The Crush - January 2021 - 4

STATE FOCUS

2021 - The Year Ahead
By Michael Miiller
The following is a brief summary of what we can expect in
Sacramento from lawmakers and regulators in 2021.
NEWSOM ADMINISTRATION
Gov. Newsom is losing key staff to the Biden administration.
These positions may be hard to fill as Newsom may be
facing a recall and these positions may be seen as short term.
Additionally, Newsom has gone through a shakeup of his
highest-level advisors. While Newsom enjoyed relative stability
in his first two years, his staffing may be in flux in the weeks and
months ahead.
Environmental protection continues to be a high priority for
Newsom. Last year, he issued executive orders requiring
administrative regulatory actions to preserve working lands
(including ag land and waterways) and to move California
toward zero reliance on fossil fuels by 2035. We anticipate
proposed regulations in the months ahead that may impose
mandates intended to achieve Newsom's goals.
COVID-19
The good news is that agricultural employees are a priority
(phase 1b) to receive COVID-19 immunization shots. The plan
to make vaccines available in rural communities is still being
developed.
There are also several unresolved questions about how
employers are to comply with Newsom's COVID-19 prevention
emergency temporary standards (ETS). The ETS was adopted
with only five days of public comment in November and is being
contested in court by a coalition of agricultural and business
organizations, including CAWG (see page 7).
The California Legislature has adopted a general philosophy that
employers are to provide the social safety net for the COVID-19
community-spread virus. Consequently, we expect additional
proposed requirements on employers relative to workplace
safety, reporting, compensation and more.
WATER POLICIES
There will be several water issues discussed in 2021:
*	 The California Water Resources Control Board (board) released
its proposed General Waste Discharge Requirements for
Winery Process Water. CAWG is working closely with Wine
Institute in raising concerns with the order. The order includes
costly provisions that we believe can be adjusted to reduce
costs without harming environmental protections.

4 JANUARY 2021

*	 The board is also considering
other revisions to stormwater
management and discharge
regulations.
*	 Central Valley Salinity
Alternatives for Long-Term
Sustainability (CV-SALTS)
becomes operational this year.
*	 The Legislature may consider
legislation creating stringent
clean water goals to mark the
50th anniversary of the federal
Clean Water Act in 2022.
*	 The Strategic Growth Council is beginning to play a larger role
in Sustainable Groundwater Management Act implementation,
which could potentially complicate and delay matters.
LABOR LAWS
In addition to the ETS issue, there are several labor proposals that
will be debated this year. Hours of work and compensation for
ag employees continues to be a legislative and regulatory topic of
discussion.
Last year, the Legislature passed an expansion of California's
paid and unpaid leave laws. This year, the Legislature is
considering requiring employers to make paid bereavement leave
available to its employees. Additionally, the compensation levels
for paid family leave, disability insurance and unemployment
insurance may be increased.
The Legislature will also consider proposals to provide
additional protections for ag employees potentially exposed to
wildfire smoke in the workplace.
STATE BUDGET & TAXES
The governor recently released his proposed $227.2 billion state
budget for 2021-22. The proposed budget includes the following
relative to COVID-19:
*	 $2.4 billion to fund $600 stimulus payments for about 4 million
Californians who make less than $30,000 a year.
*	 $4 billion to create jobs and help small businesses recover
from the economic downturn brought on by the coronavirus
pandemic.
*	 $2 billion to help schools as they transition to more in-person
learning.
Continued on page 6
https://www.gov.ca.gov/2021/01/08/governor-newsom-proposes-2021-22-state-budget/ https://www.gov.ca.gov/2021/01/08/governor-newsom-proposes-2021-22-state-budget/
The Crush - January 2021

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