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Sponsored Legislation

Assembly Bill 619 (Calderon, 2021): Wildfire Smoke

Breathe Southern California’s sponsored legislation, AB619 (Calderon, 2021) was signed into law by Governor Newsom! AB 619, authored by Assemblymember Lisa Calderon, will improve public health for all Southern California residents, particularly as it pertains to wildfire smoke.
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Due to climate change, wildfires are becoming more common and more extreme, and the intensifying drought is a looming threat to the severity of future wildfires. As a result, fire season in California is starting earlier and ending later.

AB 619 requires the California Department of Public Health to develop recommendations and guidelines for counties to use in establishing plans to address significant air pollution events, primarily those caused by wildfires. Counties will need to establish policies and procedures to protect the health of their residents from wildfire smoke. Counties must develop plans in consultation with key stakeholders, including government agencies, medical professionals, and nonprofit organizations.

Assembly Bill 2293 (Mayes, 2020)

Breathe Southern California was pleased to see the passage of its sponsored legislation, AB 2293 (Mayes, 2020), through the Assembly. The bill requires the Department of Public Health (DPH) to conduct a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Provider Awareness Campaign to improve provider education aimed at promoting early diagnoses of COPD, options for screening and testing, current research on the causes of COPD, current research on COPD triggers, and the cost of diagnosis and treatment. Also, allows DPH to partner with specified entities to conduct the COPD Provider Awareness Campaign.Although the bill did not make it through the legislative process and was not signed into law, we continue to advocate for COPD funding to improve research, awareness, and treatment of those who experience and are at risk of experiencing COPD.

State & Local Advocacy

Advocating for Clean Technologies

According to the California Air Resources Board (CARB), over 90 percent of Californians breathe unhealthy levels of one or more air pollutants during some part of the year. In 2020, across the basin that includes the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino, there were 157 bad air days for ozone pollution – the most days above the federal health standard since 1997. Cars, trucks, ships, trains, and other vehicles play a major role in the poor air quality we experience throughout Southern California.

At Breathe Southern California we are advocating for a transition to clean technologies, such as zero-emission and hydrogen-powered vehicles, to benefit both residents and the environment of our region. Through our End Diesel Now campaign, we are working to phase out the use of diesel fuel. Diesel exhaust exposure leads to serious health conditions like asthma and cancer, and can worsen existing heart and lung disease, especially in children and the elderly.

By phasing out the use of diesel, we can transition to cleaner and more effective technologies that are safer for people and better for the environment. You can learn more about our End Diesel Now campaign here.

Our Fight Against Big Tobacco

Big Tobacco is working to addict a new generation of smokers, this time through e-cigarettes that contain nicotine and utilizing candy-like flavors to attract younger smokers. While it is well known that smoking can cause many health issues including cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Studies have shown that using e-cigarettes also increases an individual’s chances of developing asthma and COPD.

Breathe Southern California is at the forefront of advocating to ban the sale of flavored tobacco throughout Southern California. As a member organization of L.A. Families Fighting Flavored Tobacco, we have worked to pass ordinances that ban the sale of flavored tobacco in and throughout L.A. County, including the localities such as the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, Beverly Hills, Carson, Long Beach, Pasadena, and West Hollywood. And our work on this important issue continues throughout Southern California.

Breathe Southern California applauded the passage and signing of SB 793 (Hill, 2020), which banned the sale of all flavored tobacco products in California. The legislation was widely supported and passed the Legislature with almost no opposition, but Big Tobacco spent millions to try to prevent it from taking effect. In the 2022 election, California voters upheld the statute and it is now in effect statewide!

Coalitions

L.A. Families Fighting Flavored Tobacco

We work to ensure local jurisdictions have strong regulations against the sale of flavored tobacco products. We are also working to ensure that SB 793, California’s state law that ends the sale of flavored tobacco products statewide, stays on the books with a “YES” vote in November 2022. Learn more about L.A. Families Fighting Flavored Tobacco.

Asthma Coalition of Los Angeles County

The Asthma Coalition of Los Angeles County is a collective, powerful voice for policy and systems change to prevent, minimize, and manage the burden of asthma.

Community Action to Fight Asthma

CAFA works to shape local, regional, and state policies to reduce environmental triggers of asthma among school-aged children where they live, learn, and play.

Chronic Care Policy Alliance

The Chronic Care Policy Alliance is a coalition of public health organizations that work together to ensure gaps in chronic care are bridged through policy advocacy and reform.

Commercial Harbor Craft Regulation Coalition

A group of environmental and public health organizations are working to ensure the California Air Resources Board enacts stricter regulations regarding commercial crafts. We demand a broad and swift transition to zero-emissions harbor crafts as quickly as possible.

Legislative Coalitions

Other informal coalitions that Breathe Southern California is proud to be a part of include various legislative coalitions to pass strong bills in Sacramento and local coalitions such as those intended to serve populations in disadvantaged communities.

Projects

Establishing a Blueprint for a Zero-emissions Port of Hueneme

In 2021, the Port of Hueneme received funding from the California Energy Commission to develop a blueprint for a zero-emissions Port of Hueneme. Breathe Southern California is helping in the development of a zero-emissions blueprint for the Port of Hueneme by engaging stakeholders in Ventura County to determine what stakeholders would like to see in a zero-emissions blueprint. The work includes meeting with stakeholders, producing a stakeholder engagement report, disseminating relevant information to stakeholders, and producing a community outreach report.

Reducing and Eliminating Truck Idling in Disadvantaged Communities

Breathe Southern California is working in the communities of West Long Beach, Carson, and Wilmington to reduce and eliminate medium- and heavy-duty trucks from idling in our neighborhoods and communities. The work includes engaging residents on potential truck idling solutions, educating truckers on the public health and environmental harms of idling, and improving the enforcement mechanisms in place for trucks that idle.

Educating on Incentive Funding for Clean Trucks

Transitioning diesel trucks to clean trucks is a top priority, and there is incentive funding available for small and large fleets to convert their dirty trucks to clean alternatives, including battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell trucks. Breathe Southern California works to ensure fleets know what opportunities exist by promoting incentive funding through social media, advertising and marketing, and direct engagement with small and large fleets.

End Diesel Now

Residents, families, and children throughout the greater Southern California region are breathing dirty air that has the potential to create a lifetime of health problems. In 2020, across the basin that includes the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino, there were 157 bad air days for ozone pollution – the most days above the federal health standard since 1997. To make a significant impact on improving air quality and reducing air pollution, we must meaningfully address the diesel problem and end diesel now.

The solution? Let’s phase out the sale, use, and distribution of diesel fuel. Due to the harmful health impacts of diesel pollution, we are proposing to phase out diesel fuel sales by 2030 by instituting a cap on the amount of diesel fuel sold in California. Beginning in 2022, each subsequent year’s diesel sales will be capped at a percentage of 2020’s sales, which will be used as the baseline, starting at 80 percent, and decreasing every year. By 2030 and every year thereafter sales of diesel fuel will not exceed 3 percent of the amount sold in 2020. This market-based approach will address air quality, public health, the climate crisis, ocean and water protection, soil protection, and the economy while incentivizing use of the cleanest technologies available.

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Advocacy & Public Policy

How We're Making a Difference

Sponsored Legislation

State & Local Advocacy

Our programs are made possible by our generous supporters

Coalitions

Projects

End Diesel Now

Advocacy & Public Policy

How We're Making a Difference

Sponsored Legislation

State & Local Advocacy

Our programs are made possible by our generous supporters

Coalitions

Stay informed

Projects

End Diesel Now