Summary of Major 2022 Climate and Energy Legislation

Jan 6, 2023 - Of the Californians who live within a mile of a well, 92  percent are people of color. This aligns with the aforementioned historic patterns of communities that are made up of higher proportions of lower-income and people of color being overburdened by fossil fuel production.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4660

The 2024-25 Budget: CalFire—Implementation of a 66-Hour Workweek

Mar 19, 2024 - Assessment Addressing Firefighter Fatigue and Welfare Is a Worthwhile Goal Workweek Change Aims to Address Legitimate Concerns About Firefighter Welfare. The state has experienced some of the most severe wildfire seasons in its history in recent years.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4886

The Bay-Delta Plan and Voluntary Agreements: Ensuring Effective Legislative Oversight

Mar 18, 2026 - The state added the doubling goal as a narrative water quality objective in the 1995 Bay ‑Delta Plan. Doubling natural production relative to the average annual 1967 ‑1991 baseline would mean nearly 900,000 naturally produced salmon annually.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5163

The 2021-22 Budget: Department of Toxic Substances Control

Mar 19, 2021 - Brownfields Have Disproportionate Impact on Low ‑Income Communities of Color . Studies have shown that brownfield sites are disproportionately located in neighborhoods that have lower average incomes and more people of color.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4406

The 2023-24 Budget: California Volunteers Proposed Program Expansions

Mar 1, 2023 - Governor’s Proposal Doubles Program, Converts to Ongoing. The  Governor proposes to (1)  double funding for this program and (2)  make the program ongoing rather than limited term. As such, the proposal includes an additional $4.7  million from the General Fund from 2023 ‑24 through 2025 ‑26 (supplementing the $4.7  million in existing limited ‑term funding) and then $9.3  million ongoing annual General Fund in 2026 ‑27 and thereafter.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4723

Climate Change Impacts Across California - Crosscutting Issues

Apr 5, 2022 - Similarly, rural communities that are at greater risk of experiencing water shortages due to droughts tend to be home to large proportions of households with residents of color and who earn lower incomes.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4575

The 2026-27 Budget: Governor’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Tax Credit Proposal

Feb 24, 2026 - Additionally, the administration projects the credit could grow over time, potentially reaching about $300  million annually —nearly doubling the reductions and corresponding fiscal and programmatic impacts.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5139

Assessing California’s Climate Policies—Residential Electricity Rates in California

Jan 7, 2025 - On average, residential electricity rates in California are close to double those in the rest of the nation, mostly driven by high rates charged by the state ’s three large investor ‑owned utilities (IOUs).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4950

California’s Cap-and-Trade Program: Frequently Asked Questions

Oct 24, 2023 - Certain covered facilities are more likely to be located in communities with higher proportions of people of color and those earning lower incomes, fitting with the pattern of historic marginalization of these communities to areas closer to heavy industry.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4811

A Framework for Evaluating State-Level Green Stimulus Proposals

Jan 5, 2021 - Certain communities across the state are burdened by higher levels of pollution and other negative environmental impacts than others, and many of these communities are disproportionately home to large populations of people of color and Californians earning lower incomes.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4308