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Bills

SB 424: California Environmental Quality Act: expired regional habitat conservation plan: exemption.

  • Session Year: 2025-2026
  • House: Senate

Current Status:

In Progress

(2025-04-16: April 23 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.)

Introduced

First Committee Review

First Chamber

Second Committee Review

Second Chamber

Enacted

Version:

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment.

CEQA makes various legislative findings and declarations regarding the maintenance of a quality environment for the people of this state and states the intent of the Legislature for state agencies to regulate activities so that major consideration is given to preventing environmental damage.This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to those findings and declarations, and to the statement of intent.

This bill would exempt from the requirements of CEQA a project developed solely to serve an urgent public health or housing need, as specified, that is within the boundaries of an expired regional habitat conservation plan, and that had an environmental review completed consistent with the requirements of the regional habitat conservation plan as the plan existed before the plans expiration. Because the bill would require a lead agency to determine the applicability of this exemption, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

News Coverage:

SB 424: California Environmental Quality Act: expired regional habitat conservation plan: exemption. | Digital Democracy