California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: public access: nonmotorized recreation.

Header changed from Assembly Bill passage dates to 'STATE OF CALIFORNIA AUTHENTICATED ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL' with Chapter 391 designation and Governor approval date of October 6, 2025.

Page numbers shifted from 96 to 95, and running headers changed from 'AB 1139' to 'Ch. 391' throughout the document.

Governor signature line changed from blank (awaiting signature) to 'O' indicating the Governor signed the bill into law.

Removed the formal 'STATE OF CALIFORNIA AUTHENTICATED ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL' header and page numbers, replacing them with website navigation elements (search, links, version history, share options).

Added a 'Digest Key' section showing vote: MAJORITY, Appropriation: NO, Fiscal Committee: YES, Local Program: YES, which summarizes metadata already present in the digest text.

Eligible lead agencies narrowed from 'a county department, park agency, a park district, or the Great Redwood Trail Agency' to 'a county park agency, a park district, or the Great Redwood Trail Agency,' removing the broader 'county department' category.

Added a new exception: the exemption does not apply where it is reasonably foreseeable that providing public access will have a significant or cumulatively considerable effect on the environment. This effectively pulls back the exemption for projects with foreseeable major environmental impacts.

The physical alteration standard was relaxed from requiring 'no physical alteration to the area affected' to allowing 'minimal physical alterations and minimal improvements.' Minimal improvements are defined as limited to signage, portable restrooms, sediment control, and similar environmentally protective improvements.

Removed the criterion that the change in use must be consistent with a plan adopted by the county park agency, park district, or Great Redwood Trail Agency.

Added a requirement that before making an exemption determination, the lead agency must adopt a natural resource management plan (or equivalent document) identifying sensitive species, habitats, soils, coastal resources, hydrology, fire hazards, tribal and cultural resources, avoidance strategies, mitigation measures, and ongoing maintenance needs.

Added a requirement that the lead agency's findings must be based on substantial evidence, and that the finding must include a determination that there is sufficient funding to implement the natural resource management plan.

Fiscal committee and state-mandated local program designations changed from 'no' to 'yes,' reflecting that the new duties (adopting management plans, making substantial evidence findings) constitute a state-mandated local program subject to fiscal review.

Added 'park agency' as an eligible lead agency throughout the section (subsections (a), (b)(2)(A), (b)(2)(B), and (b)(2)(D)), expanding which public entities can use the CEQA exemption for nonmotorized recreation access.

Subsection (b)(2)(B) now requires the area to be owned or managed by a 'county park agency, a park district, or the Great Redwood Trail Agency' instead of just 'a park district or the Great Redwood Trail Agency,' broadening which entities can own or manage qualifying land.

Subsection (b)(2)(D) now requires consistency with a plan adopted by 'the county park agency, the park district or the Great Redwood Trail Agency' instead of just 'the park district or the Great Redwood Trail Agency.'

New Section 2 provides that no reimbursement is required under Article XIII B of the California Constitution because local agencies have authority to levy service charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to pay for the mandated program.

Digest now indicates 'Fiscal committee: yes' and 'State-mandated local program: yes' instead of 'no' for both, reflecting the new reimbursement provision and recognition that the bill imposes duties on local agencies.

Changed 'Office of Planning and Research' to 'Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation' in subsection (d), reflecting a state office rename.