AB 1156 Advances Despite Uncertainty; Opposition Seeks Key Farmland Protections
Assembly Bill 1156, authored by Assembly Member Buffy Wicks, D-Berkeley, narrowly passed out of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee on a 5-0-3 vote. State Sens. Melissa Hurtado, D-Bakersfield; Megan Dahle, R-Redding; and Vice Chair Suzette Martinez Valladares, R Santa Clarita, abstained from voting. The author committed to taking amendments, including those from the Senate Local Government committee. However, these amendments are not yet in print, so it remains unclear what specific changes will be made, or whether the bill will be narrowed.
Groups in opposition include the California Farm Bureau and several sustainable agriculture organizations such as American Farmland Trust, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, California Certified Organic Farmers, California Climate & Agricultural Network, California Farmland Trust, California Farmlink and California Rangeland Trust. These groups continue to seek amendments that would protect prime soil and lands of statewide importance from solar conversions, and to maintain the cancellation payment obligation to terminate a Williamson Act contract early. Staff contact: Peter Ansel, pansel@cfbf.com
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