CA Attorney General Rob Bonta. (Photo: Kevin Sanders for California Globe)
California Assemblyman Bonta Announces the California Green New Deal Act
What happened to the 2019 Green New Deal joint resolution?
By Katy Grimes, January 6, 2020 9:28 am
Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Oakland) will hold a press conference Monday at noon to announce the California Green New Deal Act. Bonta’s press announcement said the Act is needed “to boldly address the impacts of climate change and issues of equity throughout the state.”
The Green New Deal would: Ban affordable energy, eliminate nuclear energy, eliminate 99 percent of cars, gut and rebuild every building in America., eliminate air travel, and promises a government-guaranteed job, free education, free home, and free money, according to the Federalist.
But Wait!
Last year, Assemblyman Todd Gloria (D-San Diego) authored AJR 7, a joint resolution called “Green New Deal.” The bill was introduced in February 2019, amended in July, “revised September 3, and “corrected” September 4. Thus far, the Assembly Natural Resources Committee has heard and voted on the joint resolution. It was passed by the Assembly September 3 along party lines with 14 lawmakers abstaining.
AJR 7 says, “This measure would encourage the United States Congress to adopt climate policies, including those that might be adopted under the Green New Deal, that build upon California’s programs that have reduced greenhouse gas emissions while improving air and water quality, create new green jobs, and improve disadvantaged communities and that just climate actions offer the nation an opportunity to achieve community-mindful policies that California has successfully adopted while growing its economy.”
Corrected was:
This measure would encourage the United States Congress to enact a Green New Deal that would, among other things, comprehensively address our current climate emergency, transform our economy to one that places the health and wellness of communities at its center, promotes ecological resilience, and restores biodivesity.
WHEREAS, Experts conclude we have a little over 10 years to begin rapidly reducing our global carbon emissions;
Bonta says, “California has been a recognized as a world leader in implementing strong and innovative environmental policies. The California Green New Deal will build on that leadership to further protect the planet and ensure that disadvantaged communities that have been harmed by the fossil fuel economy are first in line to benefit from our state’s green advances.”
Last year, the author of the national Green New Deal, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s chief of staff, admitted that the Green New Deal was not conceived as an effort to deal with climate change, but is a “how-do-you-change-the-entire economy thing, ” leading many to believe that the Green New Deal is nothing more than a bait-and-switch socialist takeover of the U.S. economy.
“The interesting thing about the Green New Deal is it wasn’t originally a climate thing at all,” Saikat Chakrabarti said in May in a meeting with Sam Ricketts, climate director for Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D), who was running for president, according to The Washington Post. “Do you guys think of it as a climate thing?” Chakrabarti continued. “Because we really think of it as a how-do-you-change-the-entire-economy thing.”
The Federalist said the Green New Deal is “the most ridiculous and un-American plan that’s ever been presented by an elected official to voters. Not merely because it would necessitate a communist strongman to institute, but also because the societal costs are unfathomable.” They also noted that Ocasio-Cortez’s office took down their page describing the Green New Deal. It is saved here.
AJR 7 was sent to the Senate Sept. 3 following the Assembly vote, and corrected September 4. The Senate has not voted on it, nor has any Senate Committee done an analysis.
Typically, both houses will pass a joint resolution prior to a lawmaker authoring legislation on the same issue.
Is Bonta authoring the California Green New Deal Act putting the cart before the horse?
The co-sponsors of Bonta’s Green New Deal Act:
Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Oakland)
Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose)
Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D-Arleta)
Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Hollister)
Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego)
Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland)
Sierra Club California
Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN)
Public Advocates
The co-sponsors of AJR 7:
Assemblyman Todd Gloria, D-San Diego, is the primary sponsor of AJR 7; co-sponsors include Assemblymembers Ash Kalra, D-San Jose, Marc Berman, D-Palo Alto, Rob Bonta, D-Alameda, Wendy Carrillo, D-Los Angeles, David Chiu, D-San Francisco, Laura Friedman, D-Glendale, Eduardo Garcia, D-Coachella, Reginald Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, Robert Rivas, D-Salinas, and Mark Stone, D-Scotts Valley.
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April 3, 2020 -
Any California Green New Deal Act simply must address vehicle idling. Why is idling of light-duty vehicles in CA — unlike in seven other states — unrestricted? Idling when parked — half of all idling that occurs and largely unnecessary — emits 3 million tons of CO2 annually in CA. This idling also negatively impacts our air quality. We need a regulation to restrict idling and even more importantly, education from the state to reach millions of California motorists on this issue.
Most new cars have “stop/start” functions that do just what you ask for. Did you know that?
Perhaps a more relevant question is why are California cars idling so much? Because government urban planners have put cities on “lane diets,” removing lanes instead of adding them to accommodate more drivers, and refuse to synchronize traffic signals, forcing more stops and starts and idling. I’ve heard urban planners say they do this with the intent of frustrating drivers so much, they’ll give up their cars and take public transit. But that is not happening at all.