WASHINGTON – In response to worsening drought conditions in the West, including in areas like the Klamath River Basin, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack released the following statement:

“Water is a sacred resource essential to feeding families, growing crops, sustaining wildlife and the environment, and powering agricultural businesses. Unfortunately, drought conditions in the West continue to worsen, including in areas like the Klamath River Basin, leading to the potential for historically low water allocations. The Departments of the Interior and Agriculture recognize the urgency of this crisis and its impacts on farmers, Tribes, and communities, and are committed to an all-hands-on-deck approach that both minimizes the impacts of the drought and develops a long-term plan to facilitate conservation and economic growth. Our agencies are actively working with Oregon, California and other western states to coordinate resources and identify immediate financial and technical assistance for impacted irrigators and Tribes. We are also committed to robust and continued engagement with state, local, and Tribal governments to develop longer term measures to respond to climate change and improve water security.”
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About the U.S. Department of the InteriorThe Department of the Interior (DOI) conserves and manages the Nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people, provides scientific and other information about natural resources and natural hazards to address societal challenges and create opportunities for the American people, and honors the Nation’s trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated island communities to help them prosper.

SACRAMENTO, Calif.  – The Division of Boating and Waterways and California Coastal Commission invite recreational boaters to celebrate Earth Day this year all month long. Protecting the environment is easy, even while enjoying California’s waterways on a boat.

California has one of the highest levels of recreational activity in the nation. With 1,100 miles of coast, hundreds of navigable rivers, lakes and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, there are ample recreational opportunities for the state’s recreational boating community. These opportunities also increase the potential of boat-related pollutants that can enter the environment, such as sewage, oil and fuel, detergents, solvents, paints, plastics and other marine debris. Given the large number of recreational boats in the state, even a small amount of pollution from a fraction of the boats can cause serious harm to marine fish and wildlife.

Below are some green and safe boating tips:

• Take a Boating Safety Course. Learn how you can protect the environment while boating and then apply for a California Boater Card. The lifetime card fee is $10. Learn more at CaliforniaBoaterCard.com.
  
  
• Plan Ahead.
  • Prior to leaving home, check the webpage of the outdoor destination you plan to visit to find out if it is open and what visitor guidelines are in effect.  
  • File a float plan before each trip and share it with a family member or friend in the event of an emergency. Be sure to cancel the float plan when you return home.
  • Check the weather to know the latest weather forecast prior to going out, and check regularly for changing conditions.
  • Identify the nearest pollution prevention services near you. For participating sewage, dump stations and floating restrooms download the complimentary Pumpout Nav App.
    
    
• Carry the Right Equipment. Make sure you have the right safety equipment on board. Click here to download a free virtual safety check form or to schedule a vessel safety check. Also, carry oil absorbents on board and in your bilge to prevent oily discharges, and to prevent fuel spills use fuel bibs. Dispose of them as a hazardous waste at your County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center. For locations check your browser or visit earth911.com. For a Free California Boater Kit with all of this clean and safe boating information visit Bit.ly/2021CABoaterKit.
  
  
• Keep It Clean. Dispose of trash properly. Pack your food and water using your reusable items such as water bottles, coffee mugs, reusable utensils, cups and plates. Avoid single use disposable items, such as straws and stirrers.

Protecting the environment and safely recreating in the outdoors go hand in hand. As such, boaters are encouraged to wear life jackets as they can greatly increase the chances of survival in an accident. Learn more at boatcalifornia.com.

The Boating Clean and Green Program is an outreach program that promotes environmentally sound boating practices to marine businesses and boaters in California. There are a number of complimentary sources available online at www.BoatingCleanAndGreen.com.

SACRAMENTO – Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? Today, Governor Newsom announced he expected the state to return to a more normal, pre-pandemic days and to open the economy by June 15. If this is true, and the state can open safely, it is time to end the emergency authority given to the Governor last March when the pandemic began.

Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita) reacts to Governor Newsom’s announcement:

“It is amazing what a recall can do to eradicate a pandemic. For months, the Governor has ignored science and data. If the Governor’s predictions hold true, and the ‘recall reopening’ actually happens, this is great news for our students, families, and business community. It also means the Governor’s emergency authority should come to an end. Because if you believe him, we are out of the woods. Right?”

Senate Republicans have introduced legislation to end the Governor’s Emergency Power: 

• Senate Concurrent 5 (Melendez): would restore the balance of power to three co-equal branches and terminate the Governor’s emergency power. 

• Senate Bill 448 (Melendez): would require future emergency orders to be narrow in scope and limited in duration.

• Senate Bill 209: (Dahle): would require the legislature to revisit the Governor’s emergency power after 45 days.

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Senator Wilk represents the 21st Senate District, which includes the Antelope, Santa Clarita and Victor valleys. Learn more about Scott by visiting his website and be sure to connect with him on social media.
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SACRAMENTO: Assembly Republicans announced on Wednesday a massive effort to combat wildfires, just as the state appears to be headed into a drought. 


The multi-pronged effort will include a messaging campaign designed to inform the public and Sacramento insiders as to the harmful effects of wildfires and and to propose several common-sense fixes that could greatly mitigate wildfire destruction.

The information efforts will bolster a robust 16-bill legislative package authored by Assembly Republicans offering critical solutions to address four main areas: Saving lives while protecting property and animals, securing funding, protecting the environment and fighting climate change, and allowing essential mitigation efforts through vegetation management. 

Saving lives, as well as protecting property and animals: 
AB 497 (Waldron), AB 926 (Mathis), AB 952 (Mathis), AB 1103 (Dahle), AB 1154 (Patterson)

Slowing the spread of wildfires and reducing their severity with proper vegetation management: 
AB 267 (Valladares), AB 380 (Seyarto), AB 431 (Patterson), AB 522 (Fong), AB 910 (Bigelow), AB 912 (Bigelow)

Protecting the environment and fighting climate change: 
AB 575 (Fong), AB 1519 (Gallagher)

Securing funding: 
AB 297 (Gallagher), AB 648 (Fong), AB 1249 (Gallagher)

For questions about the caucus's effort, please contact Matt Fleming: matt.fleming@asm.ca.gov

For questions about specific bills, please contact author offices.

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For more information, please email Matt Fleming at matt.fleming@asm.ca.gov

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today issued the following statement in response to plans announced by Governor Gavin Newsom to fully reopen California’s economy by June 15 if vaccine supply remains sufficient and hospitalization rates stay low. Under these conditions outlined today, the Governor stated that schools should plan to conduct full-time, in-person instruction in the fall, in compliance with Cal/OSHA emergency temporary standards and public health guidelines.
“I share Governor Newsom’s optimism that as conditions continue to improve— and as all Californians continue common sense measures such as continuing to wear a mask and getting vaccinated—there is a clear pathway to a safe and full return to in-person teaching and learning this fall.
“To support school districts as they continue to welcome more and more students back to campuses, the California Department of Education (CDE) has spent recent weeks connecting school leaders to the best strategies and resources toimplement the layered safety measures public health experts encourage—such as rapid COVID-19 testing and proper ventilation—that will facilitate a safe and sustainable return to in-person learning for students, school staff, teachers, and their families.
“We must prepare for the possibility that there will be some families who cannot or may choose not to send their students back to school campuses this fall, and schools may need the flexibility to offer some form of remote learning. I look forward to engaging with the Governor’s Office and lawmakers on next steps that are designed to ensure we are meeting the health, safety, and learning needs of every California student.
“While we are encouraged by the improving conditions, we must also continue to proceed with caution and with a continued focus on science and safety. There are still many unknowns about the COVID-19 variants that public health officials are monitoring and have observed spreading among some youth. Additionally, I am heartened by the early research on vaccine effectiveness in adolescents and am hopeful more of our youth will be able to get vaccinated in the months ahead.
“Returning to in-person instruction must include an urgent focus on addressing opportunity gaps experienced most among students who were already at a disadvantage before the pandemic disrupted learning. I have convened state leaders, equity groups, superintendents, school employee groups, and other partners to better understand and identify ways we can support the immediate and long-term academic needs of our students, as well as strategies for prioritizing relationships, addressing trauma, and supporting social emotional wellness. At my direction, this working group will be making recommendations to school districts as they finalize plans for this critical next phase of public education.”
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The California Department of Education is a state agency led by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. For more information, please visit the California Department of Education’s website. You may also follow Superintendent Thurmond on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
 

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April 7, 2021 – A new ChamberofCommerce.org report shows that the legalized business of selling marijuana is anything but recreational, with nine states currently allowing it amid a patchwork of retail and tax structures. Given the two-fold increase in public acceptance over the last ten years, one can only expect the selling of recreational marijuana to reach dizzying heights in the coming years.

The report not only analyzes the tax amounts and structures of all states legally allowing the sale of recreational marijuana, but also the potential cost to sellers, processors, and dispensary owners.
For example, while Washington levies higher taxes on its sellers than any other state, Alaska and Nevada are the most expensive states for buyers of recreational marijuana.
See all the statistics and conclusions uncovered in the full report: https://www.chamberofcommerce.org/taxing-marijuana-which-recreational-states-levy-the-highest-taxes/
As the recreational marijuana business continues to bloom and government restrictions continue to lift across the U.S., tax and cost structures may be standardized to a degree. At the moment, however, the varying tax differences deserve to be acknowledged not only by those levying them, but by aspiring cannabis entrepreneurs or dispensary owners.
Information for the ChamberofCommerce.org marijuana tax report was obtained via a wide range of resources, including PewResearch, Tax Foundation, and Urban.org, as well as local and state resources that include the Washington State Treasury and Seattle Business Magazine.
About ChamberofCommerce.org
ChamberofCommerce.org is a website dedicated to helping small business owners and entrepreneurs start, market, finance, and grow their businesses. By creating in-depth guides, how-tos, and reviews covering relevant business products, ChamberofCommerce.org hopes to help readers move past the pitfalls that are often to blame for small business failure.