Becker bills to boost clean-energy shift signed into law

Palo Alto Online

California will work to bring all greenhouse-gas emissions from state agencies down to zero by 2035 under legislation that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Friday morning.

Authored by state Sen. Josh Becker, Senate Bill 1203 will require each state agency to calculate its greenhouse-gas emissions, come up with a plan for achieving zero emissions and publish reports every two years that track progress toward the goal and include updated policies.

The bill cleared the state Senate on Aug. 30 by a 31-9 vote, a week after the state Assembly backed it by a 63-4 vote.

Becker, who announced the legislation at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, said in an interview Friday that the legislation has three goals. By requiring state agencies to invest more in clean energy technology, California could help lower the costs of these technologies for everyone. State agencies would also demonstrate to the rest of the state that the goal is achievable — a key consideration given Newsom's target to make the entire state carbon neutral by 2045.

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