What Does Divestment Cost? Misinformation from CalPERS and CalSTRS

The “fiscal impact” analysis for the Appropriations Committee in the state Senate or Assembly can make or break a bill. For divestment bills, CalPERS and CalSTRS have repeatedly given imprecise, incorrect, and inflated figures on the costs of divestment, including in the numbers reported to the Appropriations Committee for SB 1173, the Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill.

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SB 560 Passed by Key CA Senate Committee

After weeks of negotiations, FFCA’s bill (SB 560) defining “financial climate risk”, was passed on its second hearing by the CA Senate PER Committee. The bill’s authors are now seeking co-sponsors as the bill moves toward the Appropriations Committee.

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California climate action in the time of Trump

While all of us are frightened and grieving at the idea that an avowed climate change denier will lead our nation’s response to the Paris climate agreement, Californians need to take heart and get to work. Our state, the fifth largest economy on the planet and the established climate leader among subnational governments, must step…

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SB 1161 Withdrawn but Built Great Support

Senator Ben Allen decided to withdraw Senate Bill 1161 on “Truth and Accountability in Climate Change”,  reported Colleen Wientraub from the Union of Concerned Scientists. Said Weintraub, “While it is disappointing the bill will not continue on in its journey through the state capitol, I’d like to use this moment to reflect on the positives…

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State Senate passes SB 185 to divest coal

Today the California State Senate made history, passing SB 185 by a large margin, 22–14. The bill calls for the nation’s two largest state pension funds, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS), to divest from thermal coal. The bill now moves to the California State Assembly. Senate President pro Tempore…

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Senate to vote on SB 185 coal divestment

by Janet Cox The bill in the California State Senate requiring CalPERS and CalSTRS to divest from coal companies, SB 185, along with the other bills in this year’s climate package, will be voted on by the full Senate on Wednesday morning, June 3, most likely between 10 am and noon. This will be the…

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Senate committee bans coal investment

by Janet Cox On April 13, the California State Senate Public Employment and Retirement Committee approved SB 185, the Public Divestiture of Thermal Coal Companies Act, 3–2 on a party line vote. The bill, sponsored by Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León, requires the state’s two largest public pension funds to divest from companies…

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Divest! Start with coal!

by Janet Cox Help us strip dirty coal money from California pension funds. Help us pass Senate Bill 185! Kevin de León, President pro Tem of the California State Senate, has offered the divestment movement a tremendous gift. With SB 185, he has proposed a law that could become the first divestment legislation passed by…

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