Governor Signs into Law Several Budget Trailer Bills

This week, during a statewide tour, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law a series of budget trailer bills on several notable topics. These budget trailer bills provide the key funding and implementation details associated with investments included in the state’s FY 2021-22 Budget Act. Below, we highlight several of the actions from this week:

Homelessness –

Governor Newsom on Monday in Sonoma County signed into law AB 140 which comprises the largest housing and homelessness investment in the state’s history. The package includes $10.3 billion for affordable housing development and $12 billion over two years to address homelessness throughout the state. Included in the homelessness funding is $5.8 billion to support 42,000 housing units through Homekey, as well as $2 billion in aid to local governments through the state’s Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention grant program (HHAP). Additional information on the Administration’s housing and homelessness investments is available here.

Broadband –

On Tuesday in Tulare County, Governor Newsom visited a rural elementary school to sign into law SB 156 to provide a multi-year $6 billion investment in expanding access to broadband internet service. The significant investment includes $3.25 billion to build, operate, and maintain an open access, state-owned middle mile network, $2 billion to establish last-mile broadband connections, and $750 million for a loan loss reserve fund to secure financing for broadband infrastructure among local governments. Additional information on the state’s broadband activities is available here.

Natural Resources –

The Governor on Thursday toured the Folsom Lake Reservoir in Placer County with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanna Criswell to assess the significant impacts of climate change. During the visit, Governor Newsom signed into law AB 148, the state’s budget trailer bill on natural resources. The measure expedites the response to severe drought conditions statewide, details guidelines for the state’s program to pay for past-due utility bills, increase oversight of the state’s critical infrastructure, and protect the environment from further climate threats. Additional information on the state’s natural resources activities is available here.

The Governor additionally signed budget legislation related to retail theft and the state’s film and television industry this week.

As a reminder, the California Legislature remains on its month-long summer recess. Legislators will return to Sacramento on August 16, at which point CHEAC will continue publication of the CHEAC Weekly Bill Chart.