YOUR DUES DOLLARS AT WORK
CCA-SPONSORED BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW by CCA Vice President of Government Affairs Kirk Wilbur In early October, Governor Gavin Newsom signed his name on two CCA-sponsored bills, capping off an extremely successful Legislative year for the Association. On October 6, Newsom signed Senate Bill 332 (Dodd), legislation which incentivizes the application of prescribed fire by minimizing prescribed fire practitioners’ exposure to liability. The following day, Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1103 (Dahle), which establishes a statewide framework for county “Livestock Pass” programs which safely provide livestock producers access to their ranches during wildfires and other emergencies. Both SB 332 and AB 1103 passed out of the State Assembly and Senate without recording a single “no” vote prior to receiving the Governor’s endorsement. The passage of these two bills closes the door on an incredibly successful Legislative year for CCA. In addition to having two sponsored bills signed into law, every bill that CCA opposed in 2021 failed to become law – with most failing to even garner a hearing in legislative policy committees. Meanwhile, virtually every bill CCA supported this year was either signed into law by Governor Newsom or is a two-year bill which will be taken up in 2022, the second year of California’s two-year Legislative Session. AB 1103 Governor Newsom signed CCA-sponsored Assembly Bill 1103 on October 7, part of a package of bills showcasing the Governor’s support for “communities across rural California” (for more information on the Governor’s rural communities package, see the October edition of Hot Irons). AB 1103 facilitates county adoption of “Livestock Pass” programs which grant ranchers and their managers ranch access during wildfires and other emergencies to safely care for and evacuate livestock. AB 1103 also empowers ranchers to provide local knowledge and expertise, such as the locations of access roads and water sources, to emergency responders who are often assigned to a fire from elsewhere in the state or even from outside the state, and
10 California Cattleman November 2021
thus unfamiliar with the local terrain. While some counties – including Ventura, Santa Barbara, Butte and others – have already developed emergency ranch access programs, other counties lack the resources to develop and implement Livestock Pass programs. AB 1103 requires CAL FIRE to establish a statewide training program for Livestock Pass holders, codifies a requirement that law enforcement and emergency responders grant ranch access to Livestock Pass holders and establishes certain minimum standards for administration of the programs, facilitating and streamlining adoption of county Livestock Pass programs throughout the state. Butte County’s Commercial Livestock Disaster Pass program has proven immensely valuable during this year’s Dixie Fire; CCA looks forward to AB 1103 facilitating the expansion of these vital programs throughout other counties within the state. Ranchers interested in developing a Livestock Pass program in their county and learning more about AB 1103 are encouraged to participate in an Ag Pass Informational Workshop to be held in conjunction with CCA’s 105th Annual Convention at the Peppermill in Reno, Nev. from Dec. 1-3. The workshop will be held Wednesday, Dec. 1 from 2:00-3:00pm, featuring experts who have developed Ag Pass and Livestock Pass programs in Santa Barbara County, Butte County and elsewhere. CCA thanks Assemblymember Megan Dahle (R-Bieber) for authoring this vital legislation and applauds Governor Newsom for signing the bill into law. Additionally, CCA staff commends the CCA Officer Team, CCA Fire Subcommittee and UC Cooperative Extension agents such as Matthew Shapero, Tracy Schohr and Dan Macon for their expertise and guidance as the Association navigated AB 1103 through the legislative process. SB 332 CCA-sponsored Senate Bill 332 reduces prescribed burners’ potential liability when a planned burn escapes control. Under existing law, when CAL FIRE responds to a
