Hey, all!
Lots going on in the CA legislature this week—apologies for the increased frequency in emails.
I have a couple of asks for you today. And they’re both really important.
First, tomorrow afternoon at 3 pm in Sacramento, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hear SB 1497, the Polluters Pay Climate Cost Recovery Act of 2024. Senator Caroline Menjivar's bold and wonderful bill will require the world's biggest polluters to pay into a fund that municipalities can use to address climate harms and mitigate future damage. The bill passed the Senate Environmental Quality Committee last week and added some powerful co-authors there—but the Judiciary Committee, its next stop, is likely to be tougher.
We need everyone to phone the Judiciary Committee today or tomorrow morning, at (916) 651-4113, and leave a simple message for the Chairman, Sen. Thomas Umberg. Something like
My name is _____, and I live in ___________. Please let Chair Umberg and members of the Committee know that I strongly support Senator Menjivar's SB 1497. The companies whose emissions caused the climate emergency are the only entities that can afford to pay for the ongoing damage. Government will never have enough money, so the polluters must pay! Thank you!
Then please call Assembly Energy Chair, Petrie-Norris at (916) 319-2073—because AB 1999 is about to be killed!—and say:
My name is ________. I am a California resident (OR I live in your district). Please schedule AB 1999 and AB 2256 for a hearing this Wednesday, and pass as written, with no poison pill amendments. I hear AB 1999 may not be heard, and I am praying that’s not true, because if it is I’m going to be really upset. If AB 1999 does not pass millions of people like me will see significant bill increases. Pass AB 1999 AND AB 2256 this Wednesday with no amendments. Thank you.
Thanks, all. These two calls are REALLY important and they need to be made ASAP. Please make them, and please share.
More soon,
Jess
Hi Jessica,
When I called the Judiciary Committee, the staffer said they don't take phone calls on bills. He suggested using the Position Portal https://calegislation.lc.ca.gov/Advocates/faces/index.xhtml