CaliforniaCalifornia Environmental Quality Act: exemption: housing development projects.
What it does
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 exempts from its requirements various projects, including, but not limited to, housing projects that meet certain requirements.
More detail
This bill would exempt from the requirements of CEQA a housing development project, as defined, that meets certain conditions relating to, for example, size, density, and location, including specific requirements for any housing on the project site located within 500 feet of a freeway. The bill would require a local government, as a condition of approval for the development, to require the development proponent to complete a specified environmental assessment regarding hazardous substance releases. If a recognized environmental condition is found, the bill would require the development proponent to complete a preliminary endangerment assessment and specified mitigation based on that assessment. Because a lead agency would be required to determine whether a housing development project qualifies for 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.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- May 20In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Latest
- May 19Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 67. Noes 0. Page 1603.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 609 Wicks Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 15Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- May 6Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- May 5Read second time and amended.Major
- May 1From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (April 30).Major
- Apr 30
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 28Re-referred to Com. on H. & C.D.Minor
- Apr 24Read second time and amended.Major
- Apr 23From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on H. & C.D. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 21).Major
- Apr 21(Pending re-refer to Com. on H. & C. D.)Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Housing and Community Development]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 21Assembly Rule 56 suspended. (Page 1163.)
- Mar 25Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.Minor
- Mar 24From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 24Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and H. & C.D.Minor
- Feb 14From printer. May be heard in committee March 16.
- Feb 13Read first time. To print.Introduced