Senator Durazo Introduces Legislation to Require Equity for California’s Climate Action

Senator Durazo has introduced SB 1095, legislation for Equity in Climate Action, which would require that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) assess the social and economic impacts of any proposed adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule or regulation that will significantly affect air quality or emissions limitations in the state.

“An effective environmental policy is one that improves the everyday quality of life for working class people and communities of color,” said Senator Durazo. “We need to know how the changes we implement related to air quality and emissions are impacting the most vulnerable Californians, who have in many cases endured decades of environmental injustices in their neighborhoods. We know that it’s these communities who are feeling the immediate as well as generational impacts of poor air quality conditions, and we all deserve to know the full picture of how our policies are impacting both their physical and economic wellbeing. Every policy comes with benefits and burdens and we must make sure that both are shared equitably.”

Currently, local air districts across California are required to perform assessments of the impacts of their proposed rules and regulations. They must actively consider the social and economic impacts, and make a good faith effort to minimize adverse impacts. 

Similar to local air districts, SB 1095 would require CARB to actively consider and account for the social and economic impacts of proposed rules and regulations. Specifically, SB 1095 would require CARB and local district assessments to include, among other elements:

• An analysis of the disproportionate impact, if any, of proposed actions on any racial, ethnic, or gender subgroup;
• An econometric analysis with a baseline estimate of the costs, revenues, income, and other relevant economic factors;
• Likely behavioral changes by affected entities and individuals in response to the proposed action—including, but not limited to, the extent to which costs or benefits are retained by the affected entities or individuals or are passed on to others;
• Labor market conditions specific to the types of occupations that would be impacted by job cutbacks or increases associated with the proposed action;
• Estimates of the direct, indirect, and induced impacts within the region impacted by the proposed action including the impacts on consumer prices, employment, wages, household discretionary income of employees and consumers by income level, consumer spending, and output in the region affected by the proposed action.

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