Legislative Updates

During a public meeting on May 23, 2023, The Little Hoover Commission (LHC) voted 7-1 to accept a draft report recommending a temporary pause of SB 1383 implementation pending technical changes following recently released information from CalRecycle. During the session, the LHC received mixed public comments and discussed the merits and shortcomings of the then-draft report. The commissioners weighed the importance of achieving SB 1383 goals against the failure of the State to meet its 2020 diversion goals, the unique implementation challenges for rural counties, the need for infrastructure development, and the financial costs of implementation.  

The full report was published on June 8, 2023, and now goes before the state legislature and administration. For more information, visit The Little Hoover Commission’s website to read the full report.

The report from LHC contains twelve recommendations including, but not limited to:

• A temporary pause in SB 1383 implementation.
• An increase in education and outreach.
• A streamlined permitting process for necessary organics processing infrastructure.
• A reduction in the focus on hydrogen vehicles and hydrogen power, as the industry is currently expanding.
• A permanent exemption for rural, low population, and low organic-waste-producing counties.
• A removal of the edible food recovery program required under SB 1383.

The LHC is an independent non-partisan state oversight agency comprised of current legislators, past legislators, and industry professionals from wide backgrounds. LHC recommends changes to state programs with the goal of improving efficiency and effectiveness.