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Past Environmental Outcomes
The Foundation has made improving air quality in California’s San Joaquin Valley the center of our environmental public policy agenda since 2003. Below is a record of the Foundation's most recent environmental policy activities, from the 2006 legislative year. You can also catch up on our current lobbying activities concerning environmental issues as well as view our archive of older environmental policy work.
Foundation-Championed Legislation
The Foundation actively supported and aggressively lobbied for passage of two bills in 2006, one of which failed (SB 999) and one that passed (AB 2865).
CA Senate Bill 999 – SJV Air Pollution Control District Board Membership
The Kirsch Foundation once again actively supported SB 999, authored by State Senator Mike Machado (D-Linden), which would have expanded the membership of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD) Board of Directors from 11 to 15 members in order to include additional representation from urban areas and members of the public. SB 999 passed through all the necessary Assembly committees, the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, and the full Senate. On August 31, 2006, SB 999 failed passage on the Assembly floor with a 38-41 vote.
CA Assembly Bill 2865 (Torrico) – Healthy Day Cares
The Foundation supported AB 2865, authored by Assemblymember Alberto Torrico (D-Fremont), which will extend the Healthy Schools Act of 2000 to include licensed day care centers. The Healthy Schools Act of 2000 established right-to-know procedures for pesticide use in California’s public schools and deemed least-toxic pest management methods as the preferable method of pest control in schools. After passing through both the Assembly and Senate, AB 2865 was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in September 2006.
Featured Successes
The Foundation supported and lobbied for the two bills below, both of which were signed by Governor Schwarzenegger.
CA Assembly Bill 32 (Nuñez-Pavley) – Greenhouse gas emissions
The Foundation supported AB 32, co-authored by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez (D-Los Angeles) and Assemblymember Fran Pavley (D-Woodland Hills). The bill – called the California Climate Act of 2006 – directed the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) to implement regulations for a cap on stationary sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. After passing through both the Assembly and Senate, the landmark AB 32 was signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger in September 2006.
CA Assembly Bill 1870 (Lieber) – Air pollution: motor vehicle inspection and maintenance
The Foundation supported AB 1870, authored by Assemblymember Sally Lieber (D-San Jose), which required a visible smoke test to be incorporated as part of California Smog Check inspections. Any visible smoke emanating from the tailpipe or from under the hood will constitute an inspection failure. After passing through both the Assembly and Senate, AB 1870 was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in September 2006.
The Foundation supported and lobbied for the bills below, but the legislation died or didn’t progress.
CA Senate Bill 931 (Florez) – Pollution Control Authority
The Foundation supported SB 931, authored by Senator Dean Florez (D-Shafter), which would have prohibited confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) from receiving tax-exempt bond financing for their pollution control projects from the California Pollution Control Financing Authority (CPCFA) until they met the air quality standards as established in SB 700 (Florez), signed into law in 2003. The bill passed through several policy committees and then failed passage on the Assembly floor.
CA Senate Bill 1205 (Escutia) – Children’s Breathing Rights Act
The Foundation supported SB 1205, authored by Senator Martha Escutia (D-Glendale), which would have increased the penalty caps for serious air polluters. The penalty funds would have supported asthma-related and enforcement activities. After passing through multiple committees and the full Senate, SB 1205 failed on the Assembly floor.
CA Assembly Bill 2791 (Ruskin) – Vehicles: horsepower ratings: publications
The Foundation supported AB 2791, authored by Assemblymember Ira Ruskin (D-Redwood City), which would have directed the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to develop and administer a California Clean Car Discount program that provides one-time discounts and one-time surcharges on new vehicle purchases based on a vehicle’s environmental performance. The bill passed out of several policy committees and the Assembly floor, but was withdrawn by the author. Similar legislation was re-introduced in 2007.
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