Another Fall season and another California legislative session has come to a close. RAMP is proud of the advocacy work we have done with a variety of partners to improve the lives of people with asthma while making our communities healthier. RAMP supported five bills this year that were signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown. Here’s a quick summary of each:
- SB 1167 – Ensures that landlords cited for pest infestations also address substandard conditions that contribute to the infestation, such as leaky pipes and cracks and holes in walls and flooring. Getting at the root causes of pest infestations will prevent additional infestations as well as cut down on the use of pesticides.
- SB 1275 – Create incentives to put more electric passenger vehicles on the road, with an emphasis on access for disadvantaged communities. Cleaning some of the nation’s most polluted air will help everyone breathe easier!
- SB 1204 –Provide funding for the development of advanced zero-emission and near-zero-emission truck, bus, and off-road vehicle and equipment such as diesel trucks and buses. The freight transportation sector contributes significantly to our state’s air quality problem, and new technologies are one part of the solution.
- SB 1405 – Updates the Healthy Schools Act of 2000 to further incentivize the use of integrated pest management at schools, which ultimately will reduce the use of pesticides that can harm students, staff and the environment.
- AB 2008 – Updates the criteria used to designate a “transit village” by including dedicated loading and unloading facilities for commercial space. Such space will help reduce diesel truck idling as well as traffic congestion.
We look forward to continuing to reducing the burden of asthma and promoting healthy environments in 2015!