California Legislature in Session

The California Legislature reconvened on January 7. Many new bills are currently being introduced with a bill introduction deadline of February 22. CLFP is busy analyzing these new legislative proposals and determining their impact on the state's food processing industry. Legislative policy committees will begin hearing bills in April.

It is still early in the legislative process, and many bills are being introduced as “spot bills,” meaning that they do not contain substantive policy. However, based on conversations with legislative leadership and staff, the priority legislative issues impacting CLFP will include:

• Water Tax - Reintroduction of legislation to levy a tax on water users throughout the state to establish a Safe Drinking Water Fund. This proposal is also included in Governor Gavin Newsome’s budget.

• Independent Contractors - Legislation related to the ability of workers to work independently based on a recent California Supreme Court decision that severely limits the classification of independent contractors. Labor unions and business organizations will be pursuing competing legislative proposals on the issue.

• Western Grid Integration - Potential reintroduction of legislation authorizing a transition to a fully integrated western power grid.

• Wildfire Prevention and Rate Payer Protections - Potential legislative proposals related to land use development, forestry management, utility liability, and rate payer protections.

• Green Chemistry - Potential legislative proposal seeking to make policy changes to California’s Green Chemistry Initiative and Safer Consumer Products (SCP) & Workplaces Program at the Department of Toxics Substances Control. Such legislation has the potential to undermine and circumvent hard fought industry efforts on the SCP to ensure that products and chemicals undergo vigorous scientific protocols before being banned or replaced with alternatives.

• Workforce Development - Potential opportunity for CLFP to work with legislators to craft proposals that would encourage and help fund career technical education in community colleges and universities that meet the specific needs of the food processing industry.