Sponsor says SB 1306 aligns California law with federal exemptions for certain semiconductor chemical mixes

The sponsor presented SB 1306 to the Assembly Appropriations Committee as a measure to align California law with existing federal exemptions for certain chemical mixtures containing gamma‑butyrolactone (GBL) that are essential to semiconductor manufacturing and research. The sponsor said the federal Drug Enforcement Administration has accepted regulations that allow mixtures containing up to a specified concentration of GBL to be treated differently because extracting pure GBL from those industrial mixes is not practically feasible.

The sponsor told the committee that California currently imposes redundant or misaligned regulatory requirements on suppliers serving the semiconductor industry — including permitting, reporting and transaction holds — and said SB 1306 would reduce operational disruptions for research and production while posing no public‑safety risk. A representative of the semiconductor supply‑chain association (CME) testified in support.

The sponsor acknowledged openness to addressing concerns raised by opponents but said previous opposition letters did not reflect the bill as printed. The committee heard support testimony and took the item under consideration; the sponsor asked for an aye vote and the item moved on roll call.

Next steps: The bill was presented and supported testimony recorded; the committee reported the item out on roll call during the hearing.