by Katy Grimes
As Appearing in the California Globe
Bill appears to be a giant work project to convert the state’s infrastructure to reflective surfaces
Climate change is back on the docket as the California Legislature gets underway in 2021. But buyer beware: one proposed bill would mandate California students are taught about climate change as early as first grade and would make the subject a high school graduation requirement.
A second bill, by the same lawmaker, would establish the Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program to facilitate the implementation of regional and state climate change planning into effective projects.
Assembly Bill 585 by Assemblywoman Luz Rivas (D-North Hollywood), would establish the new program “to coordinate the state’s efforts to address extreme heat and to facilitate the implementation of regional and state climate change planning into effective projects through the awarding of competitive grants to eligible entities for implementation of those projects,” according to the language in the bill.
As California Globe contributor Chris Micheli explained in an op ed Friday, “The goal of AB 585 is to mitigate the impacts of extreme heat through the use of reflective surface materials in the built environment and other activities. Eligible projects are specified.”
