Senate Concurrent Resolution No

							            AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 13, 1999
            AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 5, 1999
           AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 18, 1999

Senate Concurrent Resolution                              No. 19


                 Introduced by Senator Burton


                        February 23, 1999




  Senate   Concurrent   Resolution   No.    19—Relative   to   leaf
blowers.

                   LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST
   SCR 19, as amended, Burton. Leaf blowers.
   This measure would memorialize the State Air Resources
Board, on or before January 1, 2000, to prepare and submit a
report to the Legislature, as provided, summarizing the
potential health and environmental impacts of leaf blowers
and including recommendations for alternatives to their use.
The measure would also request each governing body of a
city, including a charter city, or county to refrain from
enacting any new ordinance that prohibits the use of leaf
blowers until the state board submits that report to the
Legislature.
   Fiscal committee: yes.

 1   WHEREAS, Questions and concerns have been raised
 2 about the potential environmental impacts and health
 3 hazards associated with the operation of leaf blowers; and



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SCR 19                       —2—
 1      WHEREAS, The potential impacts from exhaust, noise,
 2   and blown dust affect both the operators of leaf blowers
 3   and the public at large; and
 4      WHEREAS, There is no comprehensive review
 5   available of existing studies of the impacts of leaf blowers
 6   on leaf blower operators and on the public at large, or of
 7   the availability and actual use of protective equipment
 8   for leaf blowers; and
 9      WHEREAS, A comprehensive review would aid in
10   answering these concerns about the use of leaf blowers
11   and clarify the public debate; now, therefore, be it
12      Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the
13   Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature
14   hereby requests that the State Air Resources Board, on or
15   before January 1, 2000, use data and information in
16   existence at that time to prepare and submit a report to
17   the Legislature summarizing the potential health and
18   environmental impacts of leaf blowers and including
19   recommendations for alternatives to the use of leaf
20   blowers and alternative leaf blower technology if the
21   state board determines that alternatives are necessary;
22   and be it further
23      Resolved, That the Legislature hereby requests each
24   governing body of a city, including a charter city, or
25   county to refrain from enacting any new ordinance that
26   prohibits the use of leaf blowers until the State Air
27   Resources Board submits its report to the Legislature, as
28   requested above; and be it further
29      Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit
30   copies of this resolution to the Executive Officer of the
31   State Air Resources Board.
32




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