[Source: California Air Resources Board] The California Air Resources Board’s report on the state of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program for the compliance year 2015 indicates a compliance rate of 98 percent, with a total of 5.49 million credits generated in the year. These credits are roughly the same as removing 1 million Read More…
Category: California News
Latest draft Prop. 65 warning regulations take several steps backwards
[Source: California Chamber of Commerce] The latest proposed revisions to the state’s Proposition 65 warning regulations are problematic and unworkable, the California Chamber of Commerce and a broad coalition explain in a letter to the agency leading the rule drafting. The revisions proposed by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) take several steps Read More…
California suburbs are growing, despite lack of housing
[Source: Los Angeles Daily News] Big cities are growing, but so are the suburbs, where the region’s population is flocking for a slim supply of available housing, according to an annual state report released Monday. The Golden State’s population expanded to 39.3 million residents, an increase of just less than 1 percent with Los Angeles, Read More…
How good environmental legislation goes wrong
[Source: Los Angels Times Op-Ed] The California Environmental Quality Act is a valuable protector of this state’s resources. It guides planning by forcing agencies to consider the environmental implications of proposed projects. CEQA is also a woefully blunt instrument that thwarts economic growth and, perversely, can actually harm the environment. That’s exactly what’s happening with Read More…
Ahead of $15 minimum wage, one company leaves California for Texas
[Source: 89.3KPCC-So Cal Public Radio] California’s $15 minimum wage does not go into effect until 2022, but one Santa Fe Springs-based manufacturing company has already decided to leave the state this year to take advantage of cheaper wages in Texas. “This is the last thing I want to do, but I don’t see that I Read More…
California’s workers’ compensation costs dropping
[Source: Sacramento Bee] The good news, at least for California employers, is that the 2012 overhaul of the state’s system of compensating workers for job-related illnesses and injuries appears to be having its stated effect. Although the changes – a deal between employers and unions that drew Gov. Jerry Brown’s blessing – increased cash benefits Read More…
California governor approves legislation raising paid family leave benefits for employees
[Source: Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo] On April 11, 2016, Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 908, which will increase workers’ access to State Disability Insurance (“SDI”) and Paid Family Leave (“PFL”) starting in 2018. PFL provides wage replacement benefits for up to six weeks to care for a child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse, Read More…
Brown signs California law boosting paid family-leave benefits
[Source: Los Angeles Times] Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday signed a bill expanding California’s pioneering family-leave law to help more low-income workers and provide better benefits. “It’s a real pleasure to be able to sign another bill that helps ordinary Californians, working men and women,” Brown said. The action comes 15 years after California became Read More…
California’s $15/hour wage could help workers, cost jobs
[Source: Associated Press] A political deal to raise California’s minimum wage to a nation-leading $15 an hour could help some workers cope with the state’s crushing cost of living but also deprive other low-wage earners of jobs altogether, economists said Monday as Gov. Jerry Brown and other leaders touted what would be a landmark agreement. Read More…