AB 1644: Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: California Jobs Plan Act of 2021.

The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, establishes the State Air Resources Board as the agency responsible for monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases. The act authorizes the state board to include the use of market-based compliance mechanisms in regulating greenhouse gas emissions. Existing law requires all moneys, except for fines and penalties, collected by the state board from a market-based compliance mechanism to be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and to be available to the state upon appropriation by the Legislature. Existing law, beginning in the 202223 fiscal year through the 202829 fiscal year, continuously appropriates $200,000,000 from the fund to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for healthy forest and fire prevention programs and projects, and the completion of prescribed fire and other fuel reduction projects.

The California Jobs Plan Act of 2021 (the act) requires the state board to work with the Labor and Workforce Development Agency to update, on or before July 1, 2025, Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund funding guidelines for administering agencies to ensure that all applicants to grant programs funded by the fund meet specified standards, including fair and responsible employer standards and inclusive procurement policies, as provided. Existing law exempts from these standards applicants for certain types of projects.

This bill would exempt from these standards applicants for projects for healthy forest and fire prevention programs and projects, and the completion of prescribed fire and other fuel reduction projects. The bill would also provide that the act is not intended to weaken preexisting legal protections for workers by excusing compliance with any requirements that would apply in the absence of the act.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.