CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

97

CHAPTER 86

Statutes of 2025

Introduced by Assembly Member Alanis

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alvarez, Ávila Farías, Bains, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Carrillo, Chen, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Flora, Fong, Gallagher, Gipson, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Kalra, Krell, Lackey, Lowenthal, Macedo, McKinnor, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Celeste Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Tangipa, Wicks, and Wilson)

January 15, 2025

Relative to California Propane Day.

Fiscal committee: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

This measure would declare April 15, 2025, as California Propane Day.

WHEREAS, California leads the nation in propane sales, with over 500,000,000 gallons sold annually; and

WHEREAS, Propane is an essential fuel source that supports California’s diverse industries and contributes over $3 billion to the state’s economy; and

WHEREAS, The propane industry provides employment to thousands of Californians, many of whom work for small and family-owned businesses that have served their communities for generations; and

WHEREAS, Propane has a wide range of applications across industries, including agriculture, restaurants, movement of goods, construction, transportation, and power generation; and

WHEREAS, Propane is especially vital to residents in rural, cold-climate, and low-income communities and is used for cooking and home heating in over 420,000 California households; and

WHEREAS, In agriculture, propane is a nontoxic, environmentally friendly fuel used to meet United States Department of Agriculture organic certification standards, replacing pesticides and herbicides. It powers irrigation engines for water movement and is essential for crop protection, including fueling wind machines to prevent frost on citrus crops and in key wine regions such as Napa and Sonoma; and

WHEREAS, Many recreational activities use propane, including barbecuing and camping. Propane partners with California parks so the state’s beautiful nature can be enjoyed while keeping the environment safe and clean; and

WHEREAS, Propane possesses unique features as a mobile, timeless fuel that does not degrade or expire; and

WHEREAS, Propane has a low Carbon Intensity (CI), comparable to the California electrical grid, provides a low-nitrogen oxides (NOx) solution for reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), and can rapidly help meet the state’s climate goals because it contains no methane or sulfur oxides (SOx); and

WHEREAS, California is the nation’s leader in renewable propane production and usage, with renewable propane having one-half to one-quarter the CI of the electrical grid; and

WHEREAS, Renewable propane, derived from nonpetroleum sources and bio-based derivatives, can be blended seamlessly with existing infrastructure, requiring no additional investment from consumers for appliances or infrastructure upgrades; and

WHEREAS, The propane industry prioritizes safety, working closely with Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and other first responders during emergencies. Propane is critical for emergency services as the most deployable fuel during crises, powering temporary stations for operations, including remote fire camps, cell towers for telecommunications, and recovery operations; and

WHEREAS, Propane fuels every stage of wildfire management, including preventative measures such as fuel reduction through prescribed fire and controlled burns. Propane is often the first fuel reconnected after a disaster; and

WHEREAS, California communities affected by power outages due to storms, wildfires, and Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) depend on propane for backup generation. Hospitals, businesses, utilities, and homeowners rely on propane during grid instability; and

WHEREAS, April 15 is the birthday of beloved cartoon character and pop culture icon Hank Hill from the television show King of the Hill, who exemplifies the safety and value of propane as an energy choice through his work at the fictional Strickland Propane; and

WHEREAS, The Olympics have historically used propane for various purposes, with the 1932 Los Angeles Games using propane for cooking and water heating in the Olympic Village. Propane has fueled the Olympic torch since 2000, including with renewable propane at the 2024 Summer Olympics; and

WHEREAS, Propane has been federally recognized as a clean alternative fuel by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (Public Law 101-549) and the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-486); and

WHEREAS, Propane is a clean-burning fuel that is affordable, reliable, accessible, and sustainable; and

WHEREAS, The Legislature recognizes its responsibility to support all clean energy solutions in reducing GHG emissions and ensuring dependable fuel sources for current and future Californians; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature, in recognition of the importance of propane to the well-being of this state, declares April 15, 2025, as California Propane Day; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.