Ten Wolk bills on Governor's desk

Bills strengthen flood protection, transportation safety, and environmental laws

SACRAMENTO–The State Legislature approved ten bills by Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) before ending its regular session last week, including her bills to strengthen flood protection planning and improve safety on State Highway 12. The bills now sit on the Governor’s desk, awaiting his signature. 

“These important bills protect Californians from flooding and reckless driving. They protect our state’s natural and wildlife resources, and provide for this state’s basic infrastructural needs,” Wolk said. “These bills provide us with an opportunity to redesign this state’s outdated approach to land-use decisions and flood protection, which continues to allow countless Californians and their homes to be put at risk, and to protect those who drive the treacherous State Highway 12 in Solano and San Joaquin counties. I encourage the Governor to seize this opportunity and sign these bills into law.”

Flood Protection

• AB 5/SB 5, coauthored by Wolk and Senator Mike Machado (D-Linden), establishes a comprehensive set of policies to move towards 21st Century flood protection, coordinating state and local efforts to connect land-use decisions and flood management planning.

• AB 162 requires cities and counties in California to incorporate flood hazards in their general plans in order to minimize risk in flood-prone areas. 

Transportation Safety

• AB 112 designates a dangerous stretch of State Highway Route 12 in Solano County between Interstate 80 to Interstate 5 as a safety enhancement-double fine zone, and creates a process for designating future double fine zones throughout the state for traffic violations such as speeding, reckless driving, and drunken driving.

• AB 478 requires bicycle lights to be used on sidewalks where bicycles are permitted, and on pathways used primarily used by bicyclists. Existing law requires use of bicycle lights on bicycles used on a highway after dark. The bill also enables bicyclists to use reflectors on their shoes or ankles, as opposed to on each bike pedal as currently required by law.

Environment

• AB 532 requires solar heating to be evaluated as an option for all state operated swimming pools.

• AB 1426 requires the State Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) to develop and implement a detailed plan to expand and improve park facilities and recreation programs in the Central Valley State Park System.

• AB 1683 provides the Department of Fish and Game with the authority necessary to prevent the spread of quagga mussels, a highly invasive species threatening California's water delivery and natural ecosystems.

• AB 1032 strengthens the state’s protection of threatened and endangered native trout, aquatic, and amphibian species from the effects of motorized suction dredge gold mining.

• AB 646 extends until December 31, 2012, an existing resource management plan to balance the need for environmental review of seasonal gravel extraction on the lower Cache Creek in Yolo County with the needs of local flood management, water supply and conveyance, habitat, recreation, and agricultural production.

Infrastructure

• AB 373 helps finance the construction of schools, parks, police and fire service, streets, and other basic infrastructure and services needed to accommodate new housing. Once legislation is sent to the Governor, it has 30 days to be signed or vetoed.