Mixer: Climate change legislation melting

Governor Brown’s push to make California a worldwide leader in fighting climate change has suffered two major defeats this week.

On Wednesday, Brown and Democratic leaders eliminated a key portion of a climate change bill that would have required California to cut its petroleum consumption in half in the next 15 years.

And yesterday, the bill by state Senator Fran Pavley of Simi Valley to reducing carbon emissions was pulled after failing to win enough support.

There was certainly fierce opposition from the oil industry, but also resistance from some Democrats. On Which Way, LA? this week, John Myers from KQED argued that this came down to a battle between the more progressive Senate and the more conservative Assembly.

The situation has remained fluid on this last day of the legislative session, as of airtime.

Ben Adler is Capitol Bureau Chief at Capital Public Radio, and David Siders covers state politics and the Brown administration for The Sacramento Bee.

Both joined us for the Mixer.