California Environmental Quality Act: judicial streamlining: state of emergency: wildfire.

Added web navigation elements including skip to content, home, accessibility, FAQ, feedback, sitemap, login, quick search fields, and version history links (09/12/25 Enrolled, 09/02/25 Amended Assembly, 07/09/25 Amended Assembly, 03/24/25 Amended Senate, 02/21/25 Introduced).

Added a Digest Key section showing Vote: MAJORITY, Appropriation: NO, Fiscal Committee: YES, Local Program: YES.

Removed printed document formatting including page numbers (94), chapter headers (Ch. 550), authentication markings (STATE OF CALIFORNIA AUTHENTICATED ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL), and column layout markers.

Removed the stray word 'Subject' from the opening of Section 21168.6.2(a), which read 'Subject On and after January 1, 2027' and now reads 'On and after January 1, 2027'.

Removed the stray word 'both' from Section 21168.6.2(a), which read 'both all of the following shall apply' and now reads 'all of the following shall apply'.

Corrected a duplicated word in the legislative counsel's digest: 'mitigation mitigated negative declaration' changed to 'mitigated negative declaration'.

Standard enrollment formatting applied: amendment dates and author lists replaced with Senate and Assembly passage dates (September 8-9, 2025), a Governor approval line was added, and page numbers were resequenced.

The section now only applies 'on and after January 1, 2027,' delaying its effective date by approximately two years from enactment.

The geographic scope was broadened: the old text required the area to be 'damaged by fire for which the Governor declared a state of emergency,' while the new text only requires that 'the Governor declared a state of emergency' in that area. The wildfire-damage requirement is still tied to the project itself (maintaining, repairing, restoring, demolishing, or replacing property damaged or destroyed by wildfire).

A new subdivision (a)(3) requires the applicant to agree to pay the costs of the trial court and court of appeal in hearing and deciding any action or proceeding brought under the section, including costs for appointment of a special master if deemed appropriate by the court. The form and manner of payment will be set by rules of court adopted by the Judicial Council.

New Section 21168.6.2 adds a judicial streamlining process specifically for CEQA litigation involving projects in geographic areas damaged by fire where the Governor declared a state of emergency on or after January 1, 2023.

The bill title was expanded to reference the addition of Section 21168.6.2 in addition to the amendment of Section 21069.

Courts must resolve actions to attack, review, set aside, void, or annul EIR certification, negative declarations, or project approvals within 270 calendar days of filing the certified record of proceedings, to the extent feasible, including any appeals to the court of appeal or Supreme Court.

The lead agency must prepare the record of proceedings concurrently with the administrative process, per the manner specified in Section 21167.6.2.

The streamlining only applies to projects that are consistent with applicable zoning and land use ordinances, and does not apply if the Governor rescinds the state of emergency declaration for that geographic area.

The Judicial Council is directed to adopt rules of court to implement the 270-day resolution requirement.

Section 21069 (responsible agency definition) had a typo corrected: 'which that has responsibility for carrying out out, permitting' was changed to 'that has responsibility for carrying out, permitting.'

The bill now only applies to projects that are specifically to maintain, repair, restore, demolish, or replace property or facilities damaged or destroyed by wildfire, rather than any project located in a fire-damaged geographic area. This is a major narrowing of applicability.

The entire amendment to Section 21069 of the Public Resources Code was removed. That provision would have expanded the definition of 'responsible agency' to include a public agency with responsibility for permitting a project (in addition to carrying out or approving one).

Assembly Members Bryan, Macedo, Pacheco, Sanchez, and Zbur were added as coauthors.