AB 2076

Bill Subjects

Abstract

(1) Existing law establishes the Office of Planning and Research in state government in the Governor's office. Existing law establishes the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program (ICARP) , to be administered by the office, to coordinate regional and local efforts with state climate adaptation strategies to adapt to the impacts of climate change, as prescribed. Existing law establishes within the office an advisory council comprised of members from a range of disciplines, in order to provide scientific and technical support, and from regional and local governments and entities. Existing law requires the advisory council to support the office's identified goals to facilitate coordination among state, regional, and local agency efforts to adapt to the impacts of climate change. This bill would establish the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program in the office, to be administered by the office through ICARP, for the purpose of coordinating state efforts and supporting local and regional efforts to prevent or mitigate the impacts of, and reduce the public health risks of, heat. The bill would require the office to coordinate with other state agencies to implement the program and update the Extreme Heat Action Plan. The bill would require the Director of State Planning and Research to appoint a Chief Heat Officer to coordinate state activities and funding to address heat and oversee the implementation of the program. The bill would require the advisory council to, among other things, advise and provide input to the office on actions to improve the effectiveness of the program. The bill would require the office, when making appointments to the advisory council, to ensure that the advisory council is comprised of members with the necessary expertise to advise on the implementation of the program. Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the bill would require the office, as part of the program, to award grants and provide technical assistance to eligible entities, as defined, that support local and regional efforts to mitigate the impacts and reduce the public health risks of heat. The bill would require the office, in the awarding of grants, to prioritize projects that serve disadvantaged or vulnerable communities, as specified, that demonstrate participation in a regional climate collaborative program, or that are a component of a comprehensive heat action plan. The bill would authorize the director to make advance payments, not to exceed 25% of the total award amount, from a grant awarded pursuant to the program. The bill would require the office, in administering the program, to review and consider climate science research and publications, as specified, and to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and electricity grid stress, avoid maladaptation, and maximize job growth and other cobenefits, as provided. The bill would require the office to draft and adopt guidelines for awarding grants pursuant to the program to eligible entities. The bill would require projects awarded a grant to consider, and be informed by, the most recent California Climate Change Assessment. The bill would also exempt guidelines established by the office pursuant to the program from provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act. The bill would require the office, on or before July 1, 2024, and every 2 years thereafter, to update the Extreme Heat Action Plan to promote comprehensive, coordinated, and effective state and local government action on heat, as provided. The bill would require all state agencies identified in the Extreme Heat Action Plan to coordinate with the office to assist in the implementation of the plan. The bill would also require the office to post the plan and subsequent updates on the office's internet website and to provide the plan and subsequent updates to the relevant policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature. The bill would establish the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Fund in the State Treasury. The bill would provide that moneys in the fund shall be available upon appropriation by the Legislature to the office for the sole purpose of implementing the program. (2) Existing law establishes the State Department of Public Health, which is responsible for various programs relating to the health and safety of people in the state, including licensing health facilities, regulating food and drug safety, and monitoring and preventing communicable and chronic diseases. This bill would require the department, on or before July 1, 2024, and upon appropriation by the Legislature, to establish and maintain the Extreme Heat and Health Reporting System, a syndromic surveillance system, to receive notice and data from local health departments, clinics, emergency rooms, hospitals, and other sources on illnesses, including emergency room visits, and deaths resulting from exposure to extreme heat, as specified. The bill would require the department to publish the data on its internet website as near to real-time as possible, including data identifying neighborhoods and subgroups in need of priority interventions, and to publish on its internet website an annual report on heat illness and deaths that includes findings regarding individual and community and neighborhood risk factors. The bill would require all personal information obtained or maintained by the system to be confidential, the system and this information to be exempt from disclosure except as provided, and only deidentified aggregate patient or other consumer data to be included in the data and annual report published on the department's internet website. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.