AB 193: Public resources: Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: programs.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 requires the State Air Resources Board to adopt regulations for greenhouse gas emissions limits and emissions reduction measures to achieve the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, as provided. The act authorizes that state board to include in those regulations the use of a market-based compliance mechanism to comply with those regulations. Existing law requires moneys collected by the state board from the auction or sale of allowances as part of a market-based compliance mechanism to be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Existing law allocates moneys in the fund in a specified priority and continuously appropriates a certain amount of moneys in the fund for certain purposes.

This bill would require interest income earned on those moneys to be deposited into the fund. By depositing additional moneys into a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation.

Existing law requires that moneys in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund be allocated based on 4 priority levels with the first priority level being certain amounts, including amounts to replace revenues generated by the State Responsibility Area fire prevention fee, the 2nd priority level being certain amounts, including $1,000,000,000 that is continuously appropriated to the High-Speed Rail Authority for certain purposes, the 3rd priority level being certain amounts, including $800,000,000 that is continuously appropriated to the Strategic Growth Council for the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program and $200,000,000 that is continuously appropriated to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection with 82.5% of that amount for health forest and fire prevention programs and projects and 17.5% of that amount for the completion of prescribed fire and other fuel reduction projects, as provided, and the 4th priority level being any amount not needed to fully fund the first 3 priority levels being available for appropriation by the Legislature.

This bill would include in the first priority level for allocation from the fund any state operation costs, as proposed by the Department of Finance, appropriated in the annual Budget Act or other statute and certain administrative costs. The bill would authorize the use of moneys continuously appropriated to the High-Speed Rail Authority under the 2nd priority level for state operations costs for the High-Speed Rail Authority. The bill would instead specify the allocations of $800,000,000 continuously appropriated for the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program, with $560,000,000 continuously appropriated to the Housing Development and Finance Committee for affordable rental or owner-occupied housing projects, thereby making an appropriation, and $240,000,000 continuously appropriated to the Strategic Growth Council for, among other things, projects or programs designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other criteria air pollutants by reducing automobile trips and vehicle miles traveled, as specified. The bill would repeal the 82.5% and 17.5% allocation requirements for the amount continuously appropriated to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for the healthy forest and fire prevention programs and projects and the completion of the prescribed fire and other fuel reduction programs, respectively.

Existing law establishes the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program to fund transformative capital improvements that will modernize California’s intercity, commuter, and urban rail systems and bus and ferry transit systems to achieve certain policy objectives. Existing law creates the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program to provide operating and capital assistance for transit agencies to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and improve mobility.

This bill would authorize the Department of Transportation to provide administrative support for those 2 programs.

Sponsors

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. August 31, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2. August 31, 2026From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 13. Noes 5.) (August 31).
3. August 28, 2026From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on B. & F. R.
4. April 2, 2025Referred to Com. on B. & F. R.
5. March 20, 2025In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
6. March 20, 2025Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 53. Noes 17. Page 759.)
7. March 18, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
8. March 17, 2025(Ayes 53. Noes 17. Page 643.)
9. March 17, 2025Ordered to second reading.
10. March 17, 2025Withdrawn from committee.
11. February 3, 2025Referred to Com. on BUDGET.
12. January 9, 2025From printer. May be heard in committee February 8.