SACRAMENTO -- California lawmakers blocked two big environmental bills Thursday: One that would have ramped up the state's emissions targets and another that would have made oil companies liable for the health problems of people who live close to oil wells.
"Today, we missed a key opportunity to advance legislation that would hold polluters accountable and prevent further harm to families who are just trying to stay healthy and have a better quality of life," Gonzalez said in a statement. "The billions of dollars and the fiscal mess that this bill would have caused to the State and local governments from their own liabilities, the fiscal responsibility of inherited wells, and the cost to the court system, would be substantial," Greene said in a statement.
Bills that were held in the Senate and Assembly appropriations committees are not likely to pass this year, with a June 2 deadline looming for legislation to advance from one chamber.