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The California Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act of 2025 (SB 684, AB 1243) is a historic piece of legislation that was introduced into the California state legislature in February. The bill, modeled after similar legislation that has recently been passed in Vermont and New York, would hold large fossil fuel companies financially liable for the climate disasters that the state of California is currently experiencing and would establish a climate Superfund to spend on recovery and resilience. Around 40% of the funding from the bill would be invested in the state's socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. A similar bill was introduced in the 2023-2024 legislative session in California, but fossil fuel lobbyists ensured that it did not pass. This time must be different. This time, state legislators must put the interests of the people and the planet above the interests of the oil and gas industry's profits. From now until the legislative session ends this summer, Sunrise Santa Cruz will be doing everything we can to mobilize students and community members to throw their support behind this bill. More updates forthcoming. Check back here soon.
Sunrise Santa Cruz was a part of a coalition of climate activist organizations from throughout California that organized a march to the Capitol building in Sacramento on April 11, 2025 to demand that the state Assembly and Senate pass the Climate Superfund Act. In addition to creating a strong visual presence in support of the bill in front of the Capitol building, the action also culminated in a phone-banking session wherein activists spoke to staffers from their local representative's district and Capitol offices to voice their support for the MPP bill and demand that their representatives vote yes on the bill when it comes to them for a vote.
Sunrise Santa Cruz attended another action at the Capitol building on April 29, 2025, the day that the Climate Superfund Act was supposed to be introduced in the Assembly Judiciary Committee. The bill's author unfortunately decided to remove the bill from the agenda because she was not able to secure enough votes for it to pass. Nevertheless, those who attended the action created a strong visual presence in support of the bill, strengthening the author's resolve to get it passed.
Sunrise Santa Cruz is hosting a phone-banking session on Sunday, May 18 from 1-2:30 PM in collaboration with Food & Water Watch. We will be calling residents of Sacramento to encourage them to lobby their local representative, Senator Ashby, to vote yes on the Climate Superfund Act. Register here or email ucsantacruzsunrise@gmail.com if you have any questions. We hope to see many of you there.
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