​(May 30, 2012) A California Chamber of Commerce-opposed bill that increases energy costs, including fuel prices, on consumers and businesses passed the Assembly yesterday.

AB 1532 (John A. Pérez; D-Los Angeles) a “job killer” bill, allocates funds from an illegal tax to various programs that are not necessary to cost-effectively implement the market-based trading mechanism under AB 32

In opposing the bill, the CalChamber has pointed out that the California Air Resources Board (ARB) lacks authority and has been unable to justify the need to raise billions of dollars in revenue for the purposes anticipated in the bill.

ARB’s plan to impose a “cap-and-tax” will hurt jobs, and increase costs to the state and consumers. AB 32 was not intended to be a revenue source. If the state moves forward with a billion-dollar auction, the impacts on the state’s economy would be devastating.

Entities subject to the illegal tax include manufacturers, public agencies, universities, refineries, food processors and others. The impact on these entities will be severe and on top of the higher fuel and energy costs due to other climate change regulations.

Not only is an auction unnecessary for a successful cap-and-trade program, but the planned collection and distribution of auction revenues raises legal uncertainties.
Key Votes

AB 1532 passed the Assembly Floor on May 30 on a vote of 49-27:

Ayes: Alejo (D-Watsonville), Allen (D-Santa Rosa), Ammiano (D-San Francisco), Atkins (D-South Park/Golden Hill),  Beall (D-San Jose), Block (D-San Diego), Blumenfield (D-San Fernando Valley), Bonilla (D-Concord),  Bradford (D-Gardena), Brownley (D-Santa Monica), Buchanan (D-Alamo), Butler (D-Los Angeles),  C. Calderon (D-Montebello), Campos (D-San Jose), Carter (D-Rialto), Chesbro (D-North Coast),  Davis (D-Los Angeles), Dickinson (D-Sacramento), Eng (D-Monterey Park), Feuer (D-Los Angeles), Fong (D-Cupertino), Fuentes (D-Sylmar), Furutani ( D-South Los Angeles County), Galgiani (D-Livingston), Gatto (D-Los Angeles), Gordon (D-Menlo Park), Hayashi (D-Hayward), R. Hernández (D-West Covina), Hill (D-San Mateo), Huber (D-El Dorado Hils), Hueso (D-San Diego), Huffman (D-San Rafael),  Lara (D-Los Angeles), B. Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), Ma (D-San Francisco), Mitchell (D-Los Angeles), Monning (D-Carmel), Pan (D-Sacramento), Perea (D-Fresno), John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) M. Pérez (D-Coachella), Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge), Skinner (D-Berkeley), Solorio (D-Anaheim), Swanson (D-Concord), Torres (D-Pomona) ,Wieckowski (D-Fremont), Williams (D-Santa Barbara), Yamada (D-Davis).

Noes: Achadjian (R-San Luis Obispo), B. Berryhill (R-Ceres), Conway (R-Tulare), Cook (R-Yucca Valley), Donnelly (R-Twin Peaks), B. Gaines (R-Roseville), Garrick (R-Carlsbad), Gorell (R-Camarillo), Grove (R-Bakersfield), Hagman (R-Chino Hills), Halderman (R-Fresno), Harkey (R-Dana Point), Jeffries (R-Lake Elsinore), Jones (R-Santee), Knight (R-Antelope Valley), Logue (R-Linda), Mansoor (R-Costa Mesa), Miller (R-Corona), Morrell (R-Rancho Cucamonga), Nestande (R-Palm Desert), Nielsen (R-Gerber), Norby (R-Fullerton), Olsen (R-Modesto), Silva (R-Huntington Beach), Smyth (R-Santa Clarita), Valadao (R-Hanford), Wagner (R-Irvine).

Absent, Abstaining, or Not Voting: Cedillo (D-Los Angeles), Fletcher (I-San Diego), Hall (D-Los Angeles), Mendoza (D-Artesia).