(1) Existing law, the Farmer Equity Act of 2017, requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to ensure the inclusion of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, defined as a member of a socially disadvantaged group, as defined, in the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of food and agriculture laws, regulations, and policies and programs, as specified.
This bill would expand the definition of socially disadvantaged group to include descendants of enslaved persons in the United States.
(2) Existing law establishes the Wildlife Conservation Board, the Department of Conservation, the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Department of Parks and Recreation, the State Coastal Conservancy, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Water Resources. Existing law authorizes these entities to award grants, as provided.
This bill would require the above entities, until January 1, 2031, when awarding those grants, to prioritize the awarding of grant funding to socially disadvantaged organizations, as defined, as provided.
(3) Existing law requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to manage and award financial assistance to specified entities, including a nonprofit organization, in order to support the development of sustainable communities, as provided. Existing law requires the secretary to give additional consideration to awarding moneys for a project that meets at least 2 of a list of specified criteria.
This bill would, until January 1, 2031, add to this list of criteria a project that is undertaken by a socially disadvantaged organization, as defined.

Statutes affected:
AB2465: 512 FAC, 12802.10 GOV, 4799.05 PRC, 4799.12 PRC, 5072.8 PRC, 71116 PRC, 6700 WAT, 7049 WAT
02/13/24 - Introduced: 512 FAC, 12802.10 GOV, 4799.05 PRC, 4799.12 PRC, 5072.8 PRC, 71116 PRC, 6700 WAT, 7049 WAT
04/10/24 - Amended Assembly: 512 FAC, 12802.10 GOV, 4799.05 PRC, 4799.12 PRC, 5072.8 PRC, 71116 PRC, 6700 WAT, 7049 WAT
AB 2465: 512 FAC, 12802.10 GOV, 4799.05 PRC, 4799.12 PRC, 5072.8 PRC, 71116 PRC, 6700 WAT, 7049 WAT