With the end of the legislative calendar now behind us, we’d like to update our partners and allies on our state legislative efforts.  RAMP is proud to have supported a slate of bills focused on the management and prevention of asthma this year.  Given the difficult political and economic climate at the state, we were pleased to see four bills supported by RAMP and Community Action to Fight Asthma (CAFA) make their way through both houses of the legislature and to the Governor’s desk. 

RAMP would like to thank Assembly Member Dave Jones for his leadership in moving a bill that will result in less traffic congestion and improved air quality through the legislature with bi-partisan support and Governor Schwarzenegger for signing AB 1871.  This legislation will make it easier to incorporate privately owned vehicles into car sharing programs. 

RAMP, CAFA, and our partners were disappointed to see the Governor undermine his environmental and public health legacy by vetoing three bills that would have made an impact on those with asthma and contributed to the prevention of asthma.

• AB 1405 (De Leon/VM Perez) would have required that a portion of revenues generated by the state’s efforts to combat climate change (AB 32) be used to mitigate the effects of climate change in communities most impacted by and vulnerable to climate change.   This bill would have provided resources for clean air efforts in communities with the unhealthiest air.  AB 32 promised to pay specific attention to the needs of the most vulnerable communities.  The Governor’s veto of AB 1405 will make it tougher for California to fulfill that promise.
• SB 1433 (Leno), perhaps the most common-sense legislation we supported this year, would have allowed maximum fines for air pollution violations to be regularly adjusted for inflation, resulting in a consistent deterrent to pollute over time.  This legislation is especially important considering some fines have not been changed since 1982!  Instead, the Governor’s veto means that the cost of polluting will continue to decrease simply due to inflation.
• SB 1157 (DeSaulnier) would have required schools to adopt least toxic pest control practices (Integrated Pest Management) to be paid for through a fee on pesticide producers.  This would have reduced exposure to pesticides (an asthma trigger) to students, teachers, and school staff. 

While this legislative year has come to an end, RAMP and CAFA are already preparing to develop and advocate for policies that reduce exposure to asthma triggers and ensure those with asthma have access to appropriate asthma care in 2011.  We look forward to working in partnership with advocates like you to create positive change for California