On Wednesday, State Senator Patricia Bates, who also served as the Vice Chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, responded to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s sweeping executive order regarding climate change.
“Policies to successfully address climate change require informed input from the people’s representatives in the Legislature. My legislative colleagues and I considered Assembly Bill 3030 this year that sought to accomplish the same goals as the Governor’s decree,” Bates explained. “However, concerns about AB 3030’s significant costs raised by counties, public water districts, and outdoor recreational enthusiasts meant that additional deliberation was needed as there was bipartisan opposition to the bill.”
While Newsom and his Democrat allies in the Legislature have long pursued pervasive policy changes in response to climate change concerns, Republican leaders like Senator Bates have warned that many of these policies are ineffective in terms of mitigating climate issues, while also dramatically increasing costs for working and middle class families already struggling to make ends meet.
“The Governor’s decree bypassed the legislative process once again, just as he did recently with his order to ban new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. The Assembly Appropriations Committee estimated AB 3030 could result in costs of ‘several hundreds of millions of dollars or more.’ Local governments expressed concerns about ambiguity, lack of identified funding sources, and regulatory overreach,” Bates added. “Others noted that the bill failed to even acknowledge the numerous state and federal environmental laws and regulations already protecting California’s natural resources. With the stroke of a pen, the Governor has ignored all of those concerns.”
Gov. Newsom’s insistence on bypassing the State Legislature has been well documented, and has drawn frustration and criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike. His recent executive order to ban the sale of gas-powered cars and trucks by 2035 is one example of many, showing how willing Newsom has been to consolidate power.
“I represent a coastal district and I want to support legislation that safeguards California’s coastline, protects jobs, and ensures recreational opportunities for everyone,” Bates concluded. “If the Governor had worked with the Legislature, we could have addressed concerns about cost and accountability, just as we did on Assembly Bill 793, the historic and bipartisan plastic recycling bill that he signed into law last month.”
