JURISDICTION: Bills relating to environmental quality, air quality, water quality, climate change,

2023 Bill Hearings 

Always check the Senate Daily File for any changes.

You are strongly advised to submit your position letter(s) ASAP via the Advocacy Portal, do not wait for bills to be noticed in the Daily File. 

It is the responsibility of an organization/individual to submit an updated position letter to the Committee if the organization's/individual's position on a bill changes.

For information on how to submit a position letter please see the directions below:

Advocacy Quick Reference Guide

Teleconference Instructions:

Due to the health and safety risks associated with the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the Senate will continue to adhere to social distancing guidelines. Accordingly, seating for Senate proceedings will continue to be limited to the extent social distancing allows. All are encouraged to watch the live stream of the hearing on the Senate’s website at https://www.senate.ca.gov/

We encourage the public to submit written testimony before the hearing through the position letter portal. Please note that any written testimony submitted to the committee is considered public comment and may be read into the record or reprinted.

The Capitol will be open for attendance of committee hearings, but the public is strongly encouraged to participate via the web portal or telephonically.

Information regarding a call-in option for testimony will be made available and updated the night prior to the hearing date.

Senate Committee on Environmental Quality hearing call-in information:

Please note: In order for your testimony to be heard clearly, you must mute any devices you are using to live stream the committee hearing prior to calling into the teleconference service. Please do not testify using speakerphone or bluetooth, this can cause acoustic feedback and make it very difficult to hear your testimony. 

• Upon calling in, you will be placed in a “waiting room” where you will be muted but you can listen to the committee hearing as you wait.
• When a committee moves to public comment, a moderator will ask for anyone who is wishing to testify in “Support” of the bill to please press 1-0.  The moderator will again prompt those waiting in “Opposition” when the committee moves to opposition.  You should press 1-0 when you are prompted by the moderator – be sure to listen for support or opposition and DO NOT press 1-0 until the proper position has been asked for. 
• When you press 1-0 on your phone, you will wait and an operator will assign you a line number, at that time you will be placed in the queue for identification.  Remember your line number, the moderator will call out that number to identify YOU when it is your turn to testify.  OF IMPORTANT NOTE: If you press 1-0 a second time, you will remove yourself from the queue and you will not be identified to testify. Every time you press 1-0 you either put yourself “In queue” or take yourself “Out of queue” so listen carefully, and press 1-0 only once when you are prompted by the moderator.
• When you are successfully in the queue, with your assigned line number, the moderator will call out your line number, open your line, and at that time you may address the committee. You must have your own phone unmuted before you begin testimony.

A more detailed explanation of the teleconference instructions can be found by clicking the “Teleconference Instructions” 

DURING THESE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES, WE ARE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST YOU

• A Committee staff member is in office during the business hours of 9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm ~ Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.
• We are receiving office phone calls and responding to all email communication during the business hours of 9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm ~ Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. 
• We will continue to receive position letters on all legislation via the advocacy portal and by mail to 1021 O Street, Room 3230, Sacramento, CA 95814. Please see "Position Letters" above for more specific information.
• We will continue to keep our website up to date on the status of our bill hearings and informational/oversight hearings.
• Author’s Amendments to bills in our committee will be accepted and processed during the recess. 

Please note the various ways we are available to assist you:

Committee phone:  (916) 651-4108

Committee email:

• Gabrielle Meindl gabrielle.meindl@sen.ca.gov

• Genevieve M. Wong genevieve.wong@sen.ca.gov

• Eric Walters eric.walters@sen.ca.gov

• Jacob O'Connor jacob.oconnor@sen.ca.gov

• Mimi Holtkamp mimi.holtkamp@sen.ca.gov

Senator Benjamin Allen (Chair)
Senator Patricia C. Bates (Vice Chair)
Senator Brian Dahle
Senator Lena A. Gonzalez
Senator Nancy Skinner
Senator Henry I. Stern
Senator Bob Wieckowski