As this newsletter goes out‚ the Senate has been meeting in long daily Floor sessions before closing for the year on Monday‚ Aug. 31.
Some of the most difficult and important work is inevitably pushed to the last minute‚ so we will be taking up legislation related to utilities and wildfire‚ energy policy‚ late budget amendments‚ and more. There have been votes on literally hundreds of bills in the last week‚ with more to come.
This is a demanding time in the legislative cycle‚ for me and for my team‚ but it is worth it to be here fighting for the people of the rural North State. Your voice and your needs matter‚ and it is an honor to represent you.
Over the course of the year I have heard from thousands of constituents who shared their views on pending legislation. I’m grateful to every one of you who took the time. Nothing matters more to me in guiding my decisions than the views of the people back home.
Measure Supporting Biomass Power Advances
In the North State we know the biomass power industry is a natural tool for taking wood waste from essential forest‑thinning projects and turning it into renewable electricity. Unfortunately‚ the cost of getting fuel out of the forests makes these plants difficult to keep operating as businesses.
Ensuring California has a path to retaining this important piece of our forest‑products industry is why I co‑authored Assembly Bill 706‚ with Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar‑Curry.
The bill gives the State Board of Forestry the authority to use the state’s Timber Fund and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to maintain and expand biomass generation‚ and restart idle power plants‚ especially in areas where the need is greatest‚ with high tree mortality and urgent need for management.
I am excited to share that both houses of the Legislature passed the final version of the bill this week‚ and it is headed to the governor’s desk.
Thanks to my fellow legislators for recognizing that biomass is not just a local issue but‚ because of its influence on forest health and wildfire‚ truly one of statewide importance.
Governor Signs Bill Improving FPPC Enforcement
This week the governor signed legislation I authored‚ in partnership with the Fair Political Practices Commission‚ to give the commission new flexibility in how it enforces its regulations – especially for inadvertent paperwork errors.
Every candidate for public office and elected official must file regular statements disclosing their assets and sources of income‚ and the process can be more complex than many expect – especially for volunteers who serve their community on local school boards or fire districts. These disclosures are important to reveal and deter conflicts of interest‚ but at the same time honest mistakes can draw expensive mandatory fines that build by the day.
Senate Bill 1389 caps the penalty that can be levied on a late filer at $100‚ gives the FPPC authority to waive daily fines‚ and removes the penalty for filing a copy of an original statement late.
This doesn’t give anyone a free pass to ignore their disclosures. It allows the commission reasonable discretion to work with filers whose offense is simply late paperwork – so they can focus on serious wrongdoing.
Gold Runner Offers New Connections in Sacramento Valley
Team Dahle started the week with a celebration for the new Gold Runner bus service serving the I‑5 corridor between Redding and Sacramento.
The line offers round‑trip service twice every day to the Sacramento International Airport‚ as well as the Sacramento Valley Station in downtown Sacramento to connect to rail trips around the state. The route includes stops in Red Bluff‚ Orland and Williams‚ and was developed as a partnership between the state and transportation agencies throughout the valley.
Shasta County resident Jill Hauser‚ a long‑time proponent‚ was given the honor of cutting the ribbon. I appreciate her dedicated citizen advocacy and the regional coalition of transportation agencies that came together to make this service happen.
For details about schedules and fairs‚ check out the Redding Area Bus Authority’s website here.