AB 531 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Geothermal powerplants and projects: certification and environmental review.

Summary

Existing law establishes and vests in the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) various responsibilities with respect to developing and implementing the state's energy policies. Existing law authorizes persons proposing specified electrical generation, electrical transmission, hydrogen production, and energy storage projects to apply, on or before June 30, 2029, to the Energy Commission to certify sites and related facilities as environmental leadership development projects, as specified. Existing law makes a site and related facility certified by the Energy Commission subject to streamlining benefits related to CEQA with no further action by the applicant or the Governor. Under existing law, the Energy Commission's certification is in lieu of any permit, certificate, or similar document required by any governmental agency and supersedes any applicable statute, ordinance, or regulation, except as specified. This bill would expand the types of facilities eligible to be certified as environmental leadership development projects by the Energy Commission to include geothermal powerplants and projects that comprise multiple geothermal powerplants on a single site. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 25545 of the Public Resources Code proposed by SB 254 to be operative only if this bill and SB 254 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

Issues: ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Aug 2025

Assembly Passage

Jun 2025

Senate Passage

Sep 2025

Signed into Law

Oct 2025

Introduced Feb 11, 2025 Signed Oct 6, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

09/05/25 - Amended Senate → 09/16/25 - Enrolled · 3 edits · Sep 16, 2025

MINOR

The enrolled version of AB 531 finalizes two substantive changes that were already proposed in the prior amended-in-senate version: it lowers the capital investment threshold for eligible discretionary manufacturing projects from $250 million to $100 million (in Section 1.5, which coordinates with SB 254), and removes a conditional reference to voter approval of the 2024 bond act from the hydrogen funding source description. The remaining changes are formatting updates consistent with the bill's transition to enrolled status.

ELIGIBILITY

In Section 1.5 (the version operative if SB 254 is enacted first), the minimum capital investment for eligible discretionary manufacturing projects was reduced from $250 million to $100 million over five years, broadening which energy manufacturing facilities can qualify for streamlined environmental review.

TECHNICAL

In Section 1.5 paragraph (6)(B), the parenthetical reference to Senate Bill 867 and the November 5, 2024 statewide general election was removed from the description of the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024, simplifying the language now that the bond has been enacted.

The coauthor credit for Assembly Member Papan was removed in the enrolled version, and the legislative counsel's digest no longer includes the phrase 'as amended.'

07/07/25 - Amended Senate → 09/05/25 - Amended Senate · 5 edits · Sep 5, 2025

MODERATE

The September 5 amendment to AB 531 simplifies the geothermal eligibility definition by removing a cross-reference to the Government Code, and adds a new conditional section (Section 1.5) that would lower the capital investment threshold for discretionary projects from $250 million to $100 million and expand eligible manufacturing to include wind systems. This conditional section only takes effect if both AB 531 and SB 254 are enacted, with AB 531 enacted last, creating a coordination mechanism between the two bills.

DEFINITION

The geothermal eligibility definition in Section 25545(b)(7) was changed from 'a geothermal powerplant or a geothermal field development project, as defined in Section 65928.5 of the Government Code' to 'a geothermal powerplant or a project that comprises multiple geothermal powerplants on a single site,' removing the cross-reference and using a self-contained definition.

ELIGIBILITY

New Section 1.5 adds a conditional version of Section 25545 that lowers the capital investment threshold for discretionary projects from $250,000,000 to $100,000,000 over five years, making more manufacturing and assembly projects eligible for streamlined certification.

SCOPE

New Section 1.5 expands the types of eligible discretionary project manufacturing to include 'wind system or component manufacturing' alongside the existing energy storage and solar photovoltaic categories.

TECHNICAL

New Section 2 establishes a coordination mechanism: Section 1.5 only becomes operative if both AB 531 and SB 254 are enacted by January 1, 2026, both amend Section 25545, and AB 531 is enacted after SB 254. If those conditions are met, Section 1.5 replaces Section 1.

The hydrogen bond act reference in paragraph (b)(6)(B) was updated to add a note that the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 must be approved by voters at the November 5, 2024 election.

Floor votes · Senate Sep 11, 2025 · Assembly Jun 2, 2025

How they voted

37–1

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 40

Sep 11, 2025

D Democratic30

30 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican10

7 Yea 1 Nay 2

70% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Oct 6, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by the Governor.

legislature

Sep 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 69. Noes 4. Page 3433.).

lower

Sep 12, 2025

Introduced

In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

lower

Sep 11, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 37. Noes 1. Page 2888.).

upper

Sep 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

upper

Aug 29, 2025

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (August 29).

upper

Aug 18, 2025

Committee

In committee: Referred to suspense file.

upper

Jul 16, 2025

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (July 16). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Jul 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E.Q.

upper

Jul 3, 2025

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on E.Q. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (July 1).

upper

Jun 11, 2025

Committee

Referred to Coms. on E., U & C. and E.Q.

upper

Jun 2, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 1835.)

lower

May 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (May 23).

lower

May 14, 2025

Committee

In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.

lower

Apr 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 18. Noes 0.) (April 2). Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

lower

Mar 3, 2025

Committee

Referred to Coms. on U. & E. and NAT. RES.

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 14.

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor