California 2019-2020 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate 1 D cosponsors

SB 253 — Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995: Environmental Farming Incentive Program.

Last action — August 30 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed Assembly
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2019-2020 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Existing law, the Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995, requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to establish and oversee an environmental farming program to provide incentives to farmers whose practices promote the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and wildlife and their habitat. The act requires the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to convene the Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming, as prescribed, for the purpose of providing advice to the secretary on the implementation of the Healthy Soils Program and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program and assistance to federal, state, and local government agencies on issues relating to the impact of agricultural practices on air, water, and wildlife habitat, as specified. This bill would additionally require the panel to assist government agencies to incorporate the conservation of natural resources and ecosystem services practices into agricultural programs. The bill would require the department, with advice from the panel, to establish and administer the California Environmental Farming Incentive Program, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would require the program to support on-farm practices seeking to optimize environmental benefits while supporting the economic viability of California agriculture by providing incentives, educational materials, and outreach to farmers or ranchers who want to pursue adopting management practices that contribute to wildlife habitat and result in on-farm activities that provide multiple conservation benefits, as prescribed. The bill would require the department, in consultation with the panel, to determine priorities for the program and give priority to specified projects, such as those that benefit socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers. The bill would create the California Environmental Farming Incentive Program Fund in the State Treasury, and upon appropriation by the Legislature, authorize the department to expend funds for purposes of the program. The bill would require the department to provide funds for incentives to private landowners, nonprofit organizations, the University of California Cooperative Extension, or local agencies, including resource conservation districts, for activities that support the program and implementation of on-farm practices. Existing law requires the department to establish a technical assistance grant program to provide funds to technical assistance providers, as defined, to provide assistance to Healthy Soils Program, alternative manure management practices programs, and State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program applicants, as prescribed. This bill would include the California Environmental Farming Incentive Program as a program that the technical assistance grant program may provide funds to provide assistance for applicants. The bill would revise the definition of technical assistance for the purpose of the grant program.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. August 30 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

  2. August 21 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  3. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  4. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  5. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (July 3).

  6. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on AGRI. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on AGRI.

  7. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

  8. Re-referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and AGRI. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.

  9. Referred to Coms. on AGRI. and NAT. RES.

  10. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  11. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1273.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  12. Ordered to special consent calendar.

  13. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  14. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1094.) (May 16).

  15. Set for hearing May 16.

  16. May 13 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  17. Set for hearing May 13.

  18. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  19. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0. Page 777.) (April 23).

  20. Set for hearing April 23.

  21. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on N.R. & W. (Ayes 4. Noes 0. Page 367.) (March 19). Re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.

  22. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on AGRI.

  23. Set for hearing March 19.

  24. Referred to Coms. on AGRI. and N.R. & W.

  25. From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 14.

  26. Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 120 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

  • Dodd

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (120)

120 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 120 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 10 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 6001
Democratic 3000
Republican 1000
Total 10001
% of votes cast 91%0%0%9%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Salas — Yea
Gray — Yea
Mathis — Yea
Levine — Yea
Cunningham — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Jones-Sawyer — Not Voting
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Agriculture]

Passed 11 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 8000
Democratic 2000
Republican 1000
Total 11000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Friedman — Yea
Mathis — Yea
Melendez — Yea
McCarty — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Chau — Yea
Cristina Garcia — Yea
Mark Stone — Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Special Consent SB253

Passed 38 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 27000
Democratic 9000
Republican 2000
Total 38000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (38)
Member Party Vote
Rubio — Yea
Monning — Yea
Wieckowski — Yea
Mitchell — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Beall — Yea
Atkins — Yea
Hill — Yea
Roth — Yea
Morrell — Yea
Hueso — Yea
Leyva — Yea
Dodd — Yea
Moorlach — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Allen — Yea
Borgeas — Yea
Galgiani — Yea
Hertzberg — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Bates — Yea
Glazer — Yea
Nielsen — Yea
Chang — Yea
Pan — Yea
Mark Stone — Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass

Passed 6 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 1000
Unaffiliated 5000
Total 6000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (6)
Member Party Vote
Wieckowski — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Bates — Yea
Hill — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Placed on suspense file

Passed 6 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 1000
Unaffiliated 5000
Total 6000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (6)
Member Party Vote
Wieckowski — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Bates — Yea
Hill — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 9 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 1000
Democratic 3000
Unaffiliated 5000
Total 9000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (9)
Member Party Vote
Allen — Yea
Monning — Yea
Borgeas — Yea
Hertzberg — Yea
Hueso — Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

environment agriculture
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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 253 do?
Existing law, the Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995, requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to establish and oversee an environmental farming program to provide incentives to farmers whose practices promote the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and wildlife and their habitat. The act requires the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to convene the Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming, as prescribed, for the purpose of providing advice to the secretary on the implementation of the Healthy Soils Program and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program and assistance to federal, state, and local government agencies on issues relating to the impact of agricultural practices on air, water, and wildlife habitat, as specified. This bill would additionally require the panel to assist government agencies to incorporate the conservation of natural resources and ecosystem services practices into agricultural programs. The bill would require the department, with advice from the panel, to establish and administer the California Environmental Farming Incentive Program, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature. The bill would require the program to support on-farm practices seeking to optimize environmental benefits while supporting the economic viability of California agriculture by providing incentives, educational materials, and outreach to farmers or ranchers who want to pursue adopting management practices that contribute to wildlife habitat and result in on-farm activities that provide multiple conservation benefits, as prescribed. The bill would require the department, in consultation with the panel, to determine priorities for the program and give priority to specified projects, such as those that benefit socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers. The bill would create the California Environmental Farming Incentive Program Fund in the State Treasury, and upon appropriation by the Legislature, authorize the department to expend funds for purposes of the program. The bill would require the department to provide funds for incentives to private landowners, nonprofit organizations, the University of California Cooperative Extension, or local agencies, including resource conservation districts, for activities that support the program and implementation of on-farm practices. Existing law requires the department to establish a technical assistance grant program to provide funds to technical assistance providers, as defined, to provide assistance to Healthy Soils Program, alternative manure management practices programs, and State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program applicants, as prescribed. This bill would include the California Environmental Farming Incentive Program as a program that the technical assistance grant program may provide funds to provide assistance for applicants. The bill would revise the definition of technical assistance for the purpose of the grant program.
Who sponsors SB 253?
SB 253 is sponsored by Stern, Henry I. (Democratic) and Dodd.
What is the current status of SB 253?
This bill died with 2019-2020 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 253?
Track SB 253 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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