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SB-88 • 2026

Air resources: carbon emissions: biomass.

Air resources: carbon emissions: biomass.

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Vetoed

The latest official action shows the governor vetoed this bill. Check the bill history to see whether lawmakers later overrode that veto.

Sponsor
Caballero
Last action
2026-03-02
Official status
Veto sustained.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill was vetoed by the governor, so it is not currently in effect.

Air Resources: Carbon Emissions and Biomass

This bill requires the State Air Resources Board to publish assessments about biomass emissions and strategies for carbon removal products, and it mandates state-funded forest health projects to include methods for disposing of forest biomass.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the State Air Resources Board to publish an assessment on the life-cycle emissions from different uses of forest and agricultural waste by January 1, 2028.
  • Requires the State Air Resources Board to create a strategy to support products that remove carbon from the air using biomass resources by January 1, 2029.
  • Mandates state-funded forest health projects to include methods for disposing of forest biomass in a way that is scientifically proven and can be verified.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The State Air Resources Board
  • The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Terms To Know

Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
A fund used to support projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Biochar
A type of charcoal made from biomass that can be used as a soil amendment and for carbon storage.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill was vetoed by the governor, so it is not currently in effect.
  • It does not specify how much funding will be provided to implement these requirements.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-02 California Legislative Information

    Veto sustained.

  2. 2026-03-02 California Legislative Information

    Stricken from file.

  3. 2025-10-03 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending.

  4. 2025-10-03 California Legislative Information

    Vetoed by the Governor.

  5. 2025-09-22 California Legislative Information

    Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.

  6. 2025-09-11 California Legislative Information

    Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2872.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

  7. 2025-09-09 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

  8. 2025-09-09 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 72. Noes 0. Page 3083.) Ordered to the Senate.

  9. 2025-09-03 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  10. 2025-09-02 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  11. 2025-08-29 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (August 29).

  12. 2025-07-02 California Legislative Information

    July 2 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  13. 2025-06-25 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  14. 2025-06-24 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (June 23).

  15. 2025-06-09 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

  16. 2025-06-03 California Legislative Information

    In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  17. 2025-06-02 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 1399.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  18. 2025-05-27 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  19. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  20. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 1191.) (May 23).

  21. 2025-05-16 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 23.

  22. 2025-05-05 California Legislative Information

    May 5 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  23. 2025-04-25 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 5.

  24. 2025-04-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 838.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  25. 2025-04-21 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.

  26. 2025-04-04 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 22.

  27. 2025-04-03 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.

  28. 2025-03-20 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.

  29. 2025-03-19 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on N.R. & W. (Ayes 8. Noes 0. Page 421.) (March 19).

  30. 2025-03-07 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing March 19.

  31. 2025-03-06 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E.Q.

  32. 2025-01-29 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on E.Q. and N.R. & W.

  33. 2025-01-23 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after February 22.

  34. 2025-01-22 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 88, Caballero.
Air resources: carbon emissions: biomass.
The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 establishes the State Air Resources Board as the state agency responsible for monitoring and regulating sources emitting greenhouse gases and requires the state board to ensure that statewide greenhouse gas emissions are reduced to at least 40% below the 1990 level by 2030.
Existing law requires the state board, in consultation with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, to develop a standardized system for quantifying the direct carbon
emissions and decay from fuel reduction activities for purposes of meeting the accounting requirements for Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund expenditures, as specified.
This bill would require the state board, on or before January 1, 2028, to publish on its internet website an assessment of the life-cycle emissions from alternative uses of forest and agricultural biomass residues, as specified. The bill would require the state board, on or before January 1, 2029, to
publish on its internet website a strategy to support beneficial carbon removal products, including, but not limited to, biochar, that are generated from agricultural or forest biomass resources.
The bill would require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to require, to the extent feasible, all state-funded forest health projects to include an appropriate forest biomass resource disposal component that includes a scientifically based, verifiable method to determine the amount of biomass to be physically removed and the amount to be burned by prescribed burn. The bill would require the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to include the value proposition of using agricultural and forest biomass
resources for low- and negative-carbon liquid and gaseous fuels, including hydrogen, from noncombustion conversion technology methods and other emerging and innovative approaches in relevant reports and other agency-sponsored documentation.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF