LOS ANGELES, CA — Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 817 and SB 716, legislation authored by Assemblymember Mark González and Senator María Elena Durazo in response to the devastating fire that occurred at the Lineage cold storage facility in Boyle Heights. These two bills are part of a legislative and budget package sponsored by Mayor Karen Bass and were introduced in mid-August.
Asm. González, alongside Mayor Bass, Sen. Durazo, and Proyecto Pastoral, at a press conference in Sept. calling on Gov. Newsom to sign AB 817 and SB 716.
“When disaster strikes, people should never have to fight just to be heard—their government should already be standing beside them," said Assemblymember Mark González. "From day one, I was determined to translate this unwarranted, undeserved tragedy into meaningful policy. Today, with the signing of AB 817 and SB 716, we do just that: demand greater accountability and ensure our communities are never left to face a crisis alone."
"The Lineage fire left a deep wound in Boyle Heights, Montebello, Commerce, and the surrounding communities, one that will take a long time to heal. What happened cannot be undone. The suffering our neighbors went through cannot be reversed. But we can decide what happens next,” said Assemblymember Mark González. “I want to thank Governor Newsom for listening to the people of Boyle Heights and for signing AB 817 and SB 716 into law. These measures give us a plan, resources, accountability, and the tools to act when our communities need their government most. Our communities deserve more than promises. They deserve action, accountability, and respect. ¡Sí se puede!"
"Thank you, Governor Newsom, for signing SB 716 and AB 817 into law. Families in Boyle Heights and East LA were exposed to toxic smoke and lived with the stench of millions of pounds of rotting food for months. They could not open their windows and could not let their kids play outside. Their health suffered, while the company responsible faced fines too small to matter,” said Senator María Elena Durazo. “Today, Governor Newsom sent a clear message: corporations that put our communities at risk will finally face consequences that reflect the harm they cause. Alongside AB 817, SB 716 exists because this community endured this crisis, organized in response to it, and demanded better because of it. This is their victory. Thank you again, Governor Newsom, and thank you to Mayor Bass and our community partners for championing these bills alongside us from the very beginning."
“I appreciate Governor Newsom signing this critical legislation that Assemblymember Mark González, Senator María Elena Durazo, and I worked on and got across the finish line to help the people of Boyle Heights and East LA. These pieces of legislation ensure cold storage companies take responsibility for the impacts of their operations, provide critical protections for residents in the event of an emergency, and allow cities and counties to impose higher fines when the health and safety of communities are threatened,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “I will continue doing everything in my authority to connect residents to critical assistance and to demand the answers and accountability this community deserves.”
Overview of the Legislation:
AB 817 will ensure that Lineage cannot rebuild without being accountable to the local community. Specifically, this bill will:
- Prevent the city and county from issuing a new building permit for cold storage facilities like Lineage, unless they maintain a contingency fund that can be accessed in states of emergency. This fund will ensure substantial funding is available for food assistance, housing assistance, air quality monitoring, environmental cleanup, and remediation of any hazardous materials.
- Ensure any settlements that residents get from this incident are tax-free. That money is not income. It is compensation for suffering. They have been through enough – they shouldn’t have to worry about paying state taxes on money that is rightfully owed to them.
SB 716 raises the ceiling on city and county ordinance fines for large non-residential structures so that penalties scale with the severity of the violation. The current cap of $2,000 per day, regardless of the scope of the harm, is not sufficient to propel action. An escalating structure and the ability to multiply fines by a factor of 10, up to $50,000 per violation, gives locals meaningful leverage to compel rapid remediation.
Together, AB 817 and SB 716 will advance accountability because we know this will not be the last time a corporation tries to get away with polluting our environment.
Sending Millions of Dollars into Boyle Heights and Eastside Communities:
Alongside these legislative efforts, Assemblymember Mark González and Senator Durazo successfully secured millions of dollars in state funding through AB 113 that will support long-term cleanup and recovery efforts, as well as critical support services. This includes:
- $1 million for Mobile Asthma Clinics and Testing
- $2 million for LA County Department of Public Health for Lineage Fire Cleanup and Remediation
- $3 million for LA County Department of Public Health for Additional Environmental Cleanup
- $4.5 million for the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles to Support Ongoing Programs like Feed LA and Social Safety Net Programs
Assemblymember Mark González is the Assembly Majority Whip. He serves on the Committees on Appropriations, Health, Public Safety, Rules, and Utilities & Energy. He represents the 54th District, composed of the cities of Los Angeles, Commerce, Montebello, and Vernon.
CONTACT: Kyle Johnson; Kyle.Johnson@asm.ca.gov; (925) 549-2030
Nina Suh-Toma; Nina.Suh-Toma@asm.ca.gov
