Former State Senator and current USC Schwarzenegger Institute Legislative Outreach Director, Fran Pavley, was a keynote speaker at a recent clean vehicle event hosted by Move LA and Calstart at the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI). The event, which took place on April 19th in Downtown Los Angeles, was billed as a strategic conversation with clean vehicle industry advocates and agency legislative staff on the efforts needed to achieve California’s clean air and climate change goals.
Senator Pavley was one of the events keynote speakers. In her remarks Senator Pavley provided a timeline overview of California’s climate change laws and spoke of the need for bold legislation to effectively combat climate change. She also explained how the Schwarzenegger Institute, in partnership with the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, created a unique online tool – the Digital Environmental Legislative Handbook – to help lawmakers and their staff research and replicate landmark legislation from states throughout the country.
Along with Senator Fran Pavley, other speakers at this event included Mary Nichols, Chair of the CA Air Resources Board, John Boesel, President and CEO of Calstart, and Dr. Frederick Lipschultz, Regional Coordinator of the Climate Assessment Staff.
Denny Zane, Executive Director of Move LA, also spoke at the event. He outlined the work that Move LA is doing to address global warming and the adverse public health impacts caused poor air quality. He also unveiled Move LA’s Vision 2020 ballot initiative which aims to reduce air pollution from mobile emissions and increase investment in Metrolink, Southern California’s passenger rail system, by increasing sales tax and transportation fees. Vision 2020 has not yet qualified for the November ballot. It would need two thirds majority approval to become law in the in the 4-county South Coast Air Quality Management District, made up of Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.