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Legislative Bill Action quality control boards to impose mandatory mini- also accepted by the author to clarify that cities mum penalties for some waste discharge violations may have full enforcement authority and that that have little or no significant environmental licensee data collected by the State Board of impacts and that are beyond the control of the Equalization, the state agency that would do the discharger, For example, if a waste water plant licensing and enforcement, would be available to operator installs a new or upgraded system, under local law enforcement agencies. ~he bill makes no existing law if the system does not perform as changes to the ability of cities to enforce youth planned and must be recalibrated, the public access laws. agency faces mandatory minimum penalties if the problems result in violations of the waste water SB 1700 also places a moratorium on enact- permit. AB 2351 exempts such violations from ment of new, stronger local tobacco licensing these penalties if the agency meets certain require- ordinances for three years, but authorizes cities or ments. Though the bill is currently in the Assembly counties to enact stronger local ordinances after Appropriations Committee suspense file, the League that time. The author's staff has indicated a desire and the California Association of Sanitation Agen- for the licensing provisions of SB 1700 to be at cies continue to work with the author's office, the least as strong as the strongest local ordinance. Water Board and environmental representatives to Although the League has evaluated numerous address a number of important outstanding issues, existing city tobacco retailer licensing ordinances, Staff: Yvonne Hunter, Status: AsApps-Suspense any city has an ordinance that is stronger than that File, Position: Support/Co-sponsor. included in the newly amended version of SB 1700, should contact the League's Sacramento office SB 17OO (Peace). Tobacco. Counterfeit immediately Cigarettes. Tobacco Retail Licenses. SB 1700 establishes a statewide licensing program for SB 1700 is part of a three-bill package to tobacco retailers and a program to combat the address counterfeit cigarettes. The other bills, distribution and sale of counterfeit cigarettes. SB 1701 and SB 1702, deal with revising the type Recent studies indicate that California loses signifi- of tax stamp placed on cigarette packages, fees, cant revenue from such sales due to loss of sales and distribution of revenue for enforcement. taxes, as well as loss of Proposition 10 and 99 fees. Staff: Yvonne Hunter, Status: SenApps, Position: Other studies indicate that some of this revenue Support Pending. finds it way to crime and terrorist organizations. AB 2479 (Jackson). Hazardous Materials, About two or three dozen cities have local Terrorism. AB 2479 establishes to California programs that license tobacco retailers, The Chemical Security and Community Protection Act. League has been in continuing discussions with the Although the bill's goal is well-intended (to author's office to develop amendments to SB 170Q, strengthen hazardous materials programs in order so that the statewide tobacco retailer licensing to reduce the potential for terrorist attacks) it does program, including the enforcement provisions, are not aevance the fiel~ m a way that will increase at least as strong as the strongest local ordinance, security. Rather, it proposes new hazardous materi- As recently amended, the bill. now includes enforce- als regulatory structures that overlap and conflict ment provisions modeled after the Los Angeles City well-established and excellent mutual aid system. tobacco licensing ordinance, thought by many to Staff: Yvonne Hunter, Status: AsApps-Suspense be the strongest in the state. Amendments were File, Position: Oppose. Visit the League's Official Web Site--www. cacities.org PRIORITY FOCUS/PAGE 11