California Environmental Quality Act: exemption.

(1) The existing California Environmental Quality Act requires a lead agency to prepare an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment, as defined, unless the project is exempt from the act. This bill would exempt from those CEQA requirements the expansion of an existing overpass, onramp, or offramp that is built on an easement or right‑of‑way under the control of a state or local transportation agency, or a city, county, or city and county. By imposing new duties on local governments with respect to determining whether that exemption is applicable to specified highway expansion projects, the bill would impose a state‑mandated local program. (2) 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. (3) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.