BAD BILL ALERT: Democrats Talk Affordability Then Pass Bills to Hike Costs and Kill Jobs

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Today, the State Senate is expected to consider two bad bills. Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares (R-Santa Clarita) is alerting Californians that - contrary to Senate Democrats' promises to focus on affordability this session - they have passed two bills that instead will lead to job losses and increases in the cost of living for Californians. Sen. Valladares opposed both bills when they were debated in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee where she is the vice chair. Both measures are pending final votes in the Senate.

SB 954 (D-Blakespear) seeks to undo the broad CEQA exemption for advanced manufacturing created only last year and replace it with a costly, complicated and opaque process controlled by the governor. It sets the stage for pay-to-play schemes using NDAs like the governor's Panera-gate scandal that was exposed in 2024. Click HERE for the official analysis of the bill and HERE for a fact sheet.

"Those who didn't get what they wanted then, along with those who don't want any CEQA exemptions period, are behind this," said Sen. Valladares. "Last year's reform was clearly intended to expedite to develop and grow industry and the jobs that come with it. Under SB 954, Californians will be the losers because there will be fewer job-creating projects and the 'winning' ones will be larded up with costly concessions to powerful special interests."

"SB 954 will reward those with close government connections and deep pockets that can afford to absorb special interests' demands," said Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones (R-San Diego). "Just as the governor's pandemic shutdowns rewarded large corporations while punishing small businesses and Panera-gate rewarded a friend of the governor, CEQA relief will exist only for the most wealthy and well-connected project applicants."

The second jobs-and-affordability-killer bill, SB 1259 (again, Blakespear) would require every oil and gas refinery in California to submit reports to the state outlining their plan for shutting down operations and the funds they have available to cover decommission and remediation costs. The bill would increase lawsuits regarding the potential release of trade secrets, leaving it open-ended as to who will have to pay court costs and attorney fees. This would create a come one, come all invitation for costly litigation that only benefits trial lawyers, again, driving up costs for Californians and killing jobs. Click HERE for the official analysis of the bill and HERE for a fact sheet.

"The costs incurred by the oil-and-gas industry from the increased regulatory burden and the increased litigation costs will inevitably sock Californians with even higher prices for gasoline, groceries and utilities," said Valladares. "SB 1259 is yet another anti-oil-and-gas industry bill intentionally seeking to add yet another layer of onerous regulation onto an industry already under the most stringent regulations in the world."

Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones (R-San Diego) is also speaking out against SB 1259: "What other industry has been required to write up their funeral plans, submit them to the state and prove they can pay for their government-orchestrated demise? The hostility from the governor and progressive legislative Democrats to an industry that is a key component of this state's economic vitality and provides countless well-paying jobs is shameful and reckless."

To watch Senate Floor session, beginning at 2:00 PM, click here.

Related Topics

• Affordability
• Cost of Living