Assembly bill 1609 defeated

Sacramento, CA

The proposed leaf blower legislation, Assembly Bill 1609, to develop a standard for city and county blower bans was defeated in a close vote by the California Legislature's Senate Environmental Quality Committee in July. The bill, proposed by the CLCA and authored by Assemblyman Tony Cardenas (D-Sylmar), would have prevented cities and counties from banning leaf blowers with a noise level standard of 65 decibels or less at 50 feet.

The following California state senators voted for the bill: Richard Alarcon (D-Sylmar), Bruce McPherson (R-Santa Cruz), Richard Rainey (R-Walnut Creek) and Hilda Solis (D-Del Monte).

The following state senators voted against the bill: dede Alpert (D-Coronado), Wesley Chesbro (D-Arcata), Jack O'Connell (D-San Luis Obispo), Byron Sher (D-Palo Alto) and Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley).

State Senator Tom Hayden (D-Los Angeles) abstained and requested that the bill be brought back for "reconsideration." The August 31st deadline has passed and currently the bill is dead.