Latest news with #SB222
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Climate activists miss East Bay state senator with Easter Sunday protest
The Brief Protesters gathered outside State Senator Jesse Arreguín's office on Easter Sunday to urge him to vote yes on the Climate Superfund Bill. Arreguín's office was vacant for the weekend and the protesters' messages were washed away by custodial staff. The Climate Superfund Bill, which would hold polluters accountable for greenhouse gas emissions, is expected to be heard by legislators in the near future. OAKLAND, Calif. - Protesters marched to State Senator Jesse Arreguín's office on Sunday, demanding he vote yes on an environmentally-focused piece of legislation. Unfortunately, the senator and his staff did not receive the message. The protest was organized by the Bay Area chapter of the Sunrise Movement, a political action organization, who wanted Arreguín to vote yes on the Climate Superfund Bill (SB684), which would force fossil fuel polluters to pay for the damage caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Attendees of the event carried signs, left chalk drawings, and hid plastic Easter eggs containing statements about holding polluters responsible for their actions around the premises. Arreguín's Oakland office is only staffed Monday through Friday. A staffer said they were unaware of the protest until KTVU called for comment, and added that the office's janitorial staff had reported picking up "litter" and washing away chalk drawings prior to Monday morning. The backstory The protesters were motivated by Arreguín abstaining from another climate-focused bill, the Affordable Insurance and Climate Recovery Act, earlier this month. That item, SB 222, only received five of the seven necessary votes at an April 8 hearing. Arreguín, who made climate action a cornerstone of his 2024 campaign for state senate, was one of five representatives who abstained from the vote. Even if Arreguín had been present for the Easter Sunday protest, the action may have been for naught — the April 22 hearing for the Climate Superfund Bill was canceled at the request of its author, Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando) on April 10. A spokesperson for Menjivar's office said the bill's hearing will be rescheduled, but a date has not yet been set. "I am committed to supporting clean, healthy communities and proud to continue the East Bay's strong tradition of protecting our environment, parks, and public health. I appreciate the advocates' passion and look forward to meaningful conversations once this bill is formally back before us," Arreguín said in a statement to KTVU. "As an advocate for environmental causes, I was proud to vote for multiple bills this week that advance our climate action goals. I respect the right to advocate and always encourage folks to reach out to my office directly — we welcome those conversations." Big picture view California is one of several states that have proposed or passed Climate Superfund legislation. New York and Vermont both passed their own versions in 2024, and four other states — Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Oregon — have introduced similar bills. The bill, which was introduced in the state assembly by Dawn Addis (D-San Luis Obispo), would require fossil fuel polluters to pay for their share of the damage caused by greenhouse gases released into the covered period, which the bill defines as between the 1990 and 2024 calendar years. That damage is defined as stemming from the extraction, production, refinement, sale or combustion of fossil fuels or petroleum products, to help relieve the state's current and future taxpayers of the burden. If passed, the bill would require the California Environmental Protection Agency to determine and publish, within 90 days, a list of responsible parties, which the bill defines as an entity with a major ownership interest in a business engaged in extracting or refining fossil fuels that operated in the state during the covered period. That entity would also have to be determined to be responsible for more than 1 billion metric tons of covered fossil fuel emissions. "The Central Coast has faced the devastating impacts of climate change, from floods and wildfires to coastal erosion. This year's fires in Los Angeles serve as a stark reminder that collective inaction has catastrophic consequences for all Californians," Addis said in a press release. "We can't deny that climate change is real, and we must take action now to prepare and rebuild after these devastating events."
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Proposed bill seeks to eliminate COVID-19 vaccine, gene therapy mandates in public schools
ST. LOUIS- The Missouri Education Senate committee revisited a proposed bill on Feb. 3 that looks to remove COVID-19 and gene therapy mandates in public schools, including higher education, at the start of the 2025-2026 academic year. Introduced by State Senator Nick Schroer, SB222 prevents public institutions from authorizing direct vaccinations, such as COVID-19 or gene therapy, to employees and students. SB222 allows students and employees to attend public events, premises or facilities without any requirements from their respective institutions. SB222 also states that vaccinations should not bar employees from employment or students from acceptance into schools. It does, however, imply that COVID-19 vaccinations cannot be given without the consent of an employee, student (if of age) or parent/guardian (for students underage). According to the bill, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as well as the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development will be required to investigate violations against the act. The bill's language also states that students, parents/guardians or school employees can bring civil action against any violators of SB222, which can include a public school, higher-educated institution or school employee. Instructors who are believed to violate SB222 face consequences, such as possible suspension or revocation of their licenses. School districts, as well as higher educational institutions, who are believed to violate SB222 are not 'entitled to receive state aid or any other revenues of the state' until those places become compliant with the act, the bill summary states. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bay Area official introduces bill that would allow wildfire victims to sue oil companies
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A Bay Area elected official has introduced a bill that could allow California residents impacted by wildfires and other climate-related disasters to sue oil companies. Senate Bill 222 was introduced Monday by State Sen. Scott Weiner. ICE agents were in downtown SF Friday, according to local official SB 222, according to Weiner, would ensure that oil companies pay for 'the climate-fueled disasters that are burning and flooding California.' 'Californians are bearing these costs with explosive insurance premium increases that make CA less affordable,' Weiner added. 'That has to change.' The bill would allow victims of fires and other climate disasters to seek damages from fossil fuel companies in court. It would also allow insurance companies to seek damage from oil companies 'so that increasing premiums isn't the only way to recoup losses.' Finally, SB 222 would allow California's FAIR Plan, state-sponsored insurance that is a last resort for many homeowners in fire-prone areas, to seek damages from fossil fuel companies. 'Californians shouldn't be the only ones to pay the costs of devastating climate disasters,' Weiner said on X, formerly Twitter. 'From last year's floods to the fires in LA, we know that the fossil fuel industry bears ultimate responsibility for fueling these disasters.' 'The fossil fuel companies knew this was going to happen,' Weiner continued. 'They had the studies decades ago, suppressed them and obstructed policy changes to transition away from fossil fuels and toward clean energy.' The bill, according to Weiner, would force fossil fuel companies 'to be part of the solution instead of dumping this burden on policyholders.' It will also help make people whole from losses from climate disasters and improve insurance affordability, Weiner said. SB 222 was co-authored by State Sen. Sash Renee Perez (D-Pasadena) among others. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
