California Environmental, Public Health, and Workers Defense Act of 2019.

(1) The federal Clean Air Act regulates the discharge of air pollutants into the atmosphere. The federal Clean Water Act regulates the discharge of pollutants into water. The federal Safe Drinking Water Act establishes drinking water standards for drinking water systems. The federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 generally prohibits activities affecting threatened and endangered species listed pursuant to that act unless authorized by a permit from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service, as appropriate. Existing state law regulates the discharge of air pollutants into the atmosphere. The Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act regulates the discharge of pollutants into the waters of the state. The California Safe Drinking Water Act establishes standards for drinking water and regulates drinking water systems. The California Endangered Species Act requires the Fish and Game Commission to establish a list of endangered species and a list of threatened species, and generally prohibits the taking of those species. This bill would, until January 20, 2025, require specified agencies to take prescribed actions regarding certain federal requirements and standards pertaining to air, water, and protected species, as specified. By imposing new duties on local agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would revise the enforcement provisions of the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, as provided. (2) Existing law provides for the enforcement of laws regulating the discharge of pollutants into the atmosphere and waters of the state. Existing law provides for the enforcement of drinking water standards. Existing law provides for the enforcement of the California Endangered Species Act. This bill would, until January 20, 2025, authorize a person acting in the public interest to bring an action to enforce certain standards if specified conditions are satisfied. (3) Existing federal law, including the federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, and the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, generally establishes standards for workers' health and safety. Existing state law, including the California Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973, generally establishes standards for workers' health and safety. This bill would, until January 20, 2025, require specified agencies to take prescribed actions regarding certain requirements and standards pertaining to workers' health and safety. (4) Existing law makes it unlawful to take a bird, mammal, fish, reptile, or amphibian, except as authorized by law. This bill would make it unlawful for a person in California to transport, sell, offer for sale, possess with the intent to sell, receive, acquire, or purchase any fish, wildlife, or plant that was taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of any law, treaty, regulation, policy, or finding of the United States with regard to national or international trade of fish, wildlife, or plants in effect on January 19, 2017. The bill would make these provisions inoperative on January 20, 2025, and would repeal them on January 1, 2026. Under existing law, a violation of the Fish and Game Code is a crime. Because the above provision would be part of the Fish and Game Code, a violation of which would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (5) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.