Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) discusses his bill that could add the right to a healthy environment into the California constitution.
“The people shall have a right to clean air and water and a healthy environment.”
Essentially, the so-called “green amendment” would enshrine the right to a healthy climate for current and future Californians.
If it passes out of the Assembly and Senate with a two-thirds majority, it would then be added to the November ballot for the voters to decide on.
As much as it sounds like a California-led effort, it’s not the first state to have such an amendment introduced.
Montana and Pennsylvania have had climate amendments to their state constitutions for more than 50 years, while New York state voters approved a green amendment in 2021 with nearly identical language to ACA-16 that California lawmakers are now debating.
Numerous other state legislatures have had green amendments introduced …