Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legislative Update topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
CDFA legislative affairs: wildfire recovery, affordability and several agriculture bills to watch
Summary
CDFA’s legislative affairs office told the State Board that wildfire relief, affordability and a slate of agriculture bills will shape the early part of the 2025 legislative session, and flagged avian influenza hearings and cap‑and‑trade reauthorization as items under active discussion.
Rachel O’Brien, CDFA deputy secretary for legislative affairs, briefed the board on the early 2025 legislative landscape, saying wildfire recovery and affordability are driving the session and that agriculture‑related bills are emerging on farm‑to‑school, soil‑health and regulatory topics.
O’Brien said the legislature convened a new two‑year session with many incoming members and that Democrats have highlighted affordability and housing following recent electoral results. She emphasized that wildfire recovery — and related disaster relief funding signed by the governor — will be a legislative focus given the January fires in Southern California. The governor signed disaster relief packages and is pursuing federal support, O’Brien said.
The deputy secretary said Senator Melissa Hurtado and Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, chairs of the Senate and Assembly agriculture committees respectively, are working on agriculture priorities including the avian influenza response. O’Brien flagged a Senate Agriculture and Health Committee hearing on avian influenza scheduled for the following day and said Secretary Ross and state animal‑health staff would participate.
O’Brien listed agriculture bills the department is tracking in their early (spot) or introduced forms, including: AB 675 (statutory recognition and support for Farm to School programs), AB 947 (modernizes the Environmental Farming Act advisory panel role), AB 1156 (modifies solar use easements), SB 89 (new restrictions on glyphosate sales to non‑licensed buyers after Jan. 1, 2028 in the amended text), SB 279 (easing on‑site composting of certain agricultural materials) and SB 470 (codifying teleconferencing rules for state boards). She also summarized early discussions about cap‑and‑trade reauthorization and reiterated that CDFA has received climate‑investment funds from prior cap‑and‑trade auctions.
O’Brien concluded that the department will monitor developments, brief board members on bills of interest and advised that the board’s statutory financial‑disclosure filings are due April 1.
