2008 LEGISLATION BY THE NUMBERS

Assembly Bill 3083 and Senate Bill 1771 mark the last two bills introduced in each house for the 2007-2008 legislative session. Including the 36 proposed Constitutional Amendments, that means 4,891 separate pieces of legislation have been introduced in the California State Legislature during the current legislative session.

Yes that is right, four-thousand-eight-hundred-ninety-one (4,891) new laws proposed to add to the already overflowing statutes.

Every one of these bills have been reviewed by BOMA California staff. 981 of these measure’s have at some point been deemed to potentially impact the commercial, industrial, and retail real estate industry. Currently, approximately 450 of these bills are actively making their way through the Legislature.

2008 LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS

The 450 bills that are still active are being reviewed by a group of industry experts and will be discussed on March 26 to set positions on the bills impacting our industry and provide our Sacramento representatives with information about each issue of concern and to set advocacy direction for the year. The BOMA California Board of Directors will meet the following week to review and approve positions on bills that have been identified by BOMA staff impacting the commercial real estate industry.

If you have received a copy of the bill list please get your comments back as soon as possible. If you have not received a copy of the bill list, but would like to help determine industry positions, simply reply to this email to request the legislative materials.

SF GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS

San Francisco moved a step closer Wednesday to imposing the country's most stringent green building codes, regulations that would require new large commercial buildings and residential high-rises to contain such environmentally friendly features as solar power, nontoxic paints and plumbing fixtures that decrease water usage.

"One of the best things about it is the fact that it's a gradual ordinance," said Ken Cleaveland, the director of government and public affairs for the San Francisco Building Owners and Managers Association and a member of Newsom's green building task force. "When you set a goal and give the industry time to meet that goal, you have a far better chance of succeeding." Click here to read the full story.

L.A. AND LONG BEACH PORTS PROPOSE AIR CLEANUP PLAN

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have unveiled a $19-million plan to persuade shippers to burn cleaner fuel when vessels are near the California coast, a move expected to slash local air pollution by 11%. Cargo ships, some of which can emit more diesel exhaust per day than 12,000 automobiles, are responsible for much of the air pollution in the region. It remains to be seen, however, what news of this agreement means to SB 974 (Lowenthal; D-Long Beach), the legislative proposal to impose a $30 tax on all shipping containers. Click here to read the full story.

GOVERNOR GOING “NUCLEAR”?

Governor Schwarzenegger is making waves in energy circles after saying that nuclear power has "a great future" and that it is time to "relook at that issue again rather than just looking the other way and living in denial." Surprisingly, there has not been an outcry of support from legislators or environmentalist for this ultimate “green and sustainable” source of energy.

CALCULATE YOUR CARBON SHOE SIZE

You can now calculate your carbon footprint using the California Carbon Calculator at CoolCalifornia.org. According to the site, “virtually everything we do results in the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, mostly in the form of carbon dioxide. Cool California is a collaboration of state government, academia, and NGOs working together to develop an innovative carbon calculator that helps California households, individuals and communities evaluate their climate-related performance, while assisting users in making more informed decisions so they can reduce their carbon footprints effectively.” Click here to try the carbon calculator.

UPCOMING EVENT: GREEN CALIFORNIA SUMMIT AND EXPOSITION APRIL 7-9

Builders, property managers, developers, facilities managers and others involved in real estate should not miss the Green California Summit (April 7-9, Sacramento Convention Center). The event, guided by an Advisory Board that includes senior state officials and leaders from the real estate community, combines an exposition featuring hundreds of green products and services with seminars and training. Discover green tools that can save you money, preserve the environment and give you a competitive edge - and find out about regulations and policy that are changing the industry. For more information, click here. BOMA California members (and all local association members) get a special 20% discount – simply enter “BOMA” as a Coupon Code towards the end of the registration.

BOMA CALIFORNIA 2008 CALENDAR

THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2008  —
BOMA California Board Meeting
11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Embarcadero Center #4, Conference Center, Promenade Level
Clay Street between Davis and Drumm Streets
San Francisco

TUESDAY, JUNE 10 & WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2008 —
BOMA California Board Meeting & CA Commercial Real Estate Summit
Sacramento (Hyatt Regency)
Times and locations TBA

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER, 2008 (DATE TBD) —
BOMA California Annual Meeting
Times and location TBD
Los Angeles