State Legislative Issues 2024

Top Priorities

• 1. Support capacity enhancement projects and their funding sources to meet the needs of communities and address demands in the most heavily travelled transportation corridors in the State and oppose AB 2535 (Bonta) and SB 960 (Wiener).
  2. Support AB 1772 (Ramos) and similar legislation and proposed Initiative 23-0017A1, Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act, which would impose felony charges and increased sentences for certain drug and retail theft crimes.
  3. Support efforts to address California’s clean air and emissions goals by taking steps to expedite major transportation and clean energy infrastructure (for example, through CEQA reform) without damaging the region’s economy.

Economic Development

• • • Support AB 1772 (Ramos) and similar legislation and proposed Initiative 23-0017A1, Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act, which would impose felony charges and increased sentences for certain drug and retail theft crimes.
    • Support AB 3160 (Garbiel), AB 1657 (Wicks), SB 440 (Skinner), and AB 1789 (Quirk-Silva), as well as passage of a statewide housing bond and ACA 1, a measure lowering the vote threshold to 55% for local housing bonds, all of which would protect funding for housing.
    • Support continued funding for California Jobs First and the Center for Excellence at current levels.

Education

• • • Support State budget investments for Inland Empire students and educational institutions to ensure the region has the skilled, educated workforce it needs for economic growth and prosperity.
    • Protect funding for California Community Colleges and K-12 under Proposition 98.
    • Prioritize investments to fully adopt the Cal Grant Equity Framework.
    • Protect ASES and Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) afterschool programs from cuts.
    • Advocate that a portion of the State’s $2 billion in opioid settlement funding be used for youth prevention grants.
    • Urge support for Senate Bill 28 for a 2024 K-16 General Obligation Bond that will support the ability of UC, CSU, and Community Colleges to enroll and house more California students, modernize teaching facilities for K-12, upgrade research facilities, make needed seismic upgrades, and transition schools and campuses to clean energy systems.

ENVIRONMENTAL

• • • Support efforts to address California’s clean air and emissions goals by taking steps to expedite major transportation and clean energy infrastructure (for example, through CEQA reform) without damaging the region’s economy.
    • The State must make substantial investments in clean energy and transportation infrastructure.
    • Support efforts by the independent Little Hoover Commission to review and evaluate the impact of CEQA.
    • Inland Action specifically opposes the regulation of logistics business locations if such regulations fail to respect local control and if such State regulations are region-specific.
    • Support funding for continued management of the Salton Sea.
    • Support for funding for water supply, water quality, and water storage projects, particularly the Delta Conveyance Project and Sites Reservoir.

HEALTH CARE

• • • Support SB 1432 (Caballero) which would extend the deadline for the 2030 seismic mandate and require the State to analyze and report to the Legislature on the mandate’s impact on health care costs and access throughout California’s communities.
    • Support SB 136, Managed Care Organization Tax, with implementation recommendations.

JUDICIAL

• • • Support AB 3013 (Maienschein) with amendments, which would authorize pilot projects to study the potential use of remote court reporting of certain court proceedings.
    • Support legislation to expand and promote the availability of verbatim records of court proceedings, working collaboratively to address court reporter shortages and exploring innovative technology.

TRANSPORTATION

• • • Oppose AB 2535 (Bonta), Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP), which would prevent use of transportation funding to advance capacity enhancing infrastructure projects to meet transportation demands.
    • Oppose SB 960 (Wiener), Transportation: Planning: Transit Priority Projects: Multimodal, which would impose a one-size-fits-all solution to highway funding which does not recognize the needs of the most heavily travelled transportation corridors in the State.
    • Support Protection of SB1 Funding for Transportation Infrastructure.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Support AB 1772 (Ramos) and similar legislation and proposed Initiative 23-0017A1, Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act, which would impose felony charges and increased sentences for certain drug and retail theft crimes.  Retail theft is a complex issue and the politics around the legislation to combat it are fraught. Nevertheless, retail theft must be addressed. There is no one cause of the rise in retail theft in the last several years, but part of the problem is created, or at least exacerbated by, the well-intended passage of Proposition 47. Regardless of the causes, the effects are evident in our communities. The threats of increased prices and closed retail locations are becoming a reality, and the legislature needs to participate in the solution. Current laws lack meaningful consequences for offenders.  To avoid higher penalties, many offenders have learned to steal smaller amounts from multiple stores over a longer period of time. The clear reality is that even increased penalties will not be impactful without active prosecutions.

Any solution must:

• Address increased punishment for repeat offenders, even those who have multiple offenses under the Prop 47 thresholds.
• Allow for aggregation of offenses across locations and times.
• Prevent stolen goods from being advertised and sold unlawfully on online marketplaces.
• Expand the use of diversion and rehabilitation programs like drug court to increase supervision for shoplifting and petty theft.
• Expand the use of diversion and rehabilitation programs.
• Make it simpler for prosecutors to work together with multiple jurisdictions to ensure enforcement.

The solution to this issue may need to include legislation and a ballot proposition. Inland Action urges that legislators support AB 1772 (Ramos) and similar legislation, as well as the proposed California Initiative 23-0017A1 which would allow retailers to seek consequences for individuals who are stealing from them.

AB 1772 (Ramos) requires punishment by jail time of a person convicted of three or more theft-related offences and would allow the aggregation of value across distinct but related acts.  The proposed Initiative 23-0017A1, Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act, would seek to address both retail theft and the increase in fentanyl distribution. The measure allows felony charges and increases sentences for certain drug and theft crimes. It also allows felony charges for possessing certain drugs, including fentanyl, and for thefts under $950 for defendants with two prior drug or two prior theft convictions, as applicable.  It also increases sentences for other specified drug and theft crimes.

Support AB 3160 (Garbiel), AB 1657 (Wicks), SB 440 (Skinner), and AB 1789 (Quirk-Silva), as well as passage of a statewide housing bond and ACA 1, a measure lowering the vote threshold to 55% for local housing bonds, all of which would protect funding for housing.  California faces a continued housing crisis. Even with the investments of the last several years, there is a current and growing need for 1.3 million affordable housing units. Housing developers who work hard to build enough homes to meet our housing needs face rising costs and increasing regulations. This work creates housing, but also creates jobs and stimulates other economic growth in the neighborhoods around the projects. This year, home builders are being pinched from both sides as costs increase, while the programs to fund affordable housing are being cut by $1.2 billion.

Inland Action asks legislators to protect funding for housing and oppose legislation that would increase regulations that make housing development more difficult. Currently there are efforts supported by Inland Action to restore the $500 million in housing tax credits the Governor proposed cutting; to fund the State’s flagship Multifamily Housing Program in this year’s budget; to put a statewide housing bond on the November ballot; and to pass ACA 1, a measure lowering the vote threshold to 55% for local housing bonds.

The following bills have emerged as potential tools to help raise revenue for affordable housing:

• AB 3160 (Garbiel) which makes permanent the State’s enhanced Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
• AB 1657 (Wicks), A proposed $10 billion housing bond.
• SB 440 (Skinner), which provides for the establishment of Regional Housing Finance Authorities that would raise, administer, and allocate funding for affordable housing in the jurisdiction of the authority.
• AB 1789 (Quirk-Silva), which opens the Portfoloio Reinvestment Program at HCD to all challenged developments while maintaining a priority for developments that have old HCD loans and expiring regulatory agreements.

Support continued funding for California Jobs First and the Center for Excellence at current levels.  By every indicator, the economy of the Inland Empire is growing.  In order to feed that growth, the region needs a qualified, well-trained workforce. There are several opportunities to support training opportunities for employees, but their funding is in danger. Inland Action urges that legislators maintain current levels of funding for the training programs under development in the region.

California Jobs First supports the development of job training programs like OASIS at UC – Riverside, the IE Trade Tech at Riverside Community College District, and the San Bernardino Playbook. The funding for those programs through California Jobs First is under threat, as $70 million dollars of it may be recalled by the governor’s office to offset general fund costs. Inland Action asks legislators to oppose cuts to Jobs First programs.

The Center of Excellence was created with a four-year plan, but only one-year of funding. Funding for the center helps provide schools looking to create Career Technical Education programs the labor market analysis that allows the schools to understand how their programs can show the most benefit to their students. The funding needed for this year has not yet been introduced either through legislation or the budget process. The loss of funding will be detrimental to the Center and the schools it supports. Inland Action asks legislators to support the Center of Excellence and support legislation to fund the program in this year’s budget.

Oppose SB 1116 (Portantino), SB 1345 (Smallwood-Cuevas), and SB 1434 (Durazo) which would increase the complexity and difficulty of employing workers.  Employers in the Inland Empire struggle to find well-prepared employees. They also struggle against growing regulations when hiring and maintaining employees. Again, this year, there are a number of bills that would unnecessarily increase the complexity and difficulty of employing workers.

Inland Action asks legislators to oppose the following legislation:

• SB 1116 (Portantino): Unemployment insurance: trade disputes: eligibility for benefits. This bill will allow striking workers to claim UI benefits when they choose to strike.
• SB 1345 (Smallwood-Cuevas): Employment discrimination: criminal history information. This bill aims to restrict the use of criminal background checks by employers.
• SB 1434 (Durazo): Unemployment insurance: benefit and contribution changes. This bill is unfavorable to working people who contribute to unemployment insurance and the California employers who match the unemployment insurance contributions.

Additionally, the threat of Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) lawsuits and the court rulings that have followed, have created uncertainty for employers.  Some employees have voiced displeasure with how little of the awards are paid to them. Inland Action urges legislators to support the California Fair Pay and Employer Accountability Act. This proposed ballot initiative would replace current PAGA rules with a system that would require the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement to be a party to all labor complaints, double statutory and civil penalties for willful violators, require that 100% of monetary penalties be awarded to harmed employees, and provide resources to employers to ensure labor compliance.

 

EDUCATION

Support State budget investments for Inland Empire students and educational institutions to ensure the region has the skilled, educated workforce it needs for economic growth and prosperity.   As the Governor and Legislature work within the constraints of a budget deficit, Inland Action appreciates continued leadership and commitment to ensure that access to education is built upon a solid foundation of stable funding and targeted goals to support equity and improve student success—especially for Inland Empire students. The Early Action Budget package includes close to $17 billion of early actions to help address this year’s budget shortfall.

Inland Action respectfully urges prioritization of the following:

UC and CSU Higher Education Compacts – RESTORE 5% ONGOING BASE FUNDING. The higher education compacts offer a predictable budget allocation in exchange for a commitment from UC and CSU to increasing undergraduate enrollment, establish system-specific goals for closing equity gaps in graduation rates, enhancing access for California students through greater affordability, and increasing intersegmental collaboration to support transfers. The early action defers this funding, specifically:

University of California

• Defers $258.8 million for new UC Compact funding by one year, from 2024-25 to 2025‑26.

California State University

• Defers $240.2 million for new CSU Compact funding by one year, from 2024-25 to 2025‑26.

Additionally, the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) has recommended funding reductions to multiple UC programs in their analysis of the University of California budget. All the programs identified by the LAO received one-time funding during the last few years.  The Assembly Budget Subcommittee 3 held a hearing on the LAO cut list on April 9. Of specific concern are the following proposed cuts to UC Riverside:

• Campus Specific Climate Change Initiatives-$47 million

This funding has been encumbered to support the Opportunities to Advance Social Innovation and Sustainability (OASIS) Park. This capital project went through a design build process and the winning design-build team was selected in March and is proceeding with expectations of site work starting this spring.

• UC Riverside School of Medicine Operations-$13.6 million

The $25M one-time funding allocation provided to the UCR, School of Medicine (SOM) as part of the Budget Act of 2021. The funding allocation was intended to stabilize the clinical operations of UCR Health, to help develop a solid foundation for growth to better serve the Inland Southern California region, and to support the growth of the medical school and training programs. UCR Health has not yet stabilized the clinical operations and is currently in the process of addressing gaps in service, access, and capability to support the long-range UC plan.

Protect funding for California Community Colleges and K-12 under Proposition 98. Proposition 98, passed in 1988, mandates a minimum State funding level for K-12 schools and California community colleges. Inland Action urges protection of State funding for community colleges. Ensuring that community colleges receive their fair share of funding is essential to maintaining educational quality and accessibility.

Continued investments in affordable student housing are critical. Inland Action supports investments to build student residential housing for community college students experiencing housing insecurity.

Inland Action also supports the California Community College’s 2024-25 Systemwide Budget Request.  Support $711 million in ongoing and $310 million in one-time resources to reach the systemwide Vision 2030. The requested investments focus on a students’ full educational journey – from enrollment, persistence, and support to student success and economic mobility.

Prioritize investments to fully adopt the Cal Grant Equity Framework.  The ambitious 70% college attainment goal requires critical financial aid resources be directed to California’s most economically vulnerable students.

Independent California colleges and universities (ICCUs) are located throughout the State in nearly every community, and collectively educate almost 350,000 students, including 183,600 undergraduates. ICCUs are major contributors to the key workforce areas. They produce approximately 41% of the new teacher credential holders educated in the State, 50% of the nurses, and over 90% of the mental health professionals and counselors. Last year, ICCUs also welcomed nearly 4,000 new transfer students from the California Community Colleges and provided a flexible, high-touch undergraduate education to roughly 29,000 nontraditional students and returning adults.

ICCUs educate over 25,000 Cal Grant recipients, who on average receive over $24,000 per year in institutional grant aid. The combination of state aid, institutional support, and the federal Pell Grant program is a critical partnership that helps to expand opportunities for low-income students in all communities and regions of the State while reducing the need for students to take out loans or work long hours.

Inland Action asks that the Legislature make important investments in the Cal Grant program that further support college attendance, increase transfer for nontraditional students, and support regional access to our colleges and universities for students who may be place-bound, including:

 $8.8 million to restore the Cal Grant award amount for students attending an ICCU to $9,708. Even with recent investments, the award is $9,358, or $350 less than it was in the year 2001. Restoring the award to this amount will provide much needed help to support the over 25,000 Cal Grant recipients who attend our colleges and universities, 48 percent of which are the first in their families to attend college and over half identifying as Latino/a.

 $13.2 million to fund the California Community College Expanded Transfer Entitlement award portability for those who seek to transfer to an ICCU. Two years ago, the State expanded Cal Grant entitlement eligibility to any student at a community college who met the income and asset criteria, regardless of age or time out of high school. The State also guaranteed that these students could use any remaining Cal Grant eligibility upon transfer to a UC or CSU; however, they did not extend that portability to those who wished to pursue a bachelor’s degree at an ICCU. The Legislature enacted the policy change to expand this eligibility in last year’s budget, with implementation contingent on funding. We estimate that this change could immediately benefit over 1,200 nontraditional students pursuing bachelor’s degrees at our colleges and universities, if funded.

 Protect ASES and Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) afterschool programs from cuts.  State and federally funded after school programs provide safe and enriching activities for hundreds of thousands of California’s students. In addition to keeping students safe and out of trouble in the hours immediately after school, these programs typically provide students with academic assistance, enriching opportunities like arts, community service and project-based learning, and physical activities. The benefits of State and federally funded after school programs also extend to the hundreds of thousands of working parents who strive to secure high quality academic assistance and cost effective after-school care for their children. Hosting an after-school program affords schools the opportunity to extend the school day with supplemental education services and enrichment and provides students with opportunities to interact with positive and trustworthy adults outside of the formal classroom setting.

These programs serve approximately three-fourths (73%) of California’s elementary and middle schools where at least 40% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Among the elementary and middle schools where at least 50% of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, 80% have the benefit of an after-school program.

Inland Action requests:

• Maintain current funding levels for ASES and the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) at Tier 1 Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) for 2024-2025. Tier 1 districts are those in which 75% of students qualify for free after school programs based on need.
• Increase funding levels for ELO-P at Tier 2 LEAs for 2025-2026. ELO-P is often the only resource available to LEAs to provide after school programs to qualifying youth in Tier 2 districts. ELO-P’s lower Tier 2 per child reimbursement rates have caused providers to operate at deficits in parts of the State.
• All youth require safe, enriching out-of-school time experiences, and we encourage the legislature to fund after school programs for older youth as well, through mechanisms such as AB 1113.

Advocate that a portion of the State’s $2 billion in opioid settlement funding be used for youth prevention grants.  California’s Attorney General has secured commitments of up to $2 billion in opioid settlement funding to be disbursed over 20 years. Approximately 85% of the funding goes to counties for treatment and 15% is disbursed at the State level. Research shows that evidence-based youth prevention programs are the most cost-effective and healthy approaches to addressing the opioid crisis.

Inland Action urges support for Assembly Member Phillip Chen’s request to Budget Subcommittee #1 Chair Weber to allocate a percentage of the State’s Opioid Settlement Fund to grants to nonprofit organizations to fund youth prevention programs.

Urge support for Senate Bill 28 for a 2024 K-16 General Obligation Bond that will support the ability of UC, CSU, and Community Colleges to enroll and house more California students, modernize teaching facilities for K-12, upgrade research facilities, make needed seismic upgrades, and transition schools and campuses to clean energy systems.  The Early Action agreement includes the following cuts to capital programs:

• Cutting $500 million from the School Facility Aid Program, which funds K-12 building projects.
• Delaying $550 million for a grant program to build facilities to expand preschool, TK and full-day kindergarten.

A suggested strategy to mitigate the ongoing capital and infrastructure needs is to pass a comprehensive general obligation bond.  The University of California 2022-28 Capital Financial Plan presented to the Board of Regents in November 2022 identified $51 billion in unfunded capital needs for UC campuses and medical centers, the majority of which ($35 billion) is in State-supportable facilities. The CSU’s Five-Year Capital Outlay Plan approved by the Board of Trustees in November 2022 identified totals over $26.9 billion of academic and self-support projects across the 23-campus system. The five-year total includes $7.8 billion in Critical Facilities Renewal projects.

Community Colleges in our region also have significant capital needs. San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD)’s total is $22.925 million over the next five years. This investment will support critical safety repairs and modernizations at San Bernardino Valley College ($14.35 million), Crafton Hills College ($6.575 million), and the District Support Operations ($2.0 million), ensuring our facilities meet industry and educational standards.

 

ENVIRONMENT

Support efforts to address California’s clean air and emissions goals by taking steps to expedite major transportation and clean energy infrastructure (for example, through CEQA reform) without damaging the region’s economy.  During Inland Action’s 2024 advocacy trip to Washington D.C., our delegation advocated for the reauthorization of and increased funding for the federal Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) program.  Inland Action asks State leaders to consider similar approaches to addressing the Inland Empire region’s air quality issues.  Inland Action supports forward-thinking measures to fund and build the green transportation and logistics infrastructure necessary for the next generation in an expeditious manner.  Inland Action opposes any heavy-handed measures that fail to progress the necessary infrastructure yet have the potential to irreparably harm the region’s economy.  In addition, Inland Action opposes any such measures which infringe on local control.

Inland Action recognizes that, in order to address California’s climate and emissions goals, the State must make substantial investments in clean energy and transportation infrastructure.  This will also involve substantial improvements to promote grid resilience, which will be necessary to support the State’s electrification initiatives. Unfortunately, large projects in California take far too long from inception to completion.  A large part of the delay results from State laws and regulations that need reform.

The Riverside Transmission Reliability Project is a great example of this issue.  At present, all of Riverside’s imported energy comes from a single power connection from Southern California Edison’s Vista Substation located in the City of Grand Terrace.  While Riverside’s power is supplemented by a small number of power generation plants within the city, these plants do not provide reliable, long-term solutions to the city’s capacity shortage; and they will not be able to meet the city’s projected energy load growth.  In June 2006, almost two decades ago, the California Independent System Operation (CAISO) conducted studies and concluded there was a need for a second connection to outside power lines and a second substation.  Since that time, the project has gone through the CEQA process, including lawsuits, and the California Public Utilities Commission process.  Despite almost two decades of work, the project is still not built and remains the subject of legal and legislative challenges.  It is hard to contemplate why it should take 20 years to deliver a project that is necessary for over 300,000 residents, critical county facilities, and healthcare providers, and which will help facilitate meeting the State’s clean energy goals.

To that end, Inland Action supports efforts by the independent Little Hoover Commission to review and evaluate the impact of CEQA.  Inland Action recognizes that CEQA has played an important role in promoting environmental quality by enhancing the understanding of the environmental impacts of decisions.  However, Inland Action also recognizes that CEQA abuse is rife and that CEQA has too often been used as a tool to prevent or slow certain types of development, ultimately increasing housing and other living costs for Californians.  Accordingly, Inland Action welcomes the Little Hoover Commission’s decision to take a hard look at CEQA and strongly encourages State legislators to monitor the study and pay heed to its findings. Beyond CEQA though, Inland Action recommends the State look for other ways in which it can deliver large infrastructure projects in a quicker and more cost-effective manner.

Inland Action specifically opposes the regulation of logistics business locations if such regulations fail to respect local control and if such State regulations are region-specific.  In prior years, legislative efforts have been made to regulate the location of logistics facilities.  These efforts failed to respect the policies of local decision-makers, who were elected by their communities to make decisions about local land use.  The proposed bills also unfairly targeted the Inland Empire.

Inland Action asks that any further efforts to regulate the location of logistics facilities: (1) apply statewide – if  a minimum distance from sensitive receptors would benefit residents in the Inland Empire, then it would benefit residents throughout California; and (2) respect local control – many land use authorities have adopted good neighbor policies that balance the community need for business with the need to protect sensitive receptors.  Inland Action believes local decision makers are most capable of weighing these interests for their communities and that the judgment of local voters should be respected.  To the extent the State establishes statewide standards, it should provide a mechanism for local land use authorities to establish more specific regulations for their jurisdictions.

Support funding for continued management of the Salton Sea.  Although the Salton Sea is located in Riverside County, few projects in our region come anywhere near the Salton Sea in terms of the potential for calamity or, conversely, enormous gain.  The Salton Sea is impacted by rising salinity of the Sea, as well as changes in runoff from irrigated agriculture water supplied by the Colorado River.  Reduced water flows to the Sea could result in the exposure of nearly 100 square miles of dry lakebed, resulting in diminished habitat, significant air quality problems, and a damaged economy.

A key issue at the Salton Sea is exposure of previously submerged lakebed, known as playa, as the lake surface shrinks.  This playa exposure is subject to wind erosion and can be a source of fine airborne dust smaller than 10 micrometers, known as particulate matter 10, or PM10; as well as a source of PM 2.5.  The dust is a significant health hazard and can contribute to respiratory illness in humans.  It can also damage agricultural crops and wildlife and harm the region’s tourism industry.

Areas downwind from the Sea are already suffering from severe non-attainment for PM 10 under the Clean Air Act.  These areas suffer the highest rates of childhood asthma in California, with emergency room admissions for children under four years of age roughly twice the State average.  In the near future, tens of millions of citizens downwind from the Sea could be impacted by dust blown from the playa into densely urbanized areas throughout Southern California.

In recent years, local, State, tribal, and federal governments have achieved significant progress in addressing the long-term management of the Salton Sea.  These efforts have resulted in the development of the Salton Fee Funding and Feasibility Action Plan, a living document and framework for the future management of the Salton Sea, and Phase I of the Salton Sea Management Program 10-Year Plan, which guides investments at the Salton Sea in line with an MOU between the United States Department of the Interior and the California Natural Resources Agency.  Current efforts are designed to address playa exposure by developing habitat or dust suppression projects on exposed playa.

With a plan in place and funding generally available to the projects through the Farm Bill at the federal level and through the passage of Proposition 68 at the State level, it is critical that funding be delivered to these projects in a timely and efficient manner.  At the State level, the following steps are suggested:

• Salton Sea Management Program. Support efforts by the Salton Sea Management Program implemented by the California Natural Resources Agency, the California Department of Water Resources and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.  Their work includes a 10-year plan that aims to improve conditions by constructing 30,000 acres of habitat and dust suppression projects around the Sea, while also establishing a long-term pathway for the Salton Sea beyond the next decade, including work to evaluate the feasibility of water importation as a strategy for restoration of the Salton Sea.
• Species Conservation Habitat Project. Currently under construction, this $206.5 million plan will build ponds and wetlands along the small delta to provide wildlife habitat and suppress dust.  The final design includes 340 additional acres of coverage as compared to older projections and is expected to be finished in 2024.  The project is estimated to create as many as 3,000 jobs.  We urge the State to continue support for this project.
• Budget Funding for Salton Sea Restoration. Inland Action supports continued funding for Salton Sea restoration and management efforts.  Inland Action is encouraged by the State’s efforts to capitalize on the opportunities presented as a result of large lithium deposits in the region.  However, we urge the State to press forward with dust suppression, wildlife habitat, and natural restoration projects regardless of the success of lithium extraction projects.

Support for funding for water supply, water quality, and water storage projects, particularly the Delta Conveyance Project and Sites Reservoir.  Diverse sources of water supplies, increased water storage capacity and enhanced resilience to drought are high priorities to maintain and grow California’s economy.  Inland Action supports actions to implement measures that improve California’s water reliability and drought preparedness, including support for budget proposals for water infrastructure and drought response investments.  Inland Action recognizes the tremendous investment the State and local water purveyors have made in infrastructure to build capacity and resilience.

Southern California is well positioned but still requires investment in its water infrastructure.  The recent winter storms throughout California have underscored the need for continued investment in water infrastructure. Improved water infrastructure might have mitigated flooding impacts in Northern and Central California and would have provided additional, reliable water resources for anticipated drought periods in Southern California.  Inland Action supports State efforts to fund water and wastewater infrastructure, water reliability projects, and water conveyance projects.

• Support for Delta Conveyance Project. Water reliability is a vital issue for inland Southern California, including for major local State water contractors such as the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, and Mojave Water Agency.  Inland Action supports upgrading the State’s infrastructure to improve conveyance in the Delta and ensure more reliable long-term water deliveries for the State Water Project, which provides 30 percent of Southern California’s water.  We were pleased to see the Delta Conveyance Project recognized as a necessary improvement in the State’s “California Water Plan” 2023 Update.  Inland Action also supports continued funding for scientific research and habitation restoration in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to advance ecosystem improvements in support of California’s coequal goals of water supply reliability and Delta ecosystem restoration.
• Support for Sites Reservoir Project. Inland Action supports continued State funding and support for the Sites Reservoir Project.  The project will capture and store stormwater flows from the Sacramento River for release when needed, creating an additional 1.5 million-acre feet of storage.  When constructed, and operated in conjunction with the Northern California reservoirs, the project will increase the flexibility, reliability, and resiliency of the State’s water system.
• PFAS – Secure Funding for Monitoring and Remediation. Ensuring safe drinking water is a fundamental requirement for healthy communities and economies.  With growing concerns about the presence in some water supplies of a family of chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), water agencies are working to ensure inland Southern California has a safe and reliable drinking water supply.  Inland Action supports administrative and legislative actions to secure funding to help public water agencies defray the cost of monitoring and/or remediation of constituents (including PFAS) in drinking water supplies, including full cost-recovery by drinking water and wastewater providers.  Inland Action supports legislation that accomplishes the above goals while protecting public water and wastewater agencies (and, therefore, their ratepayers) from third-party liability associated with new standards.  We urge caution with respect to any bills which impose additional burdens on water providers and wastewater systems without addressing the funding necessary to cover associated costs.
• State Support for Water Purveyor Consolidation Efforts. In recent years, the State of California has looked for mechanisms to address significant infrastructure and water quality issues associated with small, typically private, water systems.  This is a significant problem in rural areas, particularly the Central Valley, but it is also a problem in the Inland Empire region.  Most stakeholders agree that consolidation of these water systems is one mechanism to address this.  Unfortunately, efforts to address the issues have thus far focused on the prospect of a universal water tax, paid by all customers on a per unit or per person basis.  This is not the way to go.  Instead, Inland Action supports funding to incentivize consolidation of water systems, ideally into public bodies with local accountability and decision-making.  Incentivizing consolidation requires significant funds to address infrastructure needs and address water quality problems (see above).

 

HEALTH CARE

Support SB 1432 (Caballero) which would extend the deadline for the 2030 seismic mandate and require the State to analyze and report to the Legislature on the mandate’s impact on health care costs and access throughout California’s communities.  Under current law, by January 1, 2030, all hospital buildings that provide patient care must be “fully operational” following an earthquake or be forced to close. This 2030 mandate follows a 2020 standard where nearly all hospitals throughout California have already spent billions to ensure their buildings will remain standing after an earthquake, protecting patients and health care workers, making them among the safest buildings in the State.

The time frame and cost to meet the 2030 standards are major challenges, especially for financially distressed hospitals. The cost of upgrades would put 40% of hospitals in severe financial distress.” Community and public hospitals would take the most significant hit, further hindering access to care for many Medi-Cal and Medicare patients who depend on them.

Sixty-two percent of hospitals statewide have at least one building that has yet to meet 2030 infrastructural standards, leaving populations without access to health care. The closure of rural and disproportionate share hospitals will more acutely impact their surrounding communities.  According to a 2019 RAND Institute study, the estimated cost for upgrades and construction needed for all hospitals to comply with the 2030 seismic standards range from $34 billion to $140 billion depending on the need to retrofit buildings or construct new ones.

More than 50% of California hospitals lose money every day to care for patients. Some hospitals are forced to reduce services to keep their doors open. Hospitals are essential to their communities and California must be accountable to preventing loss of access to care. The State must conduct more analysis and reporting to help the Legislature and communities understand the costs and trade-offs associated with meeting 2030 standards.

SB 1432 would provide until January 1, 2038, to comply with the 2030 requirements. This extension would provide an opportunity to assess how to meet the 2030 requirements without jeopardizing access to care.

Support SB 136, Managed Care Organization Tax, with implementation recommendations.  Governor Gavin Newsom signed several early action budget items in an effort to narrow the State’s substantial budget deficit. Included in the package signed by the Governor was SB 136, (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review), which increases the Medi-Cal Managed Care portion of the Managed Care Organization  Tax, to generate an additional $1.5 billion to help mitigate the current budget situation.  Inland Action supports this funding mechanism, which will give the Department of Health Care Services the ability to seek a modification to the current tax from the federal government and draw down additional federal dollars. The enhancement will result in $21 billion in total revenue through FY 26-27, of which it is expected that only $8 billion of those funds will be used for targeted rate increases for Medi-Cal providers.

While Inland Action is sympathetic to the State’s budget challenges, the proposed allocation revisions are concerning, as it appears to shift a majority of the funds away from new Medi-Cal investments and expenditure details are not yet available.  The priority of the tax, and of the State, should ensure the fiscal and operational stability of the State’s safety net.  Changes to the tax demand legislative review to ensure investments in equity and increasing access to quality health care remain the focus of the expenditures.  Inland Action urges the Legislature to ensure that the mechanism to deliver provider payments is rational and less complex than the 2024 payment model to allow the least administratively burdensome method to deliver payments to providers.

 

JUDICIARY

Support AB 3013 (Maienschein) with amendments, which would authorize pilot projects to study the potential use of remote court reporting of certain court proceedings.  Existing law prohibits courts from using remote court reporting, as defined, to produce the record of any court proceedings and from expending any funds to purchase equipment or software to facilitate the use of remote court reporting. This bill would authorize, beginning July 1, 2025, the Superior Courts of the Counties of Alameda, Los Angeles, Mendocino, Monterey, Orange, San Diego, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Tulare, and Ventura to conduct pilot projects to study the potential use of remote court reporting to make the verbatim record of certain court proceedings. We recommend amending the bill to include the San Bernardino County, which is the largest geographic county in the State (and the country). The inclusion of San Bernardino County would provide important data when dealing with issues of broad geographic demands.

Inland Action supports legislation to promote the availability of verbatim records of court proceedings, working collaboratively to address court reporter shortages and exploring innovative technology. California is experiencing a serious court reporter shortage which threatens access to justice for court users, especially for those who cannot afford to pay for their own reporter in cases where a court reporter is not required. Not having a verbatim record of trial court proceedings will often have a devastating effect on a litigant’s ability to have an appeal decided on its merits.

The San Bernardino Superior Court has made use of SB170 and SB154 funding to implement generous monetary retention and recruitment incentives. Nevertheless, the declining numbers of court reporters in California, competition with private employers, and even competition with other California courts has dampened the effectiveness of these measures – the reporter shortage continues unabated in San Bernardino County. Due to the unavailability of court reporters, the San Bernardino Superior Court is no longer able to offer court reporters to all litigants in probate and unlimited civil departments, as well as in some family law departments. Between January and December 2023, there were:

• 39,699 Probate, civil, and family law hearings with no record produced.
• 9,624 Hearings where court reporter coverage was waived by the litigants.
• 139 Courtroom delays due to the unavailability of court reporters.

If the current situation continues, the persistent court reporter shortage will likely lead to an inability to provide any court reporters in additional case types where the court is not statutorily mandated to do so, including family law and child support. Effective solutions are required now to prevent what is already an outright crisis from worsening.

Support legislation to expand and promote the ability to conduct proceedings, in whole or in part, using remote technology in order to expand safe and reliable access to justice.  There are significant benefits to giving people the option to participate remotely in civil and criminal proceedings. It is expensive to come to court, and in San Bernardino County distances are often a significant barrier. The remote option helps preserve access to justice, particularly for vulnerable court users by reducing time and expense and makes the courts more efficient. We learned from the pandemic that there are many benefits to making this choice available when appropriate. The public wants this choice available with user satisfaction data overwhelmingly positive.

For March 2022 through August 2023, nearly 2.2 million civil remote and an estimated 1.5 million criminal remote proceedings were conducted in courts across California. Each business day, approximately 10,000 remote hearings take place in courts, saving court users at least 2.5 million trips to courthouses annually. In user experience surveys, over 95% of remote hearings participants reported a positive experience with the remote technology.

Participants in collaborative justice court programs and diversion programs—which meet on a more frequent basis—especially benefit from the ability to appear remotely. Remote proceedings are also helpful to the many justice partners (behavioral health experts, probation, etc.) that help participants successfully graduate from these programs.

 

TRANSPORTATION

Oppose AB 2535 (Bonta), Trade Corridor Enhancement Program (TCEP), which would prevent use of transportation funding to advance capacity enhancing infrastructure projects to meet transportation demands.  Existing law requires the California Transportation Commission, under the Trade Corridor Enhancement Program, to allocate, upon appropriation by the Legislature, revenues from a specified portion of the State excise tax on diesel fuel and certain federal funds for infrastructure projects located on or along specified transportation corridors.  Under existing law, eligible projects under the program include, among others, highway improvements to more efficiently accommodate the movement of freight and environmental and community mitigation or efforts to reduce environmental impacts of freight movement.

This bill would prohibit the commission from allocating funding under the program to a project that adds a general-purpose lane to a highway or expands highway capacity in a community that meets certain criteria relating to pollution impacts. The bill would also prohibit the Commission from allocating funding under the program to a project that expands a highway footprint unless the project meets certain criteria relating to environmental review and the operation of the project.  The bill would also require the Commission to ensure that at least 50% of the funds allocated under the program in any fiscal year are allocated to investments in zero-emission freight infrastructure and would require prioritization of projects located in communities that meet certain criteria relating to pollution impacts (highest quintile in CalEnviroScreen).

The Transportation Corridor Enhancement Program is the State’s dedicated source of funding for infrastructure along corridors with a high volume of freight movement.   Inland Southern California must continue to advance capacity enhancing infrastructure projects to meet the needs of its growing population and transportation demands.  Inland Action urges opposition to AB 2535.
Oppose SB 960 (Wiener), Transportation: Planning: Transit Priority Projects:  Multimodal, which would impose a one-size-fits-all solution to highway funding which does not recognize the needs of the most heavily travelled transportation corridors in the State.  Existing law requires the Department of Transportation to improve and maintain the State’s highways and establishes various programs to fund the development, construction, and repair of local roads, bridges, and other critical transportation infrastructure in the State.  This bill would require all transportation projects funded or overseen by the department to provide comfortable, convenient, and connected complete streets facilities unless an exemption is documented and approved.

This bill would require the State Highway Operation and Protection Program (SHOPP) to prioritize the implementation of comfortable, convenient, and connected facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users on all projects in the program, where applicable. The bill would repeal the requirement for the California Transportation Commission to adopt targets and performance measures and instead require the commission to adopt 4-year and 10-year objective targets and performance measures reflecting State transportation goals and objectives, including for complete streets assets that reflect the existence and conditions of bicycle, pedestrian, and transit facilities on the State highway system. The bill would require the department’s plain language performance report to include a description of pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities on each project, as specified. The bill would require the department, in consultation with the Commission, to update the asset management plan and use it to guide the selection of transit priority projects for the SHOPP.

The Inland Empire is home to some of the most heavily travelled transportation corridors in the State.  While active transportation and transit projects are important, a balanced approach is needed to effectively address the unique needs of our region.  A one-size-fits-all approach will not achieve this.  Inland Action urges opposition to SB 960.

Support Protection of SB1 Funding for Transportation Infrastructure.  The Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 was signed into law on April 28, 2017.  This legislation invests over $5 Billion annually to fix roads, freeways, and bridges in communities across California while generating funds for transit and safety.  The Inland Empire region of Southern California is now the 12th largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States, and it is expected to add over one million people in the next twenty-five years.  While multiple transit, safety, and active transportation projects are underway, the Inland Empire must advance priority infrastructure projects to address immediate and necessary capacity enhancement.

A strong, modern, and safe transportation system not only helps chart the path for installation of much needed clean energy infrastructure, but it is also vital to supporting timely development of affordable housing to effectively address the housing crisis in California.  The continued focus on deployment and adoption of alternatively fueled vehicles has resulted in fewer dollars being invested into the fund with heightened demand on electric charging infrastructure and equipment.
Transportation systems work when they are connected.  Industry certification of the products lag production.  Orders can be placed only to be cancelled or unfulfilled.  Performance standards of products must move what moves.  Without continued delivery of quality public infrastructure projects, access to corridors can’t be achieved in time or at a scale to meet our goals. These large, multi-year projects rely upon the continued availability of critical SB1 funding.