Last week, three RCRC-sponsored measures advanced through policy committees.
Senate Bill 607 (Wiener, D-San Francisco) advanced through the Senate Local Government Committee 5-1 (over the Chair’s opposition) on April 30, after passing the Senate Environmental Quality Committee with a 6-0 vote the previous week. RCRC provided lead testimony and is co-sponsoring the measure with Prosperity California, Housing Action Coalition, and the Bay Area Council.
SB 607 includes several targeted California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) reforms that will significantly reduce litigation risk, CEQA costs, and project delays. In particular, SB 607:
- Exempts from CEQA rezonings that are consistent with an approved housing element.
- Replaces the “fair argument standard” for negative declarations and mitigated negative declarations with the substantial evidence standard.
- Narrows the scope of CEQA review for projects that would otherwise be categorically or statutorily exempt but for a single condition, in which case the initial study or EIR is only required to examine the effects caused by that single condition.
- Expands the Class 32 infill exemption to unincorporated areas.
- Requires the state to establish objective and measurable safe harbors that lead agencies may elect to use when making habitat, traffic, noise, air quality, water quality, utility service determinations under to the Class 32 categorical exemption.
- Narrows the universe of written materials that are part of the CEQA administrative record by excluding communications of persons tangential or removed from project decision-making.
SB 607 will next be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee, chaired by Senator Anna Caballero, and on which Senators Christopher Cabaldon and Megan Dahle sit.
RCRC’s letter of support is available here. For more information, contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate John Kennedy.
AB 998 (Hadwick, R-Alturas) unanimously passed the Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee on April 29th. The bill helps schools properly dispose of vapes confiscated from students; enables local HHW collection facilities to reduce program management costs; increases recycling of electronic waste and batteries; and consolidates duplicative HHW reporting to different state agencies.
RCRC’s letter of support is available here. For more information, contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate John Kennedy.
Finally, AB 632 (Hart, D-Santa Barbara) passed out of the Assembly Local Government Committee on April 9th, and will be heard in Assembly Judiciary Committee on May 6th. AB 632 strengthens local enforcement of housing law, fire safety regulations, and unlicensed cannabis activities by expanding penalty collection options to deter the most serious violators. In addition, the measure clarifies existing law to allow local governments to utilize ordinary real property liens as a tool to collect fines and penalties.
RCRC’s letter of support is available here. For more information, contact RCRC Policy Advocate Sarah Dukett.