Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel), the Vice Chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, issued the following statement after Governor Gavin Newsom issued a sweeping executive order today concerning climate change:

“Policies to successfully address climate change require informed input from the people’s representatives in the Legislature. My legislative colleagues and I considered Assembly Bill 3030 this year that sought to accomplish the same goals as the Governor’s decree. However, concerns about AB 3030’s significant costs raised by counties, public water districts, and outdoor recreational enthusiasts meant that additional deliberation was needed as there was bipartisan opposition to the bill.

“The Governor’s decree bypassed the legislative process once again, just as he did recently with his order to ban new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. The Assembly Appropriations Committee estimated AB 3030 could result in costs of ‘several hundreds of millions of dollars or more.’ Local governments expressed concerns about ambiguity, lack of identified funding sources, and regulatory overreach. Others noted that the bill failed to even acknowledge the numerous state and federal environmental laws and regulations already protecting California’s natural resources. With the stroke of a pen, the Governor has ignored all of those concerns.

“I represent a coastal district and I want to support legislation that safeguards California’s coastline, protects jobs, and ensures recreational opportunities for everyone. If the Governor had worked with the Legislature, we could have addressed concerns about cost and accountability, just as we did on Assembly Bill 793, the historic and bipartisan plastic recycling bill that he signed into law last month.

“It is imperative that the Legislature reclaim its place as a co-equal branch of government.”