California Assembly Bill AB976

California 2021-2022 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/18/21
• Refer: 3/4/21
• Report Pass: 3/25/21
• Refer: 3/25/21
• Refer: 4/14/21
• Failed: 2/1/22

Caption

Resilient Economies and Community Health Pilot Program.

Impact

AB 976 establishes the Strategic Growth Council as the administering body for this pilot program, tasked with evaluating its effectiveness and ensuring accountability through required reports to the legislature by January 1, 2026. The program seeks to prioritize disadvantaged communities, particularly those identified through the CalEnviroScreen tool, emphasizing areas with high pollution burdens and poverty rates. This measure recognizes the importance of local engagement and the potential of community-driven initiatives to help mitigate environmental impacts and promote sustainable practices.

Summary

Assembly Bill 976, known as the Resilient Economies and Community Health Pilot Program, was introduced to create a framework for supporting disadvantaged communities through coordinated incentives and targeted services. The core objective of AB 976 is to provide economic savings while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing the impacts of climate change. It aims to implement a system where eligible community-based organizations can administer grants and services over a five-year period from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2026. The bill is focused on improving community health and economic resilience at household levels within these disadvantaged areas.

Contention

While generally supported for its objectives, AB 976 has faced some contention regarding the allocation of resources and the effectiveness of grant administration. Critics may argue about the adequacy of funding distribution and potential bureaucratic hurdles that could impede timely assistance to those most in need. Ensuring that the program remains agile and responsive to the specific needs of various communities will be a point of ongoing dialogue as the bill moves forward.