5 New CA Laws You Need To Know About: Heat Protections; Climate Change

CALIFORNIA — In the same week that Californians endured a withering heat wave, Gov. Gavin Newsom approved legislation to enact protections for Californians during extreme weather, among other bills he also signed into law.

Five of the new bills signed into law this week are centered around mitigating climate change, heat waves and injecting funding into clean energy resources.

Legislation signed this week will inject $315 million over two years to advance Newsom's Extreme Heat Action plan to help protect communities and the economy from the effects of rising climates.

Heat wave events are among the deadliest consequences of climate change, according to Newsom's office.

"This week’s unprecedented heat wave is a painful reminder of the costs and impacts of climate change – and it won’t be the last," Newsom said. "California is taking aggressive action to combat the climate crisis and build resilience in our most vulnerable communities, including a comprehensive strategy to protect Californians from extreme heat. With lives and livelihoods on the line, we cannot afford to delay."

September already has produced one of the hottest and longest heat waves on record for California and some other Western states. Nearly 54 million people were under heat warnings and advisories across the region this week as temperature records were shattered in many areas.

California’s state capital of Sacramento hit an all-time high Tuesday of 116 degrees, breaking a 97-year-old record. Salt Lake City tied its all-time high temperature Wednesday at 107 degrees.

Scientists say climate change has made the West warmer and drier over the last three decades and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive. In the last five years, California has experienced the largest and most destructive fires in state history.

Here's a breakdown of five laws that will take affect later this year and in the coming years.

AB 2238

Authored by Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D-Arleta), this newly signed law will create the nation's first extreme heat advance warning and ranking system, which is meant to better prepare communities for incoming heat waves.

“California has been battling record breaking extreme heat all week. Unfortunately, each summer we are experiencing extreme heat weather events that are hotter and more devastating than the last," Rivas said. “Thank you to Governor Newsom for signing my legislation, AB 2238, that will help save the lives of Californians..."

The law requires the state's department of insurance the agency, by Jan. 1, 2025, to develop a statewide extreme heat ranking system in coordination with state's Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program as well as the state's public health and insurance departments.

"California is once again leading the world in fighting climate change and its deadly effects. Ranking heat waves will be a powerful new tool to protect all Californians alongside Governor Gavin Newsom’s Extreme Heat Action Plan," said Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, who sponsored AB 2238.

AB 209

This law is meant to boost access to clean energy resources and make them more reliable and affordable for consumers. The law will source funding from $8 billion in energy investments built into this year's state budget.

Programs under this law will focus on building decarbonization, industrial decarbonization, strategic energy reliability resources, off-shore wind infrastructure, equitable access to solar and storage systems, long duration storage projects, and more, according to the governor's office.

AB 1643

Authored by Assemblymember Robert Rivas (D-Salinas), AB 1643 will create an advisory committee to study the effects of extreme heat on California's workers, businesses and economy.

The study group will look at economic losses, injuries and illnesses as well as methods of minimizing the effect of heat on workers.

Members of the committee will contract academic institutions or other researchers to study increasing heat waves in California.

A committee is set to be established by July 1, 2023, which is required to report findings to the legislature no later than Jan. 1, 2026.

AB 2420

This new law, authored by Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno), will develop guidance to protect pregnant workers who work outdoors from extreme heat.

It also becomes the first law in the nation to direct the state health department to review and research the impacts of heat waves on perinatal health.

SB 852

Authored by Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa), this new legislation will allow cities and counties to create "climate resilience districts," which will be handed cash to invest in programs that mitigate the effects of extreme heat, drought, wildfire and other climate impacts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.