULT IN INCREASED REVENUE TO
THE DTSC. BUT IN OUR CASE, LESS
SUPPORT TO FAMILIES FACING
HUNGER. WE UNDERSTAND THE
STATE'S BUDGET SITUATION THIS
YEAR, BUT WE DO NOT BELIEVE
DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET SHORTFALLS
SHOULD BE MADE UP BY TAKING FOOD
OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF HUNGRY
PEOPLE. THIS IS WHY WE STRONGLY
SUPPORT PASSAGE OF AB 2686,
WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO AVOID
DOUBLING OF FEES ALREADY PAID
AND ALLOW THE FOOD BANK TO
UTILIZE THOSE DOLLARS TO FULFILL
OUR MISSION AND SUPPORT THE
PEOPLE WE SERVE. CAN I ASK YOU
TO WRAP IT UP SO WE CAN GIVE HER
AT LEAST 30S? WE'RE ALREADY AT
FOUR MINUTES. YES. I'M DONE.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME IS
RHIANNON BALLARD, AND I'M THE
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT UC
LAW SAN FRANCISCO, FORMERLY
KNOWN AS UC HASTINGS. AND IN
SHORT, WE OPENED 650 HOUSING
UNITS IN AUGUST OF 2023. WE DID
2400 TONS OF SOIL OFF HAUL. IN
2021. WE ENDED UP PAYING
$105,000 FOR THAT FIRST TIME IN
2021. WE ENDED UP PAYING 117,000
FOR 2022. PLUS WE HAD FEES AND
PENALTIES OF $22,000. WHILE WE
WERE TRYING TO PROTEST, WHAT WE
UNDERSTOOD WAS A DUPLICATIVE
BILL. SO I HOPE YOU WILL
CONSIDER THAT AS A PUBLIC
UNIVERSITY TRYING TO BUILD
HOUSING IN ONE OF THE MOST
EXPENSIVE REAL ESTATE MARKETS IN
SAN FRANCISCO, ALONG WITH
EVERYBODY ELSE WHO FORGED AHEAD
WITH CONSTRUCTION, THAT YOU WILL
CONSIDER THIS BILL. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. IT'S A
MOTION TO MOVE THE BILL BY MISS
PAPPIN. SECOND. SECOND. MISS
MCKENNA, ANY ANYBODY ELSE, IN
WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR
OF THIS, PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME,
YOUR ORGANIZATION AND YOUR
POSITION. HI, CATHERINE.
CHARLES, ON BEHALF OF HOUSING
ACTION COALITION, IS A PROUD
SPONSOR. GOOD AFTERNOON. TIFFANY
PHªN ON BEHALF OF STRADA
INVESTMENT GROUP IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE
ANYONE, TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION
OF AB 2686? IF SO, PLEASE COME
FORWARD. SEEING NONE, ANYBODY
FROM THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE
TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION, SEEING
NONE. LET'S BRING IT BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE. COMMENTS. QUESTIONS
FROM THE COMMITTEE. SEEING NONE.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR
TAKING SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS
THAT WERE OFFERED TO FOCUS THE
BILL ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, AND IT
WARRANTS SOME SPECIAL TREATMENT
WHEN IT COMES TO HAZARDOUS WASTE
FEES. I, THE CHAIR, DOES
RECOMMEND AN AYE VOTE. WE HAVE A
MOTION AND A SECOND DO PASS, AS
AMENDED, TO THE COMMITTEE ON
REVENUE AND TAXATION. WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CLOSE RESPECTFULLY ASK
FOR A NO VOTE? THANK YOU. PLEASE
TAKE ROLL. ITEM EIGHT AB 2686
GRAYSON. THE MOTION IS Dð PASS
AS AMENDED AND RE AND RE
REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
REVENUE AND TAXATION. GARCIA
HOOVER, CONNOLLY. CONNOLLY. AYE.
MCKENNA. MCKENNA. AYE PAPINE.
PAPINE. AYE. REYES AYE. REYES.
AYE. TO. SO WE HAVE FOUR VOTES.
THANK YOU. WE'LL LEAVE THE ROLL
OPEN FOR ABSENT MEMBERS, MR.
HART, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US
TO TAKE AN ITEM OUT OF ORDER,
ASSEMBLY MEMBER BONTA, ON ITEM
NUMBER 11 ON AB 2851.
MAY BEGIN WHEN YOU ARE READY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND
MEMBERS, I WANT TO START BY
THANKING THE CHAIR AND COMMITTEE
STAFF FOR WORKING WITH MY OFFICE
ON THIS BILL. AB 2851 IS AN
IMPORTANT BILL FOR MY COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S PERSONAL. MY DISTRICT
IS HOME TO A METAL SHREDDING
FACILITY. SHREDDER WASTE FROM
VEHICLES AND LARGE APPLIANCES
CONTAINS HEAVY METAL LIKE LEAD,
COPPER, ZINC, CADMIUM AND OTHER
HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS. FOR
DECADES, SUCH OPERATIONS HAVE
RESULTED IN MANY TOXIC FIRES
POLLUTING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
EVEN THOUGH PRIOR LEGISLATION
HAS CALLED ON DTSC TO PLACE A
STRONG REGULATORY STANDARDS ON
METAL SHREDDERS, THERE HAS STILL
BEEN NUMEROUS INCIDENTS THAT
HAVE JEOPARDIZED THE HEALTH AND
SAFETY OF CALIFORNIANS AND THEIR
ENVIRONMENT IN MY DISTRICT.
SINCE 2018, THE LOCAL AIR
DISTRICT HAS ISSUED 13 NOTICES
OF VIOLATIONS TO THE METAL
SHREDDER. THIS METAL SHREDDING
FACILITY HAS ALSO BEEN THE
SUBJECT OF INVESTIGATIONS FOR
VIOLATING EMISSIONS RULES.
LOCATED WITHIN A MILE OF THESE
METAL SHREDDING FACILITIES ARE
18 DAYCARE CENTERS, TEN PARKS,
EIGHT SCHOOLS, FOUR SENIOR
CENTERS, AND TWO HOSPITALS.
WHILE MOTIVATED TO WORK ON THIS
ISSUE FROM THE EXPERIENCES IN MY
OWN BACKYARD, THIS ISN'T JUST A
PROBLEM IN MY DISTRICT. SIMILAR
TO REFINERIES, METAL SHREDDING
FACILITIES ARE
DISPROPORTIONATELY LOCATED IN
OUR MOST VULNERABLE AND
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. ALREADY
SUFFERING FROM A
DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF
POLLUTION EXPOSURE KNOWN TO
CAUSE NEGATIVE HEALTH IMPACTS.
AB 2851 IS AN ESSENTIAL FIRST
STEP IN ACCOUNTABILITY. AB 2851
REQUIRES DTSC TO DEVELOP AND
IMPLEMENT FACILITY WIDE FENCE
LINE AIR QUALITY MONITORING AT
METAL SHREDDING FACILITIES. IF
THE MONITORING INDICATES A
POTENTIAL ADVERSE IMPACT ON AIR
QUALITY ON PUBLIC HEALTH, THE
LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT
WILL ISSUE A CRUCIAL COMMUNITY
NOTIFICATION. AB 2851 WILL PUSH
FORWARD THE STATE'S COMMITMENT
TO ADVANCING ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE AND EQUITY FOR THOSE WHO
ARE IMPACTED THE MOST BY TOXIC
EMISSIONS. WITH ME TO SPEAK MORE
ON THIS BILL, I HAVE MRS.
MARGARET GORDON FROM THE WEST
OAKLAND ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS
PROJECT AND ALAN ABBS FROM BAY
AREA AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT
DISTRICT. WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON
EVERYONE. I'M SORRY. YOU HAVE A
TOTAL OF FOUR MINUTES BETWEEN
THE TWO OF YOU. YOU MAY BEGIN.
MRS. GORDON, THANK YOU. AS MISS
NOT MISS GORDON. YES MR. GORDON
IS DEAD. SORRY, MISS. THANK YOU
FOR CORRECTING ME ON THAT, MY
NAME IS MISS MARGARET GORDON.
I'M A RESIDENT OF WEST OAKLAND
FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS, AND MY 30
YEARS, I HAVE BEEN A ACTIVIST
AROUND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR
THIS ONE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE DO
RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTION AS
PART OF OUR ADVOCACY FOR ALL
CAMPAIGNS. AND MY STORY ABOUT
SNEAKERSTEAL IS IN MY BACKYARD
WITH A 11 OTHER RECYCLE FLIERS
ALL IN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD. ALL
RIGHT. SO THE DAY OF THE FIRE,
WE HAD NO REAL NOTICE. THEY
DON'T HAVE A SIREN ON THEIR
BUILDING. THEY DIDN'T HAVE NO
ONE DRIVING THE STREETS TO SAY,
STAY IN. AND THAT AND THIS
BUSINESS HAS NO BUSINESS IN A
URBAN AREA. SNITCHER STILL HAS
NO BUSINESS IN AN URBAN AREA. WE
ALREADY THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT BY
THE THREE FREEWAYS. THESE TRUCKS
RUNNING 24 OVER SEVEN, THE POST
OFFICE DISTRIBUTION CENTER, THE
PORT OF OAKLAND, 24 SEVEN. THEY
GOT TO GO. SNITZER STILL GOTS TO
GO. AND THEY HAVE BROKE ALL
PERMIT VIOLATE PERMITTING
CITATIONS OVER THE PAST 30
YEARS. THEY HAVE NO BUSINESS IN
WEST OAKLAND. THANK YOU. NEXT
WITNESS. GOOD AFTERNOON. MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS
ALAN ABBS. I'M THE LEGISLATIVE
OFFICER WITH THE BAY AREA AIR
QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
DOING MY BEST TO FOLLOW IN THE
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MISS
MARGARET. THE DISTRICT BOARD
HASN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
TAKE AN OFFICIAL POSITION ON
THIS BILL YET DUE TO OUR
SCHEDULE. BUT OUR STAFF HAS BEEN
WORKING WITH THE MEMBER FROM THE
BEGINNING. BEFORE THIS BILL WAS
INTRODUCED TO GET TO AN END
RESULT THAT ACCOMPLISHES WHAT WE
ALL WANT, AND WHAT WE ALL WANT
IS TO HAVE METAL SHREDDERS IN
CALIFORNIA OPERATE BETTER. WE
WANT THEM TO NOT ALLOW LIGHT
FIBROUS MATERIAL AND ASSOCIATED
TOXIC PARTICULATES PAST THE
FACILITY BOUNDARY. WE DON'T WANT
THEM TO CATCH ON FIRE, AND WE
WANT THEM TO HAVE A NOTIFICATION
PROCEDURE THAT INFORMS THE
COMMUNITY WHEN THOSE STANDARDS
AREN'T BEING MET. AS THE
COMMITTEE ANALYSIS NOTES, THERE
IS A LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
ASSOCIATED WITH TRYING TO
IMPROVE METAL SHREDDER
OPERATIONS. BUT DESPITE MAKING
PROGRESS, THERE'S STILL RECENT
INSTANCES DEMONSTRATING THAT
THERE'S MORE TO BE DONE
SPECIFICALLY WITH ENSURING THAT
PARTICULATE MATTER AND TOXIC
EMISSIONS ARE STOPPED AT THE
FACILITY BOUNDARY AND DON'T HARM
THE PUBLIC. IF NO ONE KNOWS WHEN
EMISSIONS CROSS THE BOUNDARY,
THEN THE PUBLIC CAN'T BE
APPROPRIATELY INFORMED IN. THE
FACILITY HAS NO INCENTIVE
INCENTIVE TO OPERATE BETTER, AS
THE ANALYSIS ALSO NOTES, DTSC,
WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE AIR
DISTRICT, HAS CONDUCTED AIR
MONITORING STUDIES IN THE PAST
AND COLLECTED LIGHT FIBROUS
MATERIAL OUTSIDE THE SCHNITZER
FACILITY BOUNDARY FOR A MULTI
YEAR PERIOD ENDING IN 2023. THE
ANALYSIS ALSO NOTES THAT THE
FACILITY IN REDWOOD CITY, NEAR
SEVERAL HOSPITALS, PARKS AND
SCHOOLS, RECEIVED AN ORDER TO
CLEAN UP OFFSITE TOXIC POLLUTION
OVER CONCERNS OF NEGATIVE HEALTH
IMPACTS. AND SO WHAT AB 2851
ATTEMPTS TO DO IS PROTECT PEOPLE
LIVING, WORKING AND GOING TO
SCHOOL NEAR METAL SHREDDING
FACILITIES AND, IF NEEDED,
INFORM THEM OF ANY ADVERSE
HEALTH IMPACTS AND IS CONSISTENT
WITH ACTIONS TAKEN IN THE PAST.
ONLY AFTER ELEVATED CONCERNS
FROM THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS
TOPIC. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE MEMBER
AND DTSC TO FURTHER REFINE THE
BILL. AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. ANY OTHERS
WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR
OF. AB 2851? BIANCA LOPEZ WITH
VALLEY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR
SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
IN SUPPORT OF MISS MARGARET. AND
THIS BILL, I THANK YOU. ANY
OTHERS? ALSO, MISS MARGARET.
YES. SCOTT ANDREWS, WEST OAKLAND
ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS
PROJECT, ALSO HERE IN SUPPORT OF
THE BILL AND MISS MARGARET
ALLEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DO
WE HAVE ANY OPPOSITION TO AB
2851? IF SO, PLEASE COME
FORWARD. SEEING NONE, LET'S
BRING IT TO THE COMMITTEE. ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM
COMMITTEE MEMBERS? YES MISS
PAPIN, WELL, SEEING AS HOW I
REPRESENT REDWOOD CITY, I CAN'T
HELP BUT NOT SPEAK SO WE ARE
HOME TO SIMS METAL SHREDDING
THAT HAS UNDERGONE A FIRE OR TWO
IN THE PAST. THAT HAS CERTAINLY
NOT BEEN GOOD TO ITS NEIGHBORS.
SO I WOULD BE HAPPY TO MOVE THE
BILL AND I THANK THE AUTHOR FOR
HER WORK IN THIS REGARD. THANK
YOU. MOTION. MOTION BY MISS
PAPIN, SECOND MISS MCKINNEY. ANY
OTHER COMMENTS? QUESTIONS VERY
GOOD. I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS
WITH THIS BILL AS THE BILL MOVES
THROUGH THE PROCESS, COMMITTEE
CHAIR IS ASKING THAT YOU KEEP
THE COMMITTEE INFORMED OF ANY
POTENTIAL CHANGES. AND OUR
COMMITTEE CHAIR ALSO RECOMMENDS
AN AYE VOTE. WE HAVE A MOTION
AND A SECOND. PLEASE TAKE THE
ROLL. CAN I CLOSE? WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CLOSE? THANK YOU SO MUCH
, BECAUSE MISS MARGARET, IS
SOMEBODY THAT I THINK WE NEED TO
JUST MAKE SURE TO HIGHLIGHT, SHE
CAME A LONG WAY TO BE ABLE TO
SPEAK FOR TWO MINUTES, AND
REPRESENTS A COMMUNITY, WEST
OAKLAND IN PARTICULAR, IN OUR
DISTRICT, THAT HAS HAD TO WAKE
UP ON MANY A MORNING WITH FIRES
AND ORANGE SKIES AND NOT BEING
ABLE TO BREATHE A CLEAN A CLEAN
BREATH OF AIR WHILE THEY ARE ON
THEIR WAY TO SCHOOL AND WORK AND
CAN'T EVEN PLAY BECAUSE THE AIR
QUALITY IS SO BAD. I WANT TO
THANK MISS MARGARET AND THE
ADVOCATES IN WEST OAKLAND WHO
HAVE WORKED WITH US, AND
CERTAINLY DIRECTOR ABS, WHO HAS
BEEN A CHAMPION AS WELL. ON THE
INSIDE, HELPING TO CRAFT THIS
BILL, AS WELL AS MY DISTRICT
DIRECTOR, ROWENA BROWN, WHO
WORKED TIRELESSLY TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE COULD BRING THIS
FORWARD. I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT
THIS IS A VERY FIRST STEP
TOWARDS ACCOUNTABILITY. A LOT OF
THE LEGISLATION THAT HAS PASSED
BEFORE HAS BEEN EVALUATED. THÀNH
UNDERSTANDING, PLANNING,
FEEDBACK. THIS IS OUR FIRST
OPPORTUNITY TO LAY THE
GROUNDWORK TO MAKE SURE THAT
THERE IS ACCOUNTABILITY SO THAT
THESE METAL SHREDDERS CAN BE
TREATED AS THE HAZARDOUS WASTE
SITES THAT THEY ARE, AND SO THAT
OUR COMMUNITIES CAN BREATHE
CLEAN AIR. WITH THAT, I
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR AYE
VOTE. THANK YOU. PLEASE TAKE
ROLL ITEM. ITEM 11 AB 2851
BONTA. THE MOTION IS
. MR. HART, YOU
ALLOWED MISS BONTA TO TAKE HER
BILL FIRST. SO I'M GOING TO GO
BACK TO YOU ON AB 2761. DEALING
WITH PRODUCT SAFETY AND PLASTIC
PACKAGING. YOU MAY BEGIN WHEN GOOD. THANK YOU, IN 2021,
US PLASTICS PACT, A COALITION OF THIS GOAL, THE USE
OF PFAS, PVC, AND PVC IN
PACKAGING IS STILL PREVALENT IN
CALIFORNIA POLYVINYL CHLORIDE,
ASBESTOS AND PHTHALATES, TOXIC
COMPOUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN LINKED
TO CANCER AND NEUROLOGICAL
DAMAGE. PET, ON IS VASTLY
DIFFERENT. AS THE COMMITTEE IS
WELL AWARE, PFAS HAS BEEN LINKED
TO DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES IN
CHILDREN, VARIOUS FORMS OF
CANCER, IMMUNE SYSTEM
SUPPRESSION, AND OTHER
DETRIMENTAL HEALTH EFFECTS. AB
2761 WILL REDUCE EXPOSURE TO
TOXIC CHEMICALS BY BANNING THE
SALE OF PFAS, PVC AND PVDC AND
PACKAGING STARTING IN 2026. THE
MEASURE WILL REQUIRE THE USE OF
SAFER ALTERNATIVES AND ENCOURAGE
THE ADOPTION OF PACKAGING
PRACTICES THAT BETTER PROTECT
PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE
ENVIRONMENT. SPEAKING IN SUPPORT
TODAY, OUR NANCY BIERMAIER,
REPRESENTING THE BREAST CANCER
PREVENTION PARTNERS AND ROMAN
VOGELZANG REPRESENTING REPUBLIC
SERVICES. ALL RIGHT. YOU HAVE A
TOTAL OF FOUR MINUTES BETWEEN
THE TWO OF YOU, FIRST WITNESS,
PLEASE BEGIN. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
TESTIFY. AND THANK YOU. ASSEMBLY
MEMBER HART, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
ON THIS ISSUE. BREAST CANCER
PREVENTION PARTNERS IS A SCIENCE
BASED ORGANIZATION WORKING TO
PREVENT BREAST CANCER BY
REDUCING EXPOSURE TO CHEMICALS
LINKED TO THE DISEASE. 1 IN 8
WOMEN WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH
BREAST CANCER IN HER LIFETIME,
THAT MEANS APPROXIMATELY 32,000
CALIFORNIANS WILL BE DIAGNOSED
AND 4600 CALIFORNIA'S WILL DIE
EACH YEAR OF THIS DEVASTATING
DISEASE. SCIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT
POLYVINYL CHLORIDE, OR PVC, AND
THE CLASS OF PFAS CHEMICALS ARE
LINKED TO NUMEROUS HEALTH HARMS,
INCLUDING BREAST CANCER. PVC HAS
A VARIETY OF PACKAGING USES,
INCLUDING BLISTER PACKS,
CLAMSHELLS AND PLASTIC WRAPS.
NO, NO PLASTIC CREATES MORE
HARMFUL EXPOSURE FOR WORKERS,
COMMUNITIES, CONSUMERS AND THE
PLANET THAN THE LIFE CYCLE OF
PVC. AS A RESULT, MANY OF THE
WORLD'S MOST ICONIC COMPANIES
WALMART, COCA COLA, TARGET HAVE
SIGNED ON TO A PACT IDENTIFYING
PVC IN PACKAGING AS UNNECESSARY
AND PROBLEMATIC. LIKE PVC,
PRODUCTION USES NUMEROUS HIGHLY
TOXIC CHEMICALS, INCLUDING
DEADLY CHLORINE GAS AND THE
CARCINOGEN VINYL CHLORIDE. PVC
OFTEN INCLUDES CHEMICAL
ADDITIVES SUCH AS HORMONE
DISRUPTING PHTHALATES OR
BISPHENOLS, WHICH LEACH OUT OF
THE PACKAGING INTO PRODUCTS,
FOOD, AND THE ENVIRONMENT,
EXPOSING CONSUMERS BURNING PVC,
WHETHER IN INCINERATORS OR
LANDFILL FIRES, RELEASES HIGHLY
TOXIC AND CARCINOGENIC DIOXINS.
DISPOSING OF PVC IN LANDFILLS
ALSO RELEASES TOXIC CHEMICALS
INTO AIR AND WATER. GIVEN THESE
HARMS, WE SHOULD REDUCE PVC USE
WHEREVER POSSIBLE, INCLUDING IN
PACKAGING. AB 2761 WOULD ALSO
BAN PFAS FROM ALL PACKAGING.
THIS COMMITTEE HAS HEARD FOR
YEARS ABOUT THE TOXICITY OF PFAS
AND HAS ACTED TO BAN IT FROM
NUMEROUS PRODUCT CATEGORIES. AB
2761 WILL CONTINUE TO REDUCE
EXPOSURES. YOU WILL HEAR FROM
OPPOSITION THAT WE SHOULD LEAVE
PLASTICS TO SB 54, BUT SB 54 IS
ABOUT RECYCLING, NOT HEALTH, AND
WON'T FULLY REMOVE THESE HIGHLY
TOXIC SUBSTANCES FROM PACKAGING
ONLY BY PASSING 2761 WILL
CONSUMERS GET THE PROTECTION
THEY NEED AND DESERVE. I URGE
YOUR AYE VOTE. GOOD AFTERNOON,
MADAM CHAIR, AND MEMBERS, ROMAN
VOGELSANG, ON BEHALF OF REPUBLIC
SERVICES, FIRST, WE WANT TO TAKE
A SECOND TO THANK ASSEMBLYMEMBER
HART FOR BEING A CHAMPION ON
THIS ISSUE. AS STATED BY THE
AUTHOR, ASSEMBLY BILL 2761 TAKES
AN ESSENTIAL STEP FORWARD IN THE
STATE'S EFFORT TO ELIMINATE TWO
PARTICULARLY HARMFUL TYPES OF
PLASTIC PACKAGING THOSE
CONTAINING PFAS, PVC AND PVDC.
THE MANUFACTURING AND DISPOSAL
OF THESE TOXIC PLASTICS
REPRESENTS A SUBSTANTIAL THREAT
TO BOTH HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH. BY REMOVING THESE TOXIC
CHEMICALS AND PACKAGING, THE
BILL WILL REQUIRE THE USE OF
SAFER ALTERNATIVE AND ENCOURAGE
THE ADOPTION OF PACKAGING
PRACTICES THAT BETTER PROTECT
PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE
ENVIRONMENT. THESE PROBLEMATIC
PLASTICS ARE EITHER HAZARDOUS TO
HUMAN HEALTH, MAKE PLASTIC
PACKAGING HARD TO RECYCLE, OR
BOTH. PFAS, PVC, PVC, CARBON
BLACK AND MICROPLASTICS THAT
RESULT FROM THE BREAKDOWN OF
PLASTICS POSE THREATS TO HUMAN
HEALTH THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFE
CYCLE, FROM PRODUCTION TO
DISPOSAL. IN RECENT YEARS, THE
STATE IN RECENT YEARS, THE STATE
HAS MOVED TO ELIMINATE PFAS FROM
MULTIPLE PRODUCT CATEGORIES,
INCLUDING CLOTHING, TEXTILES,
PAPER BASED FOOD PACKAGING,
FIREFIGHTING FOAM AND CHILDREN'S
PRODUCTS. BECAUSE OF THE HEALTH
CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE
TOXIC FOREVER CHEMICALS,
REPUBLIC SERVICES HAS LONG
SUPPORTED SUCH EFFORTS TO KEEP
PFAS OUT OF THE SOLID WASTE
STREAM, AND WE DO SO AGAIN WITH
OUR SUPPORT OF AB 2761 AB 2761
PHASES OUT A SUBSET OF MATERIALS
THAT ARE THE MOST TOXIC OR POSE
THE GREATEST CHALLENGES TO
RECYCLING. LET'S KEEP THIS TOXIC
MATERIAL OUT OF THE WASTE
STREAM. WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST
YOUR AYE VOTE ON AB 2761. THANK
YOU. FIDGETING. LET'S DIÆN
PUFFIN. DO WE HAVE ANYONE FROM
THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO
COME FORWARD IN SUPPORT OF THE
BILL? BIANCA LOPEZ WITH VALLEY
IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR SOCIAL
AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, HOME
OF THE LAST INCINERATOR WERE
THIS PLASTIC COMES TO DIE AND
KILLS JULIE WEDGE, CALIFORNIA
CLEAN WATER. RETHINK, DIRECTOR.
CLEAN WATER IS A PROUD SPONSOR,
A CO-SPONSOR OF THIS BILL, AND
WE URGE YOUR SUPPORT. CRYSTAL
ARENAS REGISTERING SUPPORT FOR
BOTH CALIFORNIANS AGAINST WASTE
AND NRDC. BOTH ARE PROUD
CO-SPONSORS. AARON WOOLLEY, ON
BEHALF OF SIERRA CLUB
CALIFORNIA, AND SUPPORT LEAH
JONES ON BEHALF OF A VOICE FOR
CHOICE ADVOCACY AND FULL
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. PRISCILLA.
KUDOS HERE ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP
COUNCIL AND THE SOLID WASTE
ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA
LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE,
CALIFORNIA CHAPTERS IN SUPPORT.
KIRK WILBUR WITH THE CALIFORNIA
CATTLEMEN'S ASSOCIATION WERE
ACTUALLY NEUTRAL ON THIS BILL,
BUT I WANTED TO EXPRESS OUR
THANKS TO THE AUTHOR FOR TAKING
AMENDMENTS THAT ADDRESS SOME OF
THE CONCERNS WE HAD RAISED
RELATIVE TO POTENTIAL CONFLICTS
WITH FDA AND USDA REGULATIONS.
SO THANK YOU. REBECCA MARCUS,
REPRESENTING CALPIRG IN SUPPORT.
JUSTIN MALONE FOR HEAL THE BAY
IN SUPPORT BILL ALLIO
ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP IN
SUPPORT KAYLA ROBINSON ON BEHALF
OF RETHINK WASTE AND SUPPORT.
THANK YOU. SHE'S COME AT US
AGAINST IT I CAN ASSURE OKAY. DO
WE HAVE ANY WITNESSES IN
OPPOSITION? SHIFT ONE OVER. WELL
DONE. GOOD AFTERNOON. DON KOEPKE
WITH MCHUGH KOEPKE PEDRONI. ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
MANUFACTURERS AND TECHNOLOGY
ASSOCIATION, IN OPPOSITION TO AB
2761. AS YOU ALL KNOW, CMTA AND
A NUMBER OF OUR COLLEAGUE
ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE NGO
COMMUNITY WASTE AND RECYCLING
COMMUNITY, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
WHAT HAVE YOU PARTICIPATED IN A
PROCESS TO PASS ONE OF THE
GROUNDBREAKING, MOST LANDMARK
SINGLE USE PACKAGING AND
PLASTICS AND SINGLE USE FOOD
SERVICE WEAR LAWS IN THE COUNTRY
UNDER SB 54? THAT LAW CERTAINLY
COVERS THE FIELD HERE, AND AS
PART OF THOSE NEGOTIATIONS,
ÓRDENES THE ISSUES SUBJECT OF
THIS BILL, INCLUDING PVC, PVC
AND PFAS WERE DISCUSSED AS PART
OF A BROADER PLASTICS PACT
DISCUSSION, THÀNH AND
CONSIDERATION OF BANNING THOSE
MATERIALS WITHIN SB 54. HOWEVER,
AS PART OF THAT NEGOTIATION THAT
WAS ENTERED INTO IN GOOD FAITH
BY ALL STAKEHOLDERS, IT WAS
DECIDED THAT THE PROCESS WHICH
IS A VERY ROBUST PROCESS, WOULD
BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE
CONCERNS TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY
WERE NOT ADDRESSED VIA MEETING
VARIOUS RECYCLING RATES, DATES,
WHAT HAVE YOU. IT SHOULD ALSO BE
NOTED THAT WHILE SB 54 IS
CERTAINLY FIRST AND FOREMOST
FOCUSED ON RECYCLING AND
COMPOSTING OF THESE TYPES OF
MATERIALS, IT IS ALSO PAIRED
WITH SENATE BILL 343, ANOTHER
SENATOR ALLEN BILL THAT DOES
ADDRESS THE TOXICITY RELATED
ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS TYPE
OF PACKAGING. SO IT IS NOT
NECESSARILY FROM CMTA AND OUR
COLLEAGUES PERSPECTIVE THAT
THESE ISSUES ARE NOT
SUFFICIENTLY ADDRESSED WITHIN SB
54 SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT
WHILE YOU KNOW THERE ARE
CONCERNS ABOUT FROM THE
PROPONENTS PERSPECTIVE,
TOXICITY, IT SHOULD BE NOTED
THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
EXEMPTIONS INCLUDED WITHIN THE
BILL REGARDING SIZING ESSENTIAL
USES. AND SO OUR CONCERN AS IT
RELATES TO THIS, IT IS UNDOING
THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT,
INTERFERING WITH IMPLEMENTATION
OF SB 54 THAT IS IN RULEMAKING
NOW, NOT TO MENTION DOESN'T
SUFFICIENTLY ACCOUNT FOR A
VARIETY OF ESSENTIAL USES. I
WOULD ALSO JUST NOTE, WHILE
ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE HAS BEEN
INCLUDED AS RECENT AMENDMENTS
THAT SUGGEST NOT CONFLICTING
WITH FDA AND USDA REGULATIONS
AND LAWS TO BE CLEAR, FDA AND
USDA DO NOT TYPICALLY SPECIFY
THE EXACT MATERIALS THAT CAN BE
USED. RATHER THEY REVIEW THOSE
MATERIALS FOR SAFETY. FOR FOOD
SAFETY, SAFETY, ENSURING THAT
IT'S NOT CONTAMINATING THOSE
PRODUCTS AND APPROVES THOSE
APPLICATIONS, BUT DOES NOT
SPECIFY ACTUAL MATERIALS. SO IN
THAT REGARD, WHILE WE APPRECIATE
THE AVOIDANCE OF CONFLICTS, WE
DO NOT BELIEVE THAT SERVES AS AN
EXEMPTION FOR SOME OF THESE
ESSENTIAL USES, SUCH AS BLISTER
PACKS FOR OVER THE COUNTER DRUGS
FOR FOOD LIKE MEATS, WHAT HAVE
YOU FOR SHELF LIFE, FOOD SAFETY,
WHAT HAVE YOU. SO UNFORTUNATELY,
WE DO FIND OURSELVES OPPOSED AND
URGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS
BILL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
DENNIS ALBIANI WITH THE CONSUMER
BRANDS ASSOCIATION. I THINK WE
WANT TO FOCUS ON ONE OF THE,
MATERIALS THAT IS WOULD BE
BANNED BY THIS IS PVDC
POLYVINYLIDENE CHLORIDE. IT IS
DIFFERENT THAN PVC AND SO IT HAS
DIFFERENT PROPERTIES. IT IS AN
EXCELLENT, BEAR, PRODUCT FOR
PACKAGING OF FOOD BECAUSE IT
HAS, IT DOES NOT ALLOW FOR
PENETRATION OF OXYGEN. SO WE
TALKED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER
ABOUT HEALTH. WELL THIS IS FOR
FOOD SAFETY. IT'S USED PRIMARILY
IN MEATS, CHEESES AND ALSO
MEDICAL PRODUCTS TO KEEP THEM
SANITARY. SO THIS IS A AND IS A
FLEXIBLE PRODUCT WHICH PVC IS
NOT. AND SO IT HAS DIFFERENT
DIFFERENT CHEMICAL PROPERTIES.
IT DOES NOT IT ALSO DOES NOT
LEACH INTO THE FOOD. SO IT KEEPS
THE FOOD SAFE FROM THIS PRODUCT.
SO AGAIN THIS IS A VERY BROAD
BASED BILL. AND I THINK WE NEED
TO BE VERY CAREFUL ESPECIALLY
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BANNING
WHICH PRODUCTS YOU'RE LISTING
AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE
HANDLED. ALSO WITH THE
AFOREMENTIONED, LEGISLATION THAT
THAT REQUIRE EPR AND
STEWARDSHIP, THE FOLKS THAT PUT
THOSE INTO, INTO THE CHAIN OF
COMMERCE WILL HAVE TO BRING
THOSE BACK. AS THESE BILLS ARE
BEING IMPLEMENTED, WHICH, BY THE
WAY, ARE JUST BEING IMPLEMENTED
RIGHT NOW. THE VERY FIRST
COMMENTS ON THE REGULATIONS ARE
DUE RIGHT NOW. SO WE NEED TO
FIGURE OUT HOW THAT'S GOING TO
PLAY OUT. WE ARE GOING TO BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE PRODUCTS.
AND REALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT PVC,
SEE THE ONLY, ALTERNATIVE THAT'S
AVAILABLE IS GLASS. RIGHT NOW
GLASS HAS ITS OWN REGRETTABLE
SUBSTITUTION ELEMENTS AND THAT
IT'S VERY HEAVY. IT HAS MUCH
HIGHER CARBON OUTPUTS PER, PER
USE. AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO
BE VERY CAREFUL AND LOOK AT SOME
OF THE ASPECTS OF THE,
PROPERTIES THAT THIS IS BANNING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I WILL ASK IF, THERE ARE OTHERS
IN THE ROOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO
REGISTER THEIR OPPOSITION. YOUR
NAME, AFFILIATION AND THEIR
POSITION. PLEASE GOOD AFTERNOON,
CHAIR ADAM WRIGLEY WITH THE
CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
IN RESPECTFUL OPPOSITION. THANK
YOU. ALL FOR THE PERSONAL CARE
PRODUCTS COUNCIL. MY POSITION.
CHAIR AND MEMBERS TRICIA
GERINGER WITH AGRICULTURAL
COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA
RESPECTFULLY OPPOSE AND IDENTIFY
WITH THE COMMENTS BY MR. ALBIANI
. GOOD AFTERNOON. NORLAND
ASHBROOK WITH AXIOM ADVISORS,
REPRESENTING THE VINYL INSTITUTE
IN OPPOSITION. MARGIE LEE
SAMPSON ADVISORS, ON BEHALF OF
THE CALIFORNIA LEAGUE OF FOOD
PRODUCERS, IN OPPOSITION. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MEMBERS TIM CIZEK
WITH THE AMERICAN CHEMISTRY
COUNCIL ALSO IN OPPOSITION.
THANK YOU, KELLY LARUE, ON
BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN FOREST
AND PAPER ASSOCIATION, IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU, LAUREN
AGUILAR WITH THE FLEXIBLE
PACKAGING ASSOCIATION AND THE
AMERICAN AMERICAN AMERICAN ALSO
IN OPPOSITION, CHRIS QUIGLEY,
PLASTICS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION,
RESPECTFUL OPPOSITION. TAYLOR
OCEAN, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA GROCERS IN OPPOSITION
. CHAIR AND MEMBERS RJ CERVANTES
, ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN
CLEANING INSTITUTE. IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. OKAY.
THANK YOU. I'LL BRING THE MATTER
BACK TO THE DAIS AND QUESTIONS
AND COMMENTS. COLLEAGUES I WILL
ASK THE AUTHOR HIS, WITNESSES.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND TO ANY
OF THE COMMENTS MADE BY THE
OPPOSITION, NO. I JUST
RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN AYE
VOTE. OKAY. YOU DO HAVE A, I
RECOMMENDATION THIS WOULD GO TO,
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. AND IS
THERE A MOTION AT THE MOMENT? A
MOTION? IS THERE A SECOND
SECOND, A MOTION, A SECOND,
FINAL COMMENTS. ARE YOU CLOSED
ALL RIGHT. WE'LL CALL THE
QUESTION. THANK YOU. ITEM TEN AB
2761. HEART MOTION IS Dð PASS
AND RE REFER TO THE COMMITTEE ON
JUDICIARY. GARCIA. GARCIA I
HOOVER. CONNELLY. CONLEY I
MCKENNA. MCKINNON I PAPPIN
PAPPIN I REYES REYES I TO. YOU
HAVE FIVE VOTES OKAY. WE'LL
LEAVE THAT OPEN FOR OTHER
MEMBERS TO ADD ON. WE'LL GO TO
FILE NUMBER NINE. AB 2699.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER CARILLO
.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND
MEMBERS, I'M PROUD TO PRESENT AB
2699, WHICH WILL OFFER
REGULATORY CLARITY IN THE
CALIFORNIA ACCIDENTAL RELEASE
PROGRAM OR CAL ARP, WHILE ALSO
RAISING THE PENALTIES ON THOSE
WHO ENDANGER COMMUNITIES WHEN
THEY VIOLATE THE LAW. THE
CALIFORNIA ACCIDENTAL RELEASE
PROGRAM BEGAN IN THE LATE 1990S
AND IS INTENDED TO KEEP
SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES SAFE
FROM THE RELEASE OF HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS FROM FACILITIES THAT
HANDLE, USE, STORE OR
MANUFACTURE THEM IN LARGE
QUANTITIES. THE PROGRAM REQUIRES
THAT THESE FACILITIES HAVE A
RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN IN THE
EVENT OF A RELEASE, AND THAT IN
THE EVENT OF A RELEASE, THEY
ALSO INFORM THE STATE AND THE
UNIFIED PROGRAM. AGENCY
OFFICIALS AT THE LOCAL FIRE
DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY, SO THAT
APPROPRIATE MEASURES CAN BE
TAKEN AND NEEDED. INFORMATION
CAN BE GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC.
HOWEVER THE MAXIMUM DAILY FINE
FOR NONCOMPLIANCE WITH THE
CALIFORNIA ACCIDENTAL RELEASE
PROGRAM IS ONLY $5,000 FOR THESE
LARGER FACILITIES. AS A RESULT,
OUR FIRE OFFICIALS REPORT THAT
THERE HAS BEEN MULTIPLE
INSTANCES WHERE BAD ACTORS HAVE
DECIDED THAT THE COST OF THE
FINE IS SIMPLY LOW ENOUGH THAT
THEY'RE ABLE TO PAY IT, VERSUS
BEING RESPONSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THERE HAS BEEN NO NEED FOR A
PUBLICLY FOR A PUBLIC REPORT OR
RELEASE THAT COULD THREATEN THE
HEALTH AND SAFETY OF NEARBY
COMMUNITIES. THIS BILL WILL SET
A NEW MAXIMUM DAILY FINE OF
$20,000, OR 30,000, IF A
VIOLATION IS COMMITTED KNOWINGLY
IN LINE WITH FEDERAL AND OTHER
UNIFIED PROGRAM AGENCY IMPOSED
FINES. THIS BILL WILL ALSO MAKE
IT EASIER FOR COVERED ENTITIES
TO REMAIN IN COMPLIANCE BY
CLARIFYING THRESHOLDS OF WHEN
STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS NEED
TO BE NOTIFIED OF AN ACCIDENTAL
RELEASE. AS THE STATE WAS
DIRECTED TO DO SO. IN PAST
LEGISLATION TO BE CLEAR, THIS
BILL ISN'T ABOUT ASSESSING FINES
FOR A RELEASE ITSELF. IT'S ABOUT
ENSURING THAT THE PROPER STEPS
ARE FOLLOWED TO PROTECT THE
PUBLIC. WHEN ONE OCCURS HERE TO
TALK MORE ABOUT THE NEED FOR THE
BILL AND ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS THE COMMITTEE MAY
HAVE, IS JUSTIN MILAN WITH THE
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
ADMINISTRATORS. ADMINISTRATORS
ROYCE LONG, WITH THE RISK
MANAGEMENT AND PREVENTION
MANAGER WITH LA CITY FIRE. I'LL
LET OUR OTHER GUESTS INTRODUCE
THEMSELVES, MR. CHAIR JUSTIN
MILNE FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH ADMINISTRATORS. THANKS
AGAIN TO THE AUTHOR FOR BEING A
CHAMPION ON THIS. SHE'S REALLY
BEEN TAKING CARE OF HER
COMMUNITY, AND WE APPRECIATE
THAT. I WANT TO YIELD MOST OF MY
TIME TO THE TWO EXPERTS HERE,
BUT I JUST WANTED TO STRESS THAT
WE'RE TRYING TO DO THREE THINGS
REALLY QUICKLY. WE'RE TRYING TO
GET SOME REGULATIONS PASSED OFF
TO TEN YEARS. OHS HAS NOT DONE
IT IN TEN YEARS, AND THAT'S
GOING TO HELP BOTH THE REGULATED
COMMUNITY AND OURSELVES TO MAKE
SURE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE TO
RELEASE. SO THAT'S BEEN IN THE
WORKS SINCE 2014, WHEN WE
CO-SPONSORED LEGISLATION. SO
THAT'S THE MOST URGENT THING
ABOUT HERE. THE NEXT THING IS WE
WOULD LIKE TO TRANSFER THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS PART OF
THE COOPER PROGRAM TO CAL EPA
BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT THEIR
THEY'VE GOT THEIR HEAD ON THE
BALL. THEY KNOW THAT THIS HAS TO
BE DONE. I THINK THAT'S GOING TO
RELIEVE US OF THOSE ISSUES. AND
THEN TO BRING US UP TO SPEED. TO
ECHO FEDERAL AND OTHER STATE
LAWS BRING UP THESE WOEFULLY
INADEQUATE, PENALTIES. SO I
DEFER TO THE OTHER TWO TO
EXPLAIN WHY WE NEED TO DO THIS.
AND WHY IT'S SO URGENT TO HAVE
THE ENHANCED PENALTIES. THANK
YOU, HONORABLE CHAIR GARCIA AND
ASTM COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MY NAME
IS FRED CHUN WITH THE COOPER
FORUM REPRESENTING LOCAL HEALTH,
ENVIRONMENTAL AND FIRE AGENCIES.
THE HAZMAT DISCLOSURE PROGRAM
HAS BEEN AROUND, EXCUSE ME,
SINCE ITS INCEPTION OF AB 2185
OF 1985, HAS BEEN A PILLAR OF
THE FIRE SERVICE AND GETTING
CRITICAL INFORMATION, INCLUDING
MAPS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIAL
DATA, TO OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
ADDITIONALLY, RELEASE REPORTING
HAS BEEN A CORE FUNCTION OF THAT
SO THAT BUSINESSES REPORT SPILLS
AND RELEASES. SO WHEN THEY HAVE
A PROBLEM AT THEIR FACILITY,
THIS BILL WILL ASSIST BOTH
BUSINESSES AND REGULATORS IN
COMPLETING RELEASE REPORTING
REGULATIONS AND PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT WHEN
REPORTING IS NOT COMPLETED,
WHICH COULD BE A DETRIMENT TO
OUR COMMUNITIES. WE ARE
COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH ALL OF
OUR STAKEHOLDERS ON THIS BILL.
WE REQUEST FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR
AB 2699 HONORABLE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS, MY NAME IS ROYCE LONG.
I AM PRIVILEGED TO ADDRESS YOU
TODAY AS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE COOPER FORUM BOARD, STANDING
IN STAUNCH SUPPORT OF AB 2699.
THIS CRITICAL LEGISLATION IS A
PIVOTAL STEP TOWARDS ENSURING
THE SAFETY AND PROTECTION OF OUR
COMMUNITIES BY STRENGTHENING THE
OVERSIGHT AND REGULATION OF
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS FACILITIES.
THE BILL HOLDS VITAL
SIGNIFICANCE AS IT ADDRESSES
SEVERAL KEY AREAS THAT DEMAND
OUR ATTENTION. FIRSTLY IT IS
SIGNIFICANT INCREASES PENALTIES
FOR FAILURE TO REPORT RELEASES
OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.
FURTHERMORE, IT ALSO RAISES
PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS WITHIN
THE CALIFORNIA ACCIDENTAL
RELEASE PREVENTION PROGRAM. THIS
PROGRAM IS VITAL FOR MINIMIZING
THE RISK OF RELEASE INVOLVING
THE MOST DANGEROUS HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS, AND BY INCREASING
PENALTIES, WE ARE REINFORCING
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF COMPLIANCE
WITH ITS REGULATIONS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE CURRENT
PENALTIES IN BOTH PROGRAMS DO
NOT SERVE AS A DETERRENT TO
LARGER FACILITIES, THEREBY
MAKING ENFORCEMENT INEFFECTIVE
AND POTENTIALLY EXPOSING OUR
COMMUNITIES TO HAZARDOUS
SUBSTANCES. EQUALLY IMPORTANT,
THE BILL TRANSFERS THE
REGULATORY OVERSIGHT OF RELEASED
REPORTING FROM THE CALIFORNIA
OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES TO
THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY. THIS SHIFT
ENSURES THAT THE OVERSIGHT OF
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL RELEASES IS
UNDER THE PURVIEW OF AN AGENCY
WITH A SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE AND
EXPERTISE TO SUPPORT UNIFIED
PROGRAM AGENCIES. BY ENTRUSTING
CAL EPA WITH THIS
RESPONSIBILITY, WE CAN BE
CONFIDENT THAT OUR COMMUNITIES
WILL BE SAFEGUARDED WITH A
COMPREHENSIVE, ROBUST, AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY, SUPPORTED
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK. LASTLY, AB
2699 PROVIDES A MUCH NEEDED
MECHANISM TO ENCOURAGE THE
PROMULGATION OF AMENDED
REGULATIONS FOR SPILL REPORTING
BY FACILITATING THE DEVELOPMENT
OF REGULATIONS AND STATUTE. WE
CAN STRENGTHEN OUR RESPONSE
CAPABILITIES AND BE RESPONSIVE
TO INDUSTRY CONCERNS. I WAS JUST
MADE AWARE THIS MORNING THAT
UNITED FIREFIGHTERS OF LA CITY
ARE IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL. AND
IN CLOSING, ON BEHALF OF THE
COOPER FORUM BOARD, I IMPLORE
EACH OF YOU TO LEND YOUR
UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF AB 2699
AND TOGETHER, LET US REINFORCE
THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC SAFETY
AND THE PROTECTION OF OUR
ENVIRONMENT. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. I'LL ASK IF THERE
ARE ANY OTHER MEMBERS IN THE
AUDIENCE WISHING TO REGISTER
THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE MEASURE.
PLEASE COME FORWARD. THANK YOU,
MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS. DON KOEPKE
WITH MCHUGH KOEPKE PADRON, ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA COUNCIL
FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC
BALANCE. WHILE CB DOESN'T HAVE
AN OFFICIAL SUPPORT YET POSITION
AS OF YET, WE DO WANT TO CONVEY
VERY STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE
PROVISIONS LOOKING TO ADVANCE
THESE RELEASE REPORTING
REGULATIONS TO BEING FINALIZED
AS WAS MENTIONED BY MR. MULLEN,
OUR MEMBERS REGULATED COMMUNITY
IS ALSO VERY FRUSTRATED ABOUT
THE SIGNIFICANT DELAY IN HAVING
THOSE PUSHED ACROSS THE FINISH
LINE. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH THE AUTHOR AND THE
SPONSORS FURTHER ON SOME
ADDITIONAL REFINEMENTS. THANK
YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE?
OKAY. I'LL ASK IF, IS THERE
ANYONE GOING TO REGISTER
OPPOSITION? ANYONE TESTIFYING IN
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL? I SEE NO
ONE. OKAY OKAY. BRING THE MATTER
BACK TO THE DAIS AND QUESTIONS,
PLEASE. I WAS AT A PRESS
CONFERENCE THIS MORNING WITH THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL AND THEY'VE
TALKED ABOUT HOW SOME OF THESE
FINES THAT ARE IMPOSED ON
BUSINESSES THAT ARE BAD ACTORS,
BUSINESSES JUST THINK IT'S PART
OF BUSINESS. IT DOESN'T MEAN
ANYTHING TO THEM. AND I THINK IT
IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT THE
PENALTY MEAN SOMETHING AND THAT
IT, IT WHATEVER THE VIOLATION
IS, DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS AND
THE HARM THAT'S CAUSED BY THE
VIOLATION, I THINK THAT NEEDS TO
BE CONSIDERED. SO I APPRECIATE
THAT YOU ARE BRINGING THIS
FORWARD. WITH THAT. I WOULD MOVE
THE BILL. ALL RIGHT. I WILL
SECOND, THE BILL THERE IS A
MOTION AND A SECOND DOES HAVE A
DUE PASS RECOMMENDATION TO
JUDICIARY AND OTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS. SEE, NO ONE. WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CLOSE? THANK YOU, MR.
CHAIR, THIS BILL IS ABOUT
ENSURING THE RELEASE OF
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS THAT COULD
REQUIRE FIRST RESPONDERS AND THE
PUBLIC TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS IN
OUR COMMUNICATED TO STATE AND
LOCAL OFFICIALS AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE. I AM, HEARTILY AND
FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT THE
POTENTIAL SUPPORT AND GLAD TO BE
BRINGING FOLKS THAT
TRADITIONALLY MAY NOT SEE EYE TO
EYE, REALLY TO REALLY THINK
ABOUT THE WELL-BEING AND SAFETY
OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WHEN BAD
ACTORS PUT IT ON THEIR BOTTOM
LINE, THAT A $5,000 FEE IS WORTH
THE FEE. THEY'RE DOING SO ON THE
LIVELIHOODS AND ON THE BACKS OF
THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO RESPOND TO
A CALL. AND AT THE END OF THE
DAY, NO FEE IS OF THE SAME VALUE
AS A HUMAN LIFE. AND SO I JUST
WANT TO THANK OUR FIRST
RESPONDERS, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS
, AND ESPECIALLY TO OUR L.A.
CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR
LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THIS
POLICY. AND WITH THAT, I
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST AND I VOTE.
THANK YOU. PLEASE CALL THE
QUESTION. ITEM NINE. SORRY AB
2699 CARILLO. THE MOTION IS Dð.
PASS AND RE REFERRED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY. GARCIA
GARCIA I HOOVER. CONNELLY
CONNELLY I MCKENNA. PAPPIN
PAPPIN I REYES REYES I TO. WE
HAVE FOUR MEASURES. OKAY. WE'LL
LEAVE THAT OPEN FOR THE MEMBERS
TO ADD ON FILE NUMBER 12 AB
3004. AS A MEMBER, FONG. OKAY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR.
MEMBERS FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO
THANK YOUR CHIEF CONSULTANT FOR
ALL HIS TIME SHARING HIS
EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE ON THE
ISSUE. THE SAFE DRINKING WATER
AND TOXIC ENFORCED ACT, ALSO
KNOWN AS PROPOSITION 65, WAS
APPROVED BY VOTERS IN 1986 TO
MAKE CONSUMERS AWARE OF
POTENTIAL EXPOSURE TO HARMFUL
CHEMICALS KNOWN TO CAUSE CANCER
OR REPRODUCTIVE TOXICITY.
BUSINESSES COMPLY BY POSTING
SIGNS, DISTRIBUTING NOTICES, OR
LABELING A PRODUCT. I'M SURE
WE'VE ALL SEEN STICKERS OF
PROPOSITION 65 INSIDE A YELLOW
TRIANGLE ON PRODUCTS, WHETHER IN
A GROCERY STORE OR DEPARTMENT
STORE. VIOLATIONS MAY RESULT IN
A CIVIL PENALTY OF UP TO $2,500
PER DAY PER VIOLATION. THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL, PUBLIC
PROSECUTORS, AND PRIVATE
ENFORCERS ACTING IN THE PUBLIC
INTEREST MAY ENFORCE PROPOSITION
65 THROUGH A CIVIL ACTION. A
SIMILAR BILL, 3004, MAKES A FEW
MINOR CHANGES TO THE PROCESS FOR
NOTIFICATION OF AN ALLEGED
VIOLATION FIRST REQUIRES A LAB
REPORT SUBMITTED AS
DOCUMENTATION OF THE PRESENCE OF
A CHEMICAL TO INDICATE THE BRAND
NAME OF THE PRODUCT TESTED.
SECOND, REQUIRES A LAB TEST TO
HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED WITHIN A
YEAR OF THE NOTICE, AND THIRD,
REQUIRES THE ATTORNEY GENERAL,
WHEN COMMENTING ON THE
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT TO SHARE
THE COMMENT WITH ALL PARTIES.
THIS BILL WILL HELP TO ENSURE
THAT PROP 65 IS USED AS INTENDED
HERE, TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT IS
TIM SCHER, REPRESENTING THE
ASIAN FOOD TRADE ASSOCIATION.
HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME
IS TIMOTHY SCHER, AND AS MOST
IMMIGRANT FAMILIES, WE DIDN'T
COME HERE FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM
BUT TO ESCAPE WAR, POVERTY OR
PERSECUTION. HOWEVER THROUGH
HARD WORK, WE BUILT A HOME HERE.
OUR FAMILY AND ALSO OUR SMALL
BUSINESS. BUT THIS AMERICAN
DREAM IS BEING TORN APART. TODAY
WE PLEAD FOR YOUR SUPPORT ABOUT
AB 3004 AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF
ASIAN FRUIT TRADE, WE DISTRIBUTE
TO TENS AND THOUSANDS OF SMALL
OTHER BUSINESSES AROUND THE
UNITED STATES AND ALSO
CALIFORNIA. HOWEVER, WE DON'T
JUST IMPORT AND DISTRIBUTE FOOD.
WE ALSO PURCHASE AMERICAN FROM
AMERICAN PRODUCERS AND
MANUFACTURERS. WE FEED THE SAME
COMMUNITY THAT YOU SERVE. PROP
65 WAS CREATED TO PROTECT THE
CONSUMERS, TO THE RIGHT TO KNOW
ABOUT CHEMICALS IN WATER AND
PRODUCE. BUT AS A FEW LAWYERS,
BAD ACTORS ARE PREYING UPON THE
SMALL BUSINESS AND DEMANDING
CRAZY AMOUNTS OF FEES. HOWEVER,
WE BELIEVE THAT WITH AB 3004,
DEFENDANTS WILL HAVE THE RIGHT
TO LAB RESULTS AND DESERVE THE
INFORMATION WE NEED TO REVIEW TO
COMPARE AGAINST OUR OWN FDA
TESTED PRODUCTS. SO WE PLEAD FOR
YOU. AS I STATED EARLIER ABOUT
THE AMERICAN DREAM, PLEASE DO
NOT ALLOW A FEW LAWYERS TO
CONTINUALLY ABUSE PROP 65 AND
STEAL AWAY THE AMERICAN DREAMS
THAT WE BUILT HERE AS A FAMILY,
A HOME, AND OUR SMALL BUSINESS,
OUR SMALL BUSINESSES HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. ANY OTHER WITNESSES OR
ANY OTHER PEOPLE FROM THE PUBLIC
AND WANT TO EXPRESS SUPPORT?
IT'S IN BETWEEN. BILL ALLIO
ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP.
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OTHER
PEOPLE, NGOS AND THE STAFF OF
MR. FONG. WE APPRECIATE THE
COOPERATION AND BILL HAS BEEN
AMENDED. AND SO WE'RE ALL
STAYING NEUTRAL FOR THE TIME
BEING. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY
WITNESSES TO TESTIFY AGAINST THE
BILL? NO. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WANT TO COME FORWARD. OKAY,
GREAT. BRING IT BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE. ANY COMMENTS?
QUESTIONS MS. MOVE, BILL AND
I'LL SECOND. AND WITH THAT,
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE
ASSEMBLYMEMBER FONG THANK YOU SO
MUCH, COLLEAGUES AND MADAM
CHAIR, I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR
YOUR I VOTE. EXCELLENT. WE'LL
TAKE ROLL, PLEASE. ITEM 12 AB
3004 FOR MIKE FONG. THE MOTION
IS DO PASS AND RE REFER TO THE
COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY. GARCIA
HOOVER. CONNELLY CONNELLY I
MCKENNA I MCKIM I PAPIN I PAPIN
I REYES REYES I TO FOR YOUR
MEASURES PASSES. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THANK YOU THANK YOU SIR.
ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO
BACK TO ITEM NUMBER ONE AB 1798.
ASSEMBLY MEMBER PAPIN
.
YOU MAY BEGIN. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM
CHAIR, I'M HERE TO PRESENT WHAT
WE CALL THE SALMON ACT. SAVING
AQUATIC LIFE FROM MANUFACTURED
OXIDIZED NANO CHEMICALS,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE SALMON
ACT, SO THIS BILL WOULD REQUIRE
THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A
STRATEGY TO ELIMINATE A TOXIC
ADDITIVE THAT IS FOUND IN
VEHICLE TIRES, KNOWN AS SIX PD,
FROM STORMWATER FLOWING INTO
SALMON BEARING SURFACE WATERS,
SIX PD DASH C¯ HAS BEEN MEASURED
IN CALIFORNIA STREAMS AT
CONCENTRATIONS ABOVE THOSE SHOWN
TO KILL AT LEAST HALF OF THE
SALMON POPULATIONS IN LABORATORY
EXPERIMENTS. LOSS OF COHO SALMON
IN CALIFORNIA HAS A MAJOR
ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT
ON THIS STATE. NATIVE SALMON
SPECIES REPRESENT THE FOUNDATION
FOR CALIFORNIA'S $500 MILLION
FISHING INDUSTRY, AND THOUSANDS
OF FISHERIES RELY ON SALMON FOR
THEIR INCOME AND LIVELIHOODS.
FORTUNATELY BIOFILTRATION AND
BIORETENTION SYSTEMS, WHICH ARE
READILY AVAILABLE STORMWATER
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES EFFECTIVELY
TREAT THE RUNOFF OF SIX BPD IN
TERMS OF BOTH TOXIC CHEMICAL
EXPOSURE AND SALMON SPAWNER
SURVIVAL. WHILE AB 1798 DOES
ESSENTIALLY TWO THINGS ONE, IT
WILL MAP OUT WHERE SALMON AND
STEELHEAD BEARING WATERS CROSS
ROADWAYS. THE OTHER THING IT
WILL DO IS IT WILL TEST THE OR
STUDY THE FEASIBILITY AND COST
EFFECTIVENESS OF INSTALLING
BIOFILTRATION AND VOWEL
RETENTION SYSTEMS THROUGH A
PILOT PROGRAM IN FIVE DIFFERENT
COUNTIES TO BUILD A STRONG, SAFE
AND SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR
CALIFORNIA, WE MUST TAKE ACTION
TO PRESERVE THE HEALTH AND
SAFETY OF OUR AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
. SO WITH ME TO TESTIFY TODAY IN
SUPPORT OF THE BILL IS MR. CODY
PHILLIPS WITH THE CALIFORNIA
COASTKEEPER ALLIANCE. TAKE IT
AWAY, CODY. THANK YOU, GOOD
AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS CODY
PHILLIPS WITH CALIFORNIA
COASTKEEPER ALLIANCE, AS
ASSEMBLY MEMBER, PAPPIN NOTED,
SIX BPD IS USED IN EVERY MOTOR
VEHICLE TIRE ON THE ROAD AND IT
AND ITS TRANSFORMATION PRODUCT
SIX BPDC ARE LETHAL TO SALMON.
IT WORKS BY PENETRATING THE
BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER AND KILLING
THEM PRETTY SWIFTLY, AND
MICROPLASTIC TIRE PARTICLES ARE
EVERYWHERE. THEY ARE THE MOST
COMMON FORM OF MICROPLASTIC
POLLUTION IN THE SAN FRANCISCO
BAY. THIS IS A REAL ISSUE AND AS
ASSEMBLY MEMBER PAPPA NOTED,
LUCKILY, BIOFILTRATION IS
READILY AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW,
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE IS A REALLY
EFFECTIVE WAY AT DEALING WITH
NOT JUST SIX PD, BUT A WHOLE
HOST OF OTHER POLLUTANTS THAT
CALTRANS IS ALREADY RESPONSIBLE
FOR DEALING WITH THAT COME OFF
OF CARS LIKE HEAVY METALS, OILS,
GREASES, AND BIOFILTRATION IS
KIND OF SIMPLE. THINK JUST SAND,
CLAY, BIOCHAR. IT'S JUST A
FILTRATION SYSTEM WHERE YOU
DIRECT THE STORMWATER INTO AND
CLEAN WATER COMES OUT, THIS BILL
REALLY TRIES TO ACCOMPLISH THREE
THINGS, WHICH ARE THE WHERE,
HOW, AND WHEN OF IMPLEMENTING
THESE BIOFILTRATION SYSTEMS. SO
THE WHERE IS IT? ASKS CALTRANS
AND THE STATE WATER BOARD TO
IDENTIFY THE INTERSECTIONS OF
WHERE THE SALMON ARE, WHERE
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED ARE, AND
WHERE THEIR STORMWATER
DISCHARGES ARE? WHERE DO WE NEED
TO FOCUS THESE EFFORTS? THE HOW
IS TO DO THESE REGIONAL PROGRAMS
TO FIGURE OUT NOT THAT
BIOFILTRATION WORKS, BUT WHAT'S
THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE WAY OF
MAKING THIS BIOFILTRATION WORK?
AND THEN THE ONE IS TO DEVELOP A
STRATEGY OVER TIME TO EVENTUALLY
INCORPORATE THIS INTO THE
EXISTING CLEAN WATER FRAMEWORK
THAT NOT JUST CALTRANS, BUT
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE ALREADY
RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING, THIS
INFORMATION IS ALSO TRYING TO
HELP THE STATE WATER BOARD
INCORPORATE THIS INTO THEIR
CALTRANS STORMWATER PERMIT. A
PERMIT THAT CALTRANS ALREADY HAS
TO ABIDE BY. BUT THIS DATA WILL
HELP THE STATE WATER BOARD
REALLY REQUIRE MORE SPECIFIC
THINGS TO DEAL WITH THIS
POLLUTANT, FINALLY, TO ZOOM OUT
ON A LARGER ISSUE, SIX BPD IS A
REALLY PRESSING CONCERN FOR THE
STATE'S SALMON POPULATION, AND
CALIFORNIA HAS TAKEN MASSIVE
STRIDES RECENTLY TO TRY TO
MITIGATE THE IMPACT THAT WE
HAVE. BUT, YOU KNOW, SALMON ARE
IN DIRE CONDITIONS, LAST YEAR
THE SALMON SEASON CLOSED. THIS
YEAR, IT'S LOOKING LIKE IT'S
GOING TO CLOSE AGAIN, AND
RECENTLY CALIFORNIA APPROPRIATED
ABOUT $50 MILLION FOR PROJECTS
TO HELP SALMON. BUT EVEN IN THE
GOVERNOR NEWSOM SALMON STRATEGY,
SIX BPD WASN'T MENTIONED AT ALL.
IT'S KIND OF FLYING UNDER THE
RADAR. AND IF WE DON'T ADDRESS
IT NOW, IT HAS A SERIOUS CHANCE
TO UNDERMINE ALL THE INVESTMENTS
AND EFFORTS WE'VE ALREADY MADE
IN TRYING TO BRING SALMON BACK
FROM THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION, SO
IN CLOSING, THIS BILL PROVIDES A
SYSTEMATIC WAY OF INCORPORATING
SIX PBD MITIGATION INTO THE
STATE'S EXISTING CLEAN WATER
FRAMEWORK, AND DOES SO IN A WAY
THAT PROVIDES A HOST OF OTHER
CLEAN WATER CO-BENEFITS. AND I
URGE YOUR AYE VOTE ON AB 1798,
THE SALMON ACT. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. ANY OTHERS? PLEASE LINE UP.
GIVE US YOUR NAME, YOUR
ORGANIZATION AND YOUR POSITION.
THANK YOU. DON KOEPKE, ON BEHALF
OF THE CALIFORNIA COUNCIL FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC
BALANCE AND SUPPORT. JUSTIN
LONDON IN SUPPORT HEAL THE BAY.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. MATT.
EXCUSE ME. MATT ROBINSON, WITH
ANTHONY SCHMELZER AND L®NG, ON
BEHALF OF THE SAN MATEO CITY
COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF
GOVERNMENTS, WE WERE PLEASED TO
SUPPORT THIS EFFORT. LAST YEAR
AND AGAIN, BACK IN SUPPORT.
THANK YOU, KAYLA ROBINSON, ON
BEHALF OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL
PARK DISTRICT AND SUPPORT, THANK
YOU. ALEX LU N, ON BEHALF OF THE
DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE,
CALIFORNIA TROUT IN THE PLANNING
CONSERVATION LEAGUE AND STRONG
SUPPORT MAHI CLEANERS FOR
CASE.ORG SUPPORT. AARON WILLIAM
WITH SIERRA CLUB CALIFORNIA AND
ALSO ON BEHALF OF ENVIRO VOTERS
AND SUPPORT JULIE WEDGE,
CALIFORNIA RETHINK DIRECTOR FOR
CLEAN WATER ACTION IS IN SUPPORT
. DO WE HAVE ANYONE IN
OPPOSITION OF AB 1798? IF SO,
PLEASE COME FORWARD. SEEING NO
ONE, LET'S. MR. MR. CONNOLLY
MOVES SECOND. SECOND BY MISS
MCKENNA. LET'S BRING IT BACK TO
THE COMMITTEE. ANY COMMENTS?
QUESTIONS WELL, ON BEHALF OF THE
COMMITTEE, THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING THIS BILL FORWARD AND
FOR TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION
THE IMPACTS THAT THESE
CONTAMINANTS HAVE ON NATIVE
AMERICAN TRIBES THAT VALUE THESE
FISH FOR THEIR FOOD AND CULTURAL
SIGNIFICANCE. THE CHAIR
RECOMMENDS AN AYE VOTE, WE HAVE
A MOTION AND A SECOND. WOULD YOU
LIKE TO CLOSE? YES. THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR. THIS BILL FIRES ON
ALL CYLINDERS IN SO MANY WAYS.
IT DEALS WITH CALTRANS. IT'S
GOING TO HAVE TO PUT IN
BIOFILTRATION SYSTEMS OF SOME
SORT ANYWAY. AND YET IT CLEANS
UP WATER FOR OUR SALMON. HELPS.
AS YOU MENTIONED, NATIVE TRIBES
AND THEIR DEPENDANCE ON SALMON
AS WELL AS MANY, MANY FISHERIES
IN A $500 MILLION INDUSTRY. SO I
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST AND I VOTE.
WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU
TAKE ROLL? THIS MOTION IS Dð
PASS TO APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
, ITEM ONE AB 1798 PAPIN. THE
MOTION IS DUE PASS AND RE
REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
APPROPRIATIONS. GARCIA. HOOVER.
CONNOL LEE. CONNELLY I MCKINLEY.
MCKENNA I PAPIN. I PAPIN I REYES
I REYES I TO SO WE HAVE FOUR
VOTES MEASURE PASSES. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT, MISS PAPIN,
YOU HAVE A SECOND BILL. ITEM
NUMBER FIVE, AB 2515. THANK YOU,
MADAM CHAIR. I'D LIKE TO START
BY THANKING THE COMMITTEE.
STAFF, FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS
BILL. AND WELCOME MY WITNESSES.
I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT A BILL
THAT IS A PERSONAL IMPORTANCE TO
ME. AB 2515, KNOWN AS THE TAMPON
ACT. THIS BILL WILL REQUIRE THE
IMMEDIATE REMOVAL OF
INTENTIONALLY ADDED PFAS FROM
MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS AND SET A
THRESHOLD OF TEN PARTS PER
MILLION FOR UNINTENTIONALLY
ADDED PFAS. WE'VE SEEN MULTIPLE
BILLS COME THROUGH THE
LEGISLATURE AND EVEN SOME HERE
TODAY THAT ADDRESS PFAS AND IN
VARIOUS PRODUCTS, AND FOR GOOD
REASON. AS WE'VE HEARD MANY
TIMES, EVEN TODAY, THESE ARE
FOREVER CHEMICALS. THEY'RE
UBIQUITOUS AND THEY CAUSE SEVERE
HEALTH PROBLEMS, INCLUDING
HORMONE AND IMMUNE SYSTEM
DISRUPTION, KIDNEY AND LIVER
DAMAGE, AND, OF COURSE, CANCER.
HOWEVER, I'M HERE TO MAKE THE
CASE THAT THIS BILL, AS IT
PERTAINS TO PFAS AND METRO
PRODUCTS, IS DIFFERENT. THESE
PRODUCTS ARE USED IN THE MOST
INTIMATE WAY POSSIBLE AND IN AN
AREA OF THE BODY THAT IS
DELICATE AND HIGHLY VASCULAR,
BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THESE
PRODUCTS, ANY HUMAN THAT HAS A
UTERUS, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH 51%
OF THE POPULATION, MUST USE
THESE PRODUCTS FOR 3 TO 7 DAYS
OUT OF EVERY MONTH FOR ABOUT 40
YEARS OF THEIR LIVES. IMAGINE
THE DAMAGE THAT CAN BE DONE FOR
SUCH AN INTIMATE USE AND
REPEATED EXPOSURE. AB 2515 IS A
REINTRODUCTION OF A SIMILAR BILL
I CARRIED LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS
AB 246. IT MADE TO THE MADE IT
TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK. AND FOR
THE LIFE OF ME I CAN'T FIGURE
OUT WHY IT WAS VETOED, BUT
NONETHELESS I READ THE VETO
MESSAGE AND WE'VE TRIED TO
ADDRESS THE GOVERNOR'S CONCERNS,
AND THAT IS THE AMENDMENTS. TAKE
INTO ACCOUNT THE AMENDMENTS THAT
ARE, THAT IS EXCUSE ME, THE WE
READ THE VETO MESSAGE AND IT IS
THAT IT ASKS THAT WE WORK WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF TOXIC
SUBSTANCE CONTROL. SO THAT'S
WHAT OUR BILL HAS DONE SO THAT
IT HAS A DEFINED REGULATORY
AGENCY TO ENFORCE ANY VIOLATIONS
OF THE BILL OR THE ULTIMATE LAW
AMENDMENTS THAT WENT INTO PRINT
ON APRIL 1ST, WHICH WE WORKED ON
WITH COMMITTEE STAFF. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
TOXIC SUBSTANCE CONTROL BETTER
ALIGNED THE BILL WITH WHAT THE
DEPARTMENT DOES. AND ITS
EXISTING REGULATORY FRAMEWORK SO
THAT THEY CAN TAKE IT ON IN WAYS
THAT THEY, OR METHODS WITHIN
WHICH THEY MAY NORMALLY ACT. SO
I'VE ALSO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE
OPPOSITION TO ADDRESS THEIR
CONCERNS. WE'VE HAD GOOD
CONVERSATIONS. I HAVE PRESENTED
AMENDMENTS TO THE OPPOSITION,
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT
THOSE ARE IN THE MIDST OF BEING
REVIEWED BY THE OPPOSITION. SO
WE'LL MAKE THE BILL EVEN BETTER
THAN IT IS TODAY. SO WITH ME
TODAY, I HAVE TWO WONDERFUL
WITNESSES. FIRST, I'LL TURN IT
OVER TO MEGAN SUBERS,
REPRESENTING THE PROFESSIONAL
FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE,
MEGAN SUPERS, ON BEHALF OF THE
CALIFORNIA PROFESSIONAL
FIREFIGHTERS, PLEASED TO BE IN
SUPPORT TODAY. JUST THIS
AFTERNOON, YOU WERE ABLE TO HEAR
FROM ONE OF MY MEMBERS ABOUT HIS
REPEATED EXPOSURE TO PFAS IN HIS
TURNOUTS THAT HE HAS TO WEAR ON
THE JOB. AND WE BELIEVE THAT
THIS BILL, WHILE ALSO AIMING TO
PROTECT WOMEN'S HEALTH, WILL
HAVE WIDE SWEEPING IMPACTS ON
THE POPULATION JUST BECAUSE OF
THE REPEATED EXPOSURE THAT
INDIVIDUALS WHO USE MENSTRUAL
PRODUCTS WILL BE, LIMITED.
SHOULD THIS BILL GO THROUGH AND
BE SIGNED? WE KNOW THAT REPEATED
EXPOSURE TO PFAS IS LINKED TO
THINGS LIKE CANCER, LIVER
DISEASE, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
ISSUES FOR MEN, MEN AND WOMEN,
AND SO WE ARE IN FULL SUPPORT OF
THIS BILL AND ASK FOR YOUR
SUPPORT TODAY. THANK YOU. AND MY
NEXT WITNESS, IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME
TO INTRODUCE YOU AND THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE. THIS IS DOCTOR
RYAN SPENCER, WHO IS WITH THE
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OBSTETRICS,
OBSTETRICS, OBSTETRICS,
POLITICIANS, YOU KNOW, OBGYN.
THERE YOU GO. I'M WELL AWARE AND
FAMILIAR WITH THIS WORD.
OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY. THANK
YOU. ALTHOUGH I'M NOT A
PHYSICIAN, I JUST PLAY ONE FOR
ANY OF YOU GUYS. SO RYAN
SPENCER, BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN
COLLEGE OF OBSTETRICIANS AND
GYNECOLOGISTS, ACOG AND SUPPORT
OF AB 2515, ACOG HAS LONG
EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT THE
EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO
ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICALS,
INCLUDING PFAS, THE FOREVER
CHEMICAL, TO WOMEN AND BIRTHING
INDIVIDUALS. THE PRESENCE OF
THESE SUBSTANCES AND PRODUCTS
USED IN SUCH CLOSE PROXIMITY TO
HIGHLY ABSORBENT VAGINAL TISSUE
LIKE MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS IS
CONCERNING. RESEARCH HAS LINKED
PFAS EXPOSURE TO SEVERAL HEALTH
ISSUES, INCLUDING CANCER,
ENDOCRINE DISRUPTION, IMMUNE
SYSTEM HARM AND REPRODUCTIVE
DIFFICULTIES. THE DIRECT AND
PROLONGED CONTACT, AS THE
AUTHORS MENTIONED, OF MENSTRUAL
PRODUCTS WITH THE BODY, RAISES
SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS ABOUT THE
POTENTIAL FOR INCREASED EXPOSURE
TO THESE HARMFUL CHEMICALS. THE
VAGINAL MUCOSA IS HIGHLY
PERMEABLE, AND SUBSTANCES THAT
COME INTO CONTACT WITH IT CAN BE
ABSORBED INTO THE BLOODSTREAM AT
HIGHER RATE THAN OTHER ROUTES OF
ROUTES OF EXPOSURE. THIS UNIQUE
ASPECT OF MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS USE
EXACERBATES THE POTENTIAL HEALTH
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH PFAS.
MOREOVER, THE ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT OF PFAS DUE TO THEIR
PERSISTENCE IN ENVIRONMENT AND
ACCUMULATION IN HUMAN BODY,
WARRANTS URGENT ACTION BY
RESTRICTING PFAS IN MENSTRUAL
PRODUCTS. WE CAN REDUCE
ENVIRONMENTAL BURDEN OF THESE
CHEMICALS AND PROTECT PUBLIC
HEALTH. THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION.
I ASK FOR YOUR VOTE. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE WANTING
TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINION? PLEASE
NAME, ORGANIZATION AND POSITION.
ABBY ALVAREZ WITH THE PESTICIDE
ACTION NETWORK. BIANCA LOPEZ
WITH VALLEY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
IN SUPPORT. KAYLA ROBINSON ON
BEHALF OF BREAST CANCER
PREVENTION PARTNERS IN SUPPORT
MICHELLE DURAN, WOOLFALK WITH
THE CALIFORNIA COMMISSION ON THE
STATUS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN
STRONG SUPPORT. ALEX LOOMER JUST
AS A WOMAN WITH A UTERUS AND
STRONG SUPPORT. LEAH JONES ON
BEHALF OF A VOICE FOR CHOICE
ADVOCACY AND FULL SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. AARON WOOLLEY WITH SIERRA
CLUB CALIFORNIA. AND ALSO ON
BEHALF OF ENVIRO VOTERS AND
SUPPORT. MAHE INTERACT CLEANERS
FOR KIDS. ORG SUPPORT AND ALSO
SUPPORTING THIS BILL AFFECTS
NORTH COUNTY EQUALITY, EQUITY
AND JUSTICE INTERFACE
CORRELATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE AND CC C A GRANDPARENTS
IN ACTION AND MOMS. JULIE WEDGE
I'M STILL WITH RETHINK
DISPOSABLE AND CLEAN WATER
ACTION SUPPORTS THIS BILL. THANK
YOU. DO WE HAVE ANYONE IN
OPPOSITION? PLEASE STEP FORWARD.
SIT HERE. WHY DON'T YOU COME
RIGHT HERE? ALL RIGHT. FOUR
MINUTES. PLEASE PROCEED. THANK
YOU. DAWN KOEPKE, ON BEHALF OF
THE CALIFORNIA MANUFACTURERS AND
TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION, IN
REGRETFUL OPPOSITION TO THE
CURRENT VERSION OF THE BILL, I
WAS CERTAINLY, AS THE AUTHORS
INDICATED, SHE HAS PROVIDED US
SOME AMENDMENTS. WE APPRECIATE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO
WORK ON THE BILL. WE ARE
REVIEWING THOSE CURRENTLY. IN
THE MEANTIME, IN TERMS OF THE
CURRENT VERSION OF THE BILL,
CMTA AND ITS MEMBERS DO FIND
THEMSELVES REGRETTABLY OPPOSED.
ALL THAT SAID TO BE VERY CLEAR,
CMTA MEMBERS DO NOT
INTENTIONALLY ADD PFAS CHEMICALS
TO MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS. WHAT SO
EVER FOR ANY PURPOSE, ANY
SITUATION WHERE THERE MAY BE
PFAS IN THESE PRODUCTS IS A
RESULT OF TRACE CONTAMINATION
THAT MAY OCCUR EVERY ALONG THE
SUPPLY CHAIN, WHETHER THAT'S IN
SOURCING THE RAW MATERIALS,
PERHAPS PICKING UP SOME OF IT
THROUGH THE MANUFACTURING AND
PACKAGING PROCESS, MUCH LESS
THROUGH DISTRIBUTION AND INTO
RETAIL SALE. SO TO BE CLEAR AS
AS AN OVERARCHING MATTER, CMTA
AND ITS MEMBERS DO NOT OPPOSE
THE OVERARCHING GOAL AND PREMISE
OF THE BILL. THE CONCERNS THAT
WE HAVE REALLY ULTIMATELY RELY
IN THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE
BILL RELATED TO PRIVATE RIGHT OF
ACTION AND PUNITIVE DAMAGES, AS
WELL AS A LACK OF CLARITY
REGARDING WHAT CONSTITUTES THE
SCOPE OF A VIOLATION. SO WHEN
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PRIVATE
RIGHT OF ACTION AND PUNITIVE
DAMAGES, WHICH IS CERTAINLY
SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN A KEY PART
OF THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
AUTHOR. AND TO THE EXTENT THAT
THOSE WERE REMOVED AND WE WERE
ABLE TO WORK THROUGH SOME OF THE
SCOPE OF VIOLATION IN DETAILS TO
BETTER UNDERSTAND IF A BOX OF
TAMPONS ONE TAMPON, PERHAPS
SPIKES AT 11 P.M. OF
UNINTENTIONALLY ADDED TRACE
CONTAMINATION THÀNH IS THAT A
VIOLATION JUST WITH THAT ONE? IS
IT THE ENTIRE BOX? IS IT ALL
TAMPONS IN THAT SUPPLY CHAIN?
WHAT HAVE YOU JUST LOOKING FOR
CLARITY ON THAT. ALL THAT SAID,
YOU KNOW, WE DO APPRECIATE THE
ONGOING OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH
THE AUTHOR AND CERTAINLY ARE
HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO
REMOVE OUR OPPOSITION IN DUE
TIME WITH THE REMOVAL OF PRIVATE
RIGHT OF ACTION, PUNITIVE
DAMAGES AND ADDRESSING THE SCOPE
OF VIOLATION ISSUE. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, CHAIR AND
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE. MY
NAME IS LAUREN AGUILAR, AND
TODAY I'M REPRESENTING BHP,
WHICH IS THE CENTER FOR BABY AND
ADULT HYGIENE PRODUCTS. WE ARE
THE TRADE ASSOCIATION THAT
REPRESENTS THE ABSORBENT HYGIENE
PRODUCTS VALUE CHAIN IN THE
UNITED STATES. AND WE SUPPORT
THE SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF
MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS, BABY DIAPERS
AND ADULT INCONTINENCE PRODUCTS.
OUR MEMBERS REPRESENT OVER 85%
OF THE MARKET FOR PERSONAL
ABSORBENT HYGIENE PRODUCTS IN
NORTH AMERICA, AND PROVIDE MORE
THAN 10,000 DIRECT JOBS IN
ABSORBENT HYGIENE MANUFACTURING.
UNFORTUNATELY, TODAY WE ARE ALSO
TESTIFYING IN OPPOSITION TO AB
2515, BUT HAVE BEEN HAVING LOTS
OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
AUTHOR'S OFFICE. WE FULLY AGREE
WITH AND SUPPORT THE INTENT OF
THE BILL, AS OUR MEMBERS DO NOT
INTENTIONALLY ADD PFAS TO THEIR
MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS SETTING SUCH
A LOW THRESHOLD FOR
UNINTENTIONALLY ADDED PFAS IS
CONCERNING. GIVEN THE
PERVASIVENESS OF PFAS IN THE
ENVIRONMENT AND THE POTENTIAL
FOR CONTAMINATION THROUGHOUT THE
SUPPLY CHAIN, INCLUDING THE
DISTRIBUTION OF THE FINAL
PRODUCT TO A RETAILER'S SHELF.
THE CHALLENGE OF AN
UNINTENTIONAL PFAS
CONTAMINATIONS IS THAT IT MAY
EXTEND BEYOND WHAT A
MANUFACTURER CAN CONTROL. THE
SAFETY OF CONSUMERS USING
MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS IS OUR TOP
PRIORITY, SO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS
MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS UNDERGO A
THOROUGH SAFETY ASSESSMENT.
BWP'S MANUFACTURERS CAREFULLY
SELECT THE RAW MATERIALS BASED
ON QUALITY, AND A SAFETY
EVALUATION IS CONDUCTED BEFORE
THEY ARE USED IN MENSTRUAL
PRODUCTS. OUR MANUFACTURING
FACILITIES UNDERGO RIGOROUS
INSPECTIONS, ALL OF WHICH ARE IN
LINE WITH FDA STANDARDS AND THE
GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE
GUIDELINES TO ENSURE THE QUALITY
AND SAFETY OF BOTH THE RAW INPUT
MATERIALS AND THE FINISHED
CONSUMER PRODUCT. WE LOOK
FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR
CONVERSATION WITH THE AUTHOR'S
OFFICE AND STAKEHOLDERS TO
CONTINUE TO PROTECT THE SAFE USE
OF MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS. THANK YOU
, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER WITNESSES
OR ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO VOICE
THEIR OPINION AGAINST THIS ITEM
WITH THE CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE, I WANT TO THANK THE
AUTHOR. WE'RE AWARE OF
AMENDMENTS. OUR OPPOSITION, LIKE
THE OPPOSITION TESTIMONY, WAS
ONLY ON THE ENFORCEMENT, NOT THE
INTENT OF THE BILL. OUR MEMBERS
DO NOT ADD PFAS TO THESE
PRODUCTS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH THE AUTHOR. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU. ANY OTHERS
SEEING NONE. LET'S BRING IT BACK
TO THE COMMITTEE. WE HAVE A
MOTION BY MR. CONNELLY. YEAH.
YES SORRY, JUST ONE COMMENT. I
JUST WANT TO THANK THE AUTHOR
FOR BRINGING THE BILL, CERTAINLY
WANT TO SUPPORT THIS. I BELIEVE
I SUPPORTED A VERSION OF THIS
LAST YEAR, BUT BUT, YOU KNOW,
HOPING THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THE
CONCERNS OF THE OPPOSITION PRIOR
TO THAT. THANKS IF I MAY
RESPOND, JUST AS IT RELATES TO
THE UNINTENTIONAL, WHICH IS PART
OF THE OPPOSITION YOU HEARD
TODAY, THE ENFORCEMENT STUFF.
WE'VE PROVIDED LANGUAGE ON. BUT
LET ME JUST ADDRESS THAT, IF I
MAY, THE UNINTENTIONAL WE HAVE
PROVIDED IN THE BILL THAT IT
DOES NOT KICK IN UNTIL 2027. SO
IT GIVES MANUFACTURERS SOME TIME
TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THEIR
SUPPLY CHAIN AND TRY TO FIND OUT
WHERE STRAINS COULD BE COMING
FROM. AND THEN THE SECOND PART
OF THAT IS GOING AS LOW AS TEN
PARTS PER MILLION. AND THE
REASON WHY WE CHOSE TEN PARTS
PER MILLION IS BECAUSE IS THAT
IS AS LOW AS YOU CAN GO AND
STILL HAVE RELIABLE TEST
RESULTS. IT IS ALSO THAT IT
MIRRORS LEVELS THAT WERE
IMPLEMENTED IN THE EUROPEAN
UNION, TEN PARTS PER MILLION.
AND FINALLY, I WOULD ADD THAT,
YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL EPA HAS
DETERMINED THAT THE ACCEPTABLE
LEVEL OF PFAS IN WATER, DRINKING
WATER IS 0.02 PARTS PER TRILLION
. SO THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF
HOW SMALL IT MUST BE AND STILL
BE TOXIC. NOTWITHSTANDING THAT,
BECAUSE IT MAY BE UNINTENTIONAL
AND DIFFICULT TO TRACE, WE DID
INCLUDE IT TO BE TEN PARTS PER
MILLION. WE THINK THAT'S A
REASONABLE LEVEL. PLUS, GIVEN
THE PHASE IN TO 2027. WE ALSO
THOUGHT THAT WAS REASONABLE. BUT
WITH RESPECT TO THE ENFORCEMENT,
WE HAVE PROVIDED A AMENDING
LANGUAGE AND WE THINK WE'LL
PROBABLY GET THERE AT LEAST I'M
OPTIMISTIC WE'LL GET THERE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A
MOTION BY MR. CONNELLY. I WILL
SECOND ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. LET'S, WE
HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE? I JUST
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
RESPECTFULLY REQUEST. AND I VOTE
ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT BILL
INVOLVING A VERY INTIMATE USE OF
PFAS. THANK YOU. AND THE CHAIR
DOES ASK THAT. HE SAYS THANK YOU
FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD AND TO
PLEASE KEEP THE COMMITTEE AND
HIMSELF INFORMED AS THE BILL
MOVES THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE
PROCESS, THERE'S A
RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CHAIR OF
AN I VOTE. PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL,
ITEM FIVE AB 2550 TÍNH PAPIN.
THE MOTION IS Dð PASS AND RE
REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
JUDICIARY. GARCIA HOOVER NOT
VOTING. HOOVER. NOT VOTING.
CONNOLLY. CONNOLLY AYE. MCKENNA.
PAPIN. AYE PAPIN. AYE. REYES.
AYE. REYES AYE. TO. OKAY. WE'LL
LEAVE THE ROLE OPEN. THANK YOU.
NO PROBLEM.
THANK YOU. OUR LAST BILL IS
GOING TO BE. LET'S SEE. IS IT
1864? YEAH. AB 1864 CONNOL LEE,
WELCOME. YOU'RE ALREADY HERE,
BUT WELCOME. APPRECIATE IT. DID
WE ALREADY DO? FRIEDMAN. YES
OKAY, I BELIEVE SO I THINK I
THINK THIS IS IT. GREAT AND
WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. THANK
YOU. CHAIR AND MEMBERS, WE'D
LIKE TO BEGIN BY THANKING THE
COMMITTEE AND STAFF FOR THEIR
WORK AND INPUT ON THE BILL.
CHILDREN ATTENDING PUBLIC
SCHOOLS AND DAYCARES IN
CALIFORNIA ARE INTENDED TO BE
PROTECTED BY A REGULATION THAT
RESTRICTS THE MOST DRIFT PRONE
AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDE
APPLICATIONS DURING THE SCHOOL
DAY, FROM 6 A.M. TO 6 P.M,
MONDAY TO FRIDAY. IN PRACTICE,
THIS REGULATION IS OFTEN
UNENFORCEABLE. WHILE NOTICE OF
INTENT WILL CALL. THOSE NOTICE
MUST BE SUBMITTED TO COUNTY
AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONERS. CÁC
THAT'S THE LAST ACRONYM BEFORE
USING PESTICIDES THAT ARE
CLASSIFIED AS RESTRICTED
MATERIAL AND MUST INCLUDE THE
METHOD OF APPLICATION. OFTEN THE
INFORMATION PROVIDED ISN'T
SPECIFIC ENOUGH TO DETERMINE
WHETHER OR NOT THE METHOD
TRIGGERS SCHOOL REGULATIONS. FOR
EXAMPLE, IF THE APPLICATION
METHOD LISTED ON THE NÓI IS
GROUND, IT'S UNCLEAR WHETHER
THAT MEANS A GROUND RIG SPRAYER
WHICH HAS A DISTANCE RESTRICTION
OR A HAND PUMP SPRAYER WHICH
DOES NOT. FURTHER, THE EXACT
LOCATION OF APPLICATIONS CANNOT
BE VERIFIED UNDER CURRENT
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. AN EXACT
START AND END TIMES ARE OFTEN
INACCURATELY REPORTED TO ADDRESS
THESE BARRIERS. AB 1864 WOULD
REQUIRE CAC TO REQUIRE AN NÓI
FOR ALL APPLICATIONS RESTRICTED
OR UNRESTRICTED, THAT ARE WITHIN
A QUARTER MILE OF SCHOOL SITES,
AND THAT USE AN APPLICATION
METHOD RESTRICTED BY SCHOOL
REGULATION. FANS OF THE MORE
THAN 1000 PESTICIDE ACTIVE
INGREDIENTS REGISTERED FOR USE
IN CALIFORNIA, JUST 52 ARE
CLASSIFIED AS RESTRICTED
MATERIALS. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE
OTHERS ARE SAFE AMONG THE
UNRESTRICTED PESTICIDES ARE MANY
THAT DO PARTMENT OF PESTICIDE
REGULATION HAS CLASSIFIED AS
CARCINOGENS AND REPRODUCTIVE
TOXINS, TOXIC ANTS. THE BILL
WOULD ALSO REQUIRE PERMITS,
NOISE AND PESTICIDE USE REPORTS
TO INCLUDE THE EXACT METHOD OF
APPLICATION WITH THE SAME DEGREE
OF SPECIFICITY AS A REGULATION,
I.E, NOT JUST AIR, GROUND OR
FUMIGATION ADDITIONS. THE BILL
WOULD CHANGE PERMITTING AND
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS TO
REQUIRE GROWERS TO DEMARCATE AND
REPORT SEPARATELY ANY PORTION OF
A FIELD INSIDE THE QUARTER MILE
BUFFER ZONE. CRUCIALLY THE BILL
EXTENDS THE PROTECTIONS OFFERED
BY THE CURRENT DEPARTMENT OF
PESTICIDE REGULATION TO INCLUDE
PRIVATE SCHOOLS WITH SIX OR MORE
CHILDREN. THE DANGERS OF
PESTICIDE EXPOSURE ARE WELL
DOCUMENTED AND ALARMING. Ã 21,
2021 NATURE PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY COLLECTION ANALYSIS OF
STUDIES FROM THE PAST TEN YEARS
FOUND THE TYPES OF CANCER
REPORTED MOST FREQUENTLY LINKED
TO PESTICIDES WERE MULTIPLE
MYELOMA, BLADDER CANCER,
NON-HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA, PROSTATE
CANCER, LEUKEMIA, AND BREAST
CANCER. WE MUST PROTECT OUR MOST
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS FROM THE
DANGERS OF PESTICIDE EXPOSURE.
AB 1864 ACCOMPLISHES THIS WITH
COMMON SET SENSE. FIX IT CHANGES
TO REPORTING REQUIREMENTS TO
ENABLE CONFIRMATION OF
COMPLIANCE WITH THE SCHOOLS
REGULATION, AND EXTENDS THE
PROTECTION TO PRIVATE SCHOOL
STUDENTS. I WILL NOW PASS IT OFF
TO MY WITNESSES. BIANCA LOPEZ,
REPRESENTING VALLEY IMPROVEMENT
PROJECTS, AND VICTOR TORRES,
REPRESENTING FUTURE LEADERS OF
CHANGE. WELCOME TO. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MEMBERS, COMMITTEE
MEMBERS AND CHAIR. MY NAME IS
BIANCA LOPEZ. I AM WITH VALLEY.
I'M CO-FOUNDER OF VALLEY
IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. I THANK
ASSEMBLY MEMBER CONLEY FOR HIS
LEADERSHIP AND AUTHORING AB
1864, WITH A CRITICAL STEP
TOWARD ENSURING THAT ALL
CALIFORNIA CHILDREN ARE
PROTECTED FROM AGRICULTURAL
PESTICIDE EXPOSURE AT SCHOOL
GIVEN THEIR INHERENT TOXICITY,
PESTICIDES CARRY MANY HEALTH
RISKS FOR COMMUNITIES MOST
EXPOSED TO THEM, AND ESPECIALLY
FOR THE GROWING BODIES AND
BRAINS OF CHILDREN. THE DATA
SHOW THAT PESTICIDE EXPOSURE AND
RELATED HEALTH IMPACTS
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN
CALIFORNIA. IN 2014, THE
CALIFORNIA HEALTH DEPARTMENT,
THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC HEALTH RELEASED A REPORT
DETAILING THE EXTENT OF
AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDE USE IN
CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SCHOOLS IN
CALIFORNIA AND THE MARKED RACIAL
DISPARITY FOR STUDENTS ATTENDING
THE MOST IMPACTED SCHOOLS. AS A
RESULT, THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE
REGULATION DEVELOPED A
REGULATION RESTRICTING DRIFT
PRONE PESTICIDE APPLICATIONS
WITHIN A QUARTER MILE OF PUBLIC
SCHOOLS AND DAYCARES DURING THE
SCHOOL DAY. IN THE SIX YEARS
SINCE THE REGULATION WAS
IMPLEMENTED AND GROUND TRUTHING
BY OUR COALITION, THE
CALIFORNIANS FOR PESTICIDE
REFORM HAS REVEALED HAS REVEALED
SOME SERIOUS ISSUES WITH
ENFORCEABILITY OF THE
REGULATION, WHICH CAN BE
ADDRESSED BY REPORTING CHANGES.
THIS WILL. THIS WOULD ENSURE
THAT COMPLIANCE WITH THE 16
EXISTING REGULATIONS CAN BE
VERIFIED BY LINING PESTICIDE USE
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, WITH THE
PROVISIONS OF THE REGULATION,
AND REQUIRING SEPARATE REPORTING
FOR ANY SEGMENT OF A THEY
HAPPEN, NOTICES OF INTENT OR NÓI
ARE CURRENTLY PROVIDED BEFORE
APPLICATION OF ANY PESTICIDE
CLASSIFIED AS RESTRICTED
MATERIAL FOR WHICH A PERMIT IS
REQUIRED. STATE LAW ALSO PERMITS
AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONERS TO
REQUIRE NOISE FOR UNRESTRICTED
PESTICIDES IF THEIR USE UNDER
LOCAL CONDITION PRESENTS AN
UNDUE HAZARD. THANK YOU CHAIR
AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE,. I
MYSELF WAS A VICTIM OF PESTICIDE
DRIFT AT THE AGE OF TEN. AT MY
LOCAL MIDDLE SCHOOL. NO CHILD
SHOULD HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR
HEALTH IN A PLACE OF LEARNING.
NO CHILD SHOULD HAVE TO BE
RUSHED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR
SOMETHING OUT OF THEIR CONTROL.
WE NEED BETTER PROTECTIONS
AROUND SCHOOLS, BOTH PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US
TO KNOW THE EXACT LOCATION OF
THE PESTICIDE APPLICATION AND
HOW THE PESTICIDES ARE APPLIED,
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THAT EVERY
NOTICE OF INTENT OR NOI BROUGHT
TO THE COMMISSIONERS IS EXAMINED
THOROUGHLY BEFORE APPROVAL. THIS
WOULD IN FACT, GUARANTEE THAT NO
OTHER TEN YEAR OLD HAS TO
EXPERIENCE THE CONSEQUENCES OF
HAVING SUCH DANGEROUS CHEMICALS
APPLIED NEAR THEIR SCHOOLS. AS
MY COLLEAGUE ARE 29
GROWERS WHO PLAN TO APPLY DCPA
WITHIN A QUARTER MILE OF 65
SCHOOLS IN MONTEREY COUNTY, AND
THIS CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR, WE ARE
THE FUTURE LEADERS OF CHANGE IN
THE COMMUNITY AND I ASK YOU ALL
TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US
TO NOT ONLY LEARN, MEET WITH
PEERS, BUT TO ALSO ENJOY OUR
CHILDHOOD IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
THANK YOU, CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE. THANK YOU. DO WE
HAVE ANY REMAINING MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC IN THE HEARING ROOM
WHO WISH TO INDICATE THEIR
SUPPORT? ABBY ALVAREZ WITH THE
PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK AND
CALIFORNIANS FOR PESTICIDE
REFORM PROUD CO-SPONSORS. WITH
OVER 70 ORGANIZATIONS IN SUPPORT
, CRYSTAL ARENAS AS A PART OF
CALIFORNIANS AGAINST WASTE. IN
SUPPORT OF THIS MEASURE. KAYLA
ROBINSON ON BEHALF OF BREAST
CANCER PREVENTION PARTNERS AND
SUPPORT. THANK YOU. REBECCA
MARQUEZ, REPRESENTING CALPIRG
AND THE CENTER FOR FOOD SAFETY.
SAVANNA JORGENSEN WITH THE
LUTHERAN OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY
AND SUPPORT. LEAH JONES ON
BEHALF OF A VOICE FOR CHOICE
ADVOCACY AND FULL SUPPORT. THANK
YOU, NICOLE MERRILEES, ON BEHALF
OF CHILDREN NOW IN SUPPORT.
CHRIS MYERS WITH THE CALIFORNIA
SCHOOL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION IN
STRONG SUPPORT AND WITH
CALIFORNIA RURAL LEGAL
ASSISTANCE FOUNDATION IN SUPPORT
. AARON WALLY WITH SIERRA CLUB
CALIFORNIA, ALSO ON BEHALF OF
ENVIRO VOTERS AND SUPPORT. JULIE
WEDGE, CALIFORNIA RETHINK
DIRECTOR, DISPOSABLE DIRECTOR
AND CLEAN WATER ACTIONS IN
SUPPORT. SANTIAGO TORRES,
CO-FOUNDER OF THE FUTURE LEADERS
OF CHANGE AND FULL SUPPORT.
NGUYEN TORRES, SOY, SOY PAPA DE
ESTUDIANTES DE LA GREENFIELD
HIGH SCHOOL. HE IS A PARENT OF
IMPACTED STUDENT ALSO IN SUPPORT
. MAHI MAHI INTERN AT THE
CLEANERS FOR KIDS SUPPORT AND
ALSO SUPPORTING THIS BILL
AFFECTS NORTH COUNTY EQUITY AND
JUSTICE INTERFACE COALITION FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CÁC Ã
GRANDPARENTS IN ACTION AND
MOMENTS. BILL ALEO ENVIRONMENTAL
WORKING GROUP. THANK YOU.
YANELLI MARTINEZ WITH SAFE, SAFE
SCHOOLS AND FULL SUPPORT. THANK
YOU. DO WE HAVE ANYONE IN
OPPOSITION, IF SO, PLEASE COME
FORWARD. YOU MAY BEGIN WHENEVER
YOU'RE READY. MR. MISTER CHAIR
MEMBERS, MY NAME IS CHRIS
REARDON, I'M THE GOVERNMENT
AFFAIRS DIRECTOR FOR THE
CALIFORNIA FARM BUREAU, THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. I
WANTED TO FIRST NOTE THAT THIS
GENTLEMAN TO MY LEFT. I WAS
DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT HE HAD
TO EXPERIENCE THAT, APPLICATION,
SOME YEARS AGO, AND, THAT
SHOULDN'T HAPPEN IN THE STATE.
IT JUST SHOULDN'T HAPPEN, LET ME
FIRST ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE TO THE TO
ASSEMBLY MEMBER CONNOLLY, WE
SPENT SOME TIME WITH HIM LAST
WEEK, HAD A ROBUST, ROBUST
DISCUSSION ON THIS ISSUE OF
NOTICES OF INTENT FOR NON
RESTRICTED USE MATERIALS AND OUR
CONCERN, MISTER CHAIR MEMBERS,
IS THAT, LOOK, THERE HASN'T BEEN
ONE DOCUMENTED ANY EVIDENCE, ONE
DOCUMENTED INCIDENT OF, OF
PESTICIDE DRIFT ON A SCHOOL SITE
THAT I'M AWARE OF OR THAT DPR IS
AWARE OF EITHER THAT I'VE
ACTUALLY SEEN. OKAY, THE
DEPARTMENT'S SEEN ON A SCHOOL
SITE, SO I THINK THE SYSTEM IN
CALIFORNIA WORKS, BUT WE
UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN DO
BETTER. AND I HAVE AN AG
COMMISSIONER WITH ME TO TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT SORT OF THE
SYSTEM THAT THAT THEY CURRENTLY
COMPRISE. BUT, I THINK THERE'S
ANOTHER WAY OF DOING THIS TOO,
INSTEAD OF THIS LEGISLATION. AND
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BRIEFLY,
THE WHOLE ISSUE ABOUT THE
DEPARTMENT OF PESTICIDE
REGULATION WORKS WITH THE
CALIFORNIA EGG COMMISSIONERS.
THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE AN ANNUAL
WORK PLAN EVERY YEAR. OKAY. THE
WORK PLAN DESCRIBES SORT OF
THEIR PRIORITIES, KEY THINGS
THAT THEY WORK WITH. THE
DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMISSIONERS
WORK TOGETHER ON. AND WE THINK
IT MIGHT BE A GOOD VEHICLE TO
WORK OUT SORT OF SOME OF THESE
DISCUSSIONS AS IT RELATES TO, TO
THE USE AROUND SCHOOLS,
PARTICULARLY AS IT REPORTS ON
ISSUES RELATED TO, NON
RESTRICTED USE MATERIALS,
BECAUSE HONESTLY, OUR CONCERN
WITH THAT IS THAT IT COULD JUST
OVERWHELM, THE REPORTING, THE
PESTICIDE REPORTING SYSTEM AT
THE LOCAL LEVEL, IF IN FACT, WE
LOOK AT EVERY APPLICATION WITHIN
A QUARTER MILE OF A SCHOOL SITE.
AND SO THE QUESTION FOR US IS
GOING TO BE, BY THE WAY, THERE'S
A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INSPECTIONS
ON THIS APPLICATION. DOES THAT
MEAN WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE
INSPECTIONS. WHAT KIND OF MONEY
THE COMMISSIONER IS GOING TO
NEED TO DO THAT? AND WHAT SORT
OF DELAY? OKAY. WHEN WE APPLY
THAT AND NOTICE OF INTENT WILL
APPLY TO GROWERS AND MEMBERS IN
THOSE AREAS, IF IN FACT, WE SORT
OF BROADEN THAT THAT UNIVERSE
OF, OF NOTICES OF INTENT. SO
IT'S NOT QUITE AS SIMPLE AS JUST
SORT OF ALL WE, WE WANT TO IT
MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. WE DO OKAY
PRIORITY AROUND SCHOOLS IS A
PRIORITY FOR ALL OF US. OKAY.
PARTICULARLY FOR OUR MEMBERS WHO
LIVE AND WORK AROUND SCHOOLS.
BUT ALSO WHAT WHAT'S IS GOING TO
LOOK LIKE? OKAY. THAT'S WHY I
THINK, WORKING THROUGH AND WE
COMMITTED TO WORK WITH ASSEMBLY
MEMBER CONNOLLY, IN THE COMING
DAYS AND WEEKS ABOUT THIS WHOLE
ISSUE OF NON RESTRICTED
MATERIALS AND HOW THIS MIGHT
WORK AND HOW WE COULD WORK
COOPERATIVELY WITH BOTH HIM AND
MY FRIENDS IN THE AG
COMMISSIONER COMMUNITY TO MAKE
THIS REALLY WORK. THANK YOU.
NEXT WITNESS. YEAH. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JOSH
HUNSINGER. I'M THE PLACER COUNTY
AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER. AND
HERE ON BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA
AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONERS AND
SEALERS ASSOCIATION, THE COUNTY
AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONERS WORK
IN CLOSE PARTNERSHIP AND HAVE A
STATUTORY MANDATE TO IMPLEMENT
OUR PESTICIDE USE ENFORCEMENT
PROGRAM. FOR THIS EXPRESS
PURPOSE OF PROTECTING HUMAN
HEALTH AND SAFETY AND THE
ENVIRONMENT. AND WE TAKE THAT
JOB VERY SERIOUSLY. AND HUMAN
HEALTH IS OUR NUMBER ONE
PRIORITY IN WHAT WE DO. THAT
PROGRAM IS BASED ON A ROBUST
FIELD ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE. AND
ALONG WITH PERMITTING AND
LICENSING AND WORKING DAILY WITH
THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY, AS
WELL AS THE STRUCTURAL PEST
CONTROL INDUSTRY, PESTICIDE,
PESTICIDE DEALERS, ETC. AND WE
ARE IN OPPOSITION TO THIS BILL,
PRIMARILY BECAUSE THE UNFUNDED
MANDATE ISSUE, THE CONCEPT OF
ADDING NON RESTRICTED MATERIALS
AND REQUIRING A NOTICE OF INTENT
FOR EVERY NON-RESTRICTED
MATERIAL REPRESENTS A MASSIVE
NEW PAPERWORK WORKLOAD FOR THE
AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONERS AND I
THINK IS COUNTER TO THE INTENT
OF THE BILL, WHICH IS TO
INCREASE SAFETY FOR SCHOOL KIDS.
WHAT IT DOES, IN ESSENCE, IS
BECAUSE THERE'S NO FUNDING
ATTACHED TO IT. IT TAKES MY
STAFF OUT OF THE FIELD, BECAUSE
THEY'LL BE REVIEWING NOTICES OF
INTENT. AND SO REDUCING THAT
VERY FIELD PRESENCE, FIELD
ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE, WHICH IS
THE CORE OF OUR PROGRAM, IT'S IN
ESSENCE, A ZERO SUM GAME WITH
FUNDING AT THIS POINT. AND IF,
YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE PERFORMING
THIS NEW REQUIREMENT, WE'RE NOT
DOING SOME OTHER PART OF OUR
EXISTING PROGRAM. AND SO
THEREFORE AND WE'RE IN
OPPOSITION. THANK YOU, ANYONE
ELSE IN OPPOSITION WOULD LIKE TO
STATE THEIR OPPOSITION COME
FORWARD. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON. TAYLOR OCEAN IN
OPPOSE UNLESS AMENDED POSITION
ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN
PISTACHIO GROWERS CALIFORNIA AG
AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION CALIFORNIA
ASSOCIATION OF PEST CONTROL
ADVISORS, THE APPLE, BLUEBERRY,
WALNUT, STRAWBERRY, AVOCADO,
WALNUT COMMISSIONS CALIFORNIA
BLUEBERRY ASSOCIATION,
CALIFORNIA COTTON GROWERS AND
GINNERS ASSOCIATION, WESTERN
AGRICULTURAL PROCESSORS
ASSOCIATION, AND WESTERN PLANT
HEALTH ASSOCIATION. THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND
MEMBERS ADAM WRIGLEY WITH THE
CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
WITH A RESPECTFUL OPPOSE UNLESS
AMENDED AND LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH YOUR OFFICE. THANK
YOU. DENNIS, I'LL BE ON BEHALF
OF THE CALIFORNIA SEED
ASSOCIATION. PEAR GROWERS, AND
SEVERAL OTHER AGRICULTURAL
ASSOCIATIONS OPPOSE THIS
AMENDED. THANK YOU. TRICIA
GERINGER, AGRICULTURAL COUNCIL
OF CALIFORNIA, RESPECTFULLY
OPPOSE, UNLESS AMENDED, AND
APPRECIATE THE AUTHOR MEETING
WITH US AND CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH HIM. THANK YOU. GOOD
AFTERNOON, JOHN MOFFETT, ON
BEHALF OF THE MILK PRODUCERS
COUNCIL, OPPOSED, UNLESS
AMENDED, PAUL POISTER WITH
NUTRIENT AG SOLUTIONS
RESPECTFULLY IN OPPOSITION,
MARJORIE SAMSON, ADVISORS ON
BEHALF OF THE CALIFORNIA LEAGUE
OF FOOD PRODUCERS, OPPOSED,
UNLESS AMENDED. THANK YOU,
BRINGING IT BACK TO THE
COMMITTEE. ANY QUESTIONS? YES
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. NOW AS I
UNDERSTAND THE BILL, THERE'S A
IT WILL REQUIRE NOTICE OF INTENT
BE SUBMITTED BEFORE A PERSON
APPLIES PESTICIDE WITHIN ONE
QUARTER MILE OF A SCHOOL SITE
USING AN APPLICATION METHOD THAT
IS RESTRICTED. IS THAT CORRECT?
IT IS. AND IN EFFECT, THAT'S
CURRENT LAW. WHAT THIS WOULD DO
WOULD ACTUALLY REQUIRE MORE
SPECIFICITY AROUND THE TYPES OF
APPLICATION TO MAKE IT ACTUALLY
MORE MEANINGFUL. AND I ACTUALLY
DON'T THINK THERE'S OPPOSITION
TO THAT ASPECT OF THE BILL. AND
THEN THERE'S TWO OTHER THINGS IT
WOULD DO. AND IT'S CLEAR THAT
EVERYBODY IS IN AGREEMENT THAT
WE NEED TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN.
SO IS WITH YOUR EXPANSION ON
IT'S THE DRIFT. IT'S THE PRIVATE
SCHOOL, AND WE'RE GOING TO
CONTINUE TO WORK. MARK, I THINK,
ISSUES HAVE BEEN RAISED WITH
THAT IN TERMS OF THOSE SUBJECT
TO THE REGULATION, KNOWING
ADEQUATELY WHERE PRIVATE SCHOOLS
ARE, WE CAN WORK THROUGH THAT
ISSUE. AND I THINK, AGAIN,
THERE'S AGREEMENT ON THAT. THE
THIRD ISSUE YOU'RE HEARING MORE
ABOUT, I THINK TODAY AND WE'LL
CONTINUE TO DISCUSSIONS, IS
BETWEEN RESTRICT WANTED AND
UNRESTRICTED PESTICIDES IS VERY
GOOD. AND I THANK THAT YOUR
WITNESS TALKED ABOUT THE FACT
THAT THE PESTICIDES HE WAS
EXPOSED TO WERE UNRESTRICTED,
AND YET IT CAUSED A TRIP TO THE
HOSPITAL. YEAH, DUE TO THOSE,
PESTICIDES THAT ARE RESTRICTED
MATERIALS. BUT WITHOUT AN NÓI. I
WAS RUSHED TO THE ER DUE TO
SUFFERING AN ASTHMA ATTACK AS A
RESULT OF EXPOSURE TO THOSE
PESTICIDES. VERY GOOD. THANK
YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU ALL.
WITH THAT, I WOULD MOVE THE
BILL. ALL RIGHT. IT'S A MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY, I'LL
MOVE THE BILL SECOND. THE BILL
DOES HAVE A I RECOMMENDATION.
SECOND. OKAY. AND THE BILL WILL
BE GOING TO THE EDUCATION
COMMITTEE. SO THERE WILL BE
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION WITH THE
STAKEHOLDERS. AND TRY TO REFINE
SOME OF THE LANGUAGE THAT'S BEEN
RAISED AS A CONCERN. AND I
APPRECIATE THE YOUNG MAN WHO HAS
PROVIDED SOME TESTIMONY, KIND OF
TAKES ME BACK TO, YOU KNOW, THE
DISTRICT THAT I REPRESENT, FOR
THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING AND
WATCHING, I ATTENDED COACHELLA
VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL IN THERMAL.
HE HIGH SCHOOL WAS SURROUNDED BY
NOTHING BUT AGRICULTURAL FIELDS
IN THE 1990S. YOU KNOW, WE WERE
STUDENTS WATCHING THE CROP
DUSTER KIND OF FLYING NEARBY THE
SCHOOL AND KIND OF NOT UNKNOWING
TO US. AND THAT WAS BEFORE A LOT
OF SOME OF THESE REGULATIONS
WERE ACTUALLY IN PLACE THAT WE
HAVE TODAY. YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN
THE CROP DUSTER FLYING AROUND
THINKING WHAT A COOL DEAL THAT
THE PLANES FLYING AROUND REALLY
LOW AND DOING ITS THING,
UNKNOWING TO US THAT IT WAS
ACTUALLY DOING ITS WORK. AND,
SPRAYING, PESTICIDES AND, OF
COURSE THINGS HAVE CHANGED
SIGNIFICANTLY, BUT THERE SEEMS
TO BE SOME WORK, STILL PENDING
TO BE DONE TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC
HEALTH OF, OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND,
AND THE EDUCATORS THAT ARE
THERE. SO, WE APPRECIATE THE
WORK OF OUR COMMISSIONERS
WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH
OUR FARMERS AND, OF COURSE, THE
EDUCATORS THERE, SO WITH THAT,
THANK YOU. WOULD YOU LIKE TO
CLOSE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION. RESPECTFULLY
REQUEST AN I VOTE. THANK YOU.
OKAY. SECRETARY THIS IS ITEM
TWO, AB 1864. CONLEY, THE MOTION
IS Dð PASS AND RE REFERRED TO
THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION.
THÀNH GARCIA. GARCIA I HOOVER.
HOOVER NOT VOTING. CONLEY.
CONLEY I MCKINLEY HIGH. MCKINNON
I PAPPIN PAPPIN I REYES REYES I
TO NO. TO NO. 5 TO 1. YOUR
MOTION. YOUR MEASURE PASSES. IT
WILL GO TO THE TOP OF THE FILE
AND, AND, CALL ALL OF THE
MEMBERS WHO MAY BE, ARE STILL
HAVE SENT. AND WE'LL ASK, OUR
SECRETARY YEAR TO GO DOWN THE
LIST AND LET'S, GET ALL THESE
MEMBERS ADDED ON. OKAY. ITEM
ONE, AB 1798 PAPPIN. THE VOTE
STANDS AT FOUR ZERO. GARCIA I
GARCIA I HOOVER. HOOVER. NOT
VOTING TO NOT VOTING TO NOT
VOTING. SO THAT BRINGS THE VOTE
TO FIVE ZERO. ITEM TWO. JUST
PASSED OUT WITH EVERYONE
PRESENT. ITEM THREE IS AB 2244
TING. THE VOTE STANDS AT FOUR
ONE. MCKENNA MCKENNA I TO NO. TO
NO. SO THAT BRINGS THE VOTE TO
FIVE TWO. MOTION CARRIES ITEM
FOUR AB 2408. HANEY. THE VOTE
STANDS AT FIVE ZERO REYES REYES
I TAWT I TAW I70. ITEM FIVE AB
2515 PAPPIN. THE VOTE STANDS AT
THREE ZERO, WITH VICE CHAIR
HOOVER NOT VOTING. GARCIA I
GARCIA I MCKENNA I MCKENNA I TO
NOT VOTING TO NOT VOTING SO THAT
HAS THE FOUR VOTES REQUIRED. AND
SO THAT MEASURE PASSES GETS OUT.
ITEM SIX AB 2552. FRIEDMAN THE
VOTE IS AT TWO ZERO. HOOVER.
HOOVER NO. CONLEY. CONLEY I
MCKENNA. MCKENNA I PAPPIN PAPPIN
NOT VOTING TO NO. TODD. NO 234.
WE HAVE FOUR VOTES. THE MEASURE
PASSES, GETS OUT. ITEM SEVEN AB
2614. RAMOS THE VOTE IS AT FOUR
ZERO. HOOVER TO HOOVER I PAPPIN
PAPPIN NOT VOTING TO. I. SIX
ZERO. BILL GETS OUT. ITEM. EIGHT
AB 2686 GRAYSON. THE VOTE STANDS
AT FOUR ZERO. GARCIA. GARCIA I
HOOVER. I HOOVER I TO I TO I
THAT'S UNANIMOUS GETS OUT ITEM
NINE AB 2699 WIND Â CARILLO THE
MOTION. THE VOTE STANDS AT FOUR
ZERO. HOOVER. NOPE. HOOVER NO.
MCKENNA. MCKENNA. I TO NO. TO.
NO SHOW. SO THAT'S FIVE TWO.
BILL GETS OUT. ITEM TEN AB 2761
HEART. THE VOTE STANDS AT FIVE
ZERO. HOOVER. HOOVER NO TO NO TO
NO. FIVE TWO GETS OUT. ITEM 11.
THE VOTE IS FOUR ZERO. GARCIA.
GARCIA I HOOVER. WE'RE OUT. 11.
SORRY. WE ARE ON ITEM 11 AB 2851
BONTA. HOOVER NO. TO NO. TOT. NO
SO THAT'S FIVE TWO ON ITEM 11 AB
2851 BONTA. ITEM 12 AB 3004.
MIKE FONG. THE VOTE STANDS AT
FOUR ZERO. GARCIA I GARCIA I
HOOVER. HOOVER I TO I TO I.
THAT'S UNANIMOUS BEALL GETS OUT
ITEM 13 AB 3073 HANEY. THE VOTE
STANDS AT TWO ZERO. HOOVER
HOOVER I CONLEY CONLEY I PAPPIN.
PAPPIN REYES I REYES I TO I. HAS
SIX VOTES MEASURES OUT MEASURES
OUT. THANK YOU OKAY. I THINK
.
OKAY. THE COMMITTEE WILL NOW
ADJOURN