Issue · Environment

Environment

Every environment bill, vote, and legislator stance in California, automatically classified by Maddy, our AI policy reader.

Total bills
86
2025-2026 Regular Session
Top supporter
Diane Papan
98% support rate
Top opponent
Natasha Johnson
4% support rate
Ranked legislators
10
5 support · 5 oppose
Key legislators

Who's moving environment in California

Legislators moving environment in California
Legislator Party Stance Support rate Decisive votes
Diane Papan
Diane Papan House · District 21
D
Strong +
98% 100
Lisa Calderon
Lisa Calderon House · District 56
D
Strong +
96% 108
Patrick Ahrens
Patrick Ahrens House · District 26
D
Strong +
96% 74
Joaquin Arambula
Joaquin Arambula House · District 31
D
Strong +
96% 93
Lori Wilson
Lori Wilson House · District 11
D
Strong +
96% 69
Natasha Johnson
Natasha Johnson House · District 63
R
Strong −
4% 53
David Tangipa
David Tangipa House · District 8
R
Strong −
5% 117
Carl DeMaio
Carl DeMaio House · District 75
R
Strong −
6% 68
Kate Sanchez
Kate Sanchez House · District 71
R
Strong −
6% 78
Roger Niello
Roger Niello Senate · District 6
R
Strong −
6% 77
Showing 11–20 of 86 bills

All environment bills

passed · California · Assembly Aug 28, 2026

AB 193: Public resources: Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: programs.

The provided context does not include sufficient details about AB 193's specific provisions, mechanisms, or policy changes. The official abstract only states the bill expresses legislative intent to enact statutory changes related to a "Budget Act of 2025," without describing what those changes are. No concrete policy effects, affected parties, or key mechanisms are specified in the given information. A factual summary cannot be created without additional details about the bill's content.
passed both · California · Senate Aug 28, 2026

SB 675: Imperial County Air Pollution Control District: members and duties.

Existing law provides for the establishment of air pollution control districts and air quality management districts and prescribes the membership of the governing boards of air pollution control districts and air quality management districts. Those governing boards comprise combinations of mayors, city council members, and county supervisors, selected as prescribed, except for the governing board of the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, which has a differently prescribed membership and certain specified duties. This bill would, as of July 1, 2027, prescribe the membership of the governing board of the Imperial County Air Pollution Control District (air district) and prescribe many of those same duties as are required for the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District. In particular, the bill would require the air district to appoint a specified liaison to consult with the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps, as specified, and create and maintain an internet website providing access to specified information, including, among other information, the agendas and minutes of the governing board of the air district and all current and pending permit information and settled enforcement actions. The bill would require the district, in establishing the internet website, to establish a process for permitholders that have sensitive operations to request that physical identifying information be redacted from the publicly posted information. The bill would require that air monitoring data be made available to the public on the internet website within a reasonable period of time, as specified, and would require the governing board of the district to establish an air monitoring data program, as provided. The bill would require the air district, by January 1, 2029, to post all applications for an authority to construct or permit to operate. By requiring local governments to appoint members to the air district governing board in a specified manner and by adding to the duties of the air district, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would specify the continuing funding sources for the air district. This bill would make certain provisions inoperative on July 1, 2027, and would repeal these provisions as of January 1, 2028. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Imperial County Air Pollution Control District. The California Constitution requires local agencies, for the purpose of ensuring public access to the meetings of public bodies and the writings of public officials and agencies, to comply with a statutory enactment that amends or enacts laws relating to public records or open meetings and contains findings demonstrating that the enactment furthers the constitutional requirements relating to this purpose. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. 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, with regard to certain mandates, no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
passed both · California · Senate Aug 28, 2026

SB 526: Health facilities: clinics.

Existing law requires the State Department of Public Health to license and regulate clinics, as defined. A violation of these provisions is a crime. Existing law requires any person, firm, association, partnership, or corporation desiring a license for a clinic to file with the department a verified application containing, among other things, the name and address of the clinic and the class of clinic to be operated. Existing law authorizes a clinic corporation, on behalf of a primary care clinic that has held a valid, unrevoked, and unsuspended license for at least the immediately preceding 5 years, with no demonstrated history of repeated or uncorrected violations of specified provisions that pose immediate jeopardy to a patient, and that has no pending action to suspend or revoke its license, to file an affiliate clinic application to establish a primary care clinic at an additional site or a mobile health care unit, which are referred to as affiliate clinics. Existing law requires the department, upon receipt of the completed affiliate clinic application, to approve the license for the affiliate clinic, without the necessity of first conducting an initial onsite survey if specified conditions are met, including, among other things, the clinic corporation that operates the existing licensed primary care clinic has submitted a completed affiliate clinic application and the associated application fee. Existing law refers to the existing licensed primary care clinic as the parent clinic. Existing law requires the department to issue a clinic license within 30 days of receipt of a completed affiliate clinic application. This bill would authorize a clinic corporation on behalf of at least one primary care clinic to file an affiliate clinic application pursuant to the above-described provisions for any of its primary care clinic locations to establish a new affiliate clinic. The bill would additionally require the affiliate clinic application to be signed by an officer of the clinic corporation's board of directors or the clinic corporation's chief executive officer or executive director. The bill would require the department to approve a license for the affiliate clinic if the conditions described above are met and the parent clinic is not itself an affiliate clinic. This bill would authorize a primary care clinic that has held a valid, unrevoked, and unsuspended license for at least the immediately preceding five years, with no demonstrated history of repeated or uncorrected violations of specified provisions that pose immediate jeopardy to a patient, and that has no pending action to suspend or revoke its license, to apply to the department for a change of location using the affiliate clinic application mentioned above. The bill would authorize the department to approve the application and issue an updated license, consistent with the timeline mentioned above, without the necessity of first conducting an onsite survey. Existing law requires the department to maintain a complete corporate file containing information about each clinic corporation operating one or more affiliate clinics, including, among other things, a copy of the clinic corporation's articles of incorporation and bylaws. Existing law prohibits a clinic corporation from being required to resubmit specified information as part of an affiliate clinic application, unless the information, materials, or documents are necessary to complete the corporate file. This bill would require a clinic corporation, before the closure of a parent clinic, to submit a request to the department to establish another primary care clinic as the parent clinic. The bill would prohibit the department from requiring the clinic corporation to resubmit specified information or materials unless there are any changes to the information in the corporate file maintained by the department. The bill would require the department to approve the request consistent with the timeline mentioned above provided the new parent clinic meets all of the requirements for a parent clinic, as mentioned above. This bill would require any changes to the information provided to the department for a clinic to be filed on forms established and furnished by the department. Because this bill would change the scope of a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.
passed both · California · Assembly Aug 28, 2026

AB 40: California Environmental Quality Act: environmental impact reports: coal handling, storage, and export.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report (EIR) on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA provides that when an EIR has been prepared for a project, no subsequent or supplemental EIR shall be required by a lead agency or responsible agency, unless specified events occur. This bill would require a lead agency, before issuing the initial discretionary approval for a large-volume bulk coal facility, defined as a facility with a design capacity exceeding 5,000,000 short tons per year of coal handling, storage, or export to prepare or cause to be prepared an EIR. The bill would prohibit a lead agency, air pollution control district, or air quality management district from relying on an existing EIR to issue a discretionary approval for, or to, a large-volume bulk coal facility, and would require a subsequent or new EIR to be prepared, if any of a list of specified conditions are met, including that there is an increase in design capacity of a project that did not previously meet the definition of a large-volume bulk coal facility, as provided; there is a change in the type of coal handled, stored, or exported, or the EIR did not explicitly address the type of coal handled, stored, or exported; or there is a significant increase in the quantity of coal handled, stored, or exported, or the EIR did not explicitly disclose the quantity of coal to be handled, stored, or exported. The bill would require an EIR or subsequent EIR prepared pursuant to these provisions to, among other things, evaluate the large-volume bulk coal facility's potential to generate PM2.5 and PM10 fugitive dust emissions during construction and operations, and to require mitigation measures, as provided. The bill would apply these provisions to a discretionary approval that is pending or made after June 4, 2026, as specified. Because the bill would create new duties for a lead agency, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.
passed both · California · Assembly Aug 28, 2026

AB 1156: Williamson Act contracts: cancellation fees: photovoltaic solar facilities.

The California Land Conservation Act of 1965 (act) , otherwise known as the Williamson Act, authorizes a city or county to contract with a landowner to limit the use of agricultural land to agricultural use if the land is located in an agricultural preserve designated by the city or county, as specified. Existing law authorizes the county or city to cancel a contract under certain circumstances and conditions. Existing law requires the city or county to determine the amount of the cancellation fee, based on the assessor's determination of the fair market value of the land as though it were free of the contractual restriction, that the landowner shall pay if the city and county approves a cancellation of a contract, as specified. Existing law authorizes the city or county to waive the payment or extend the time for making payment if the cancellation is caused by an involuntary transfer or change in the use which may be made of land, the county or city has determined that it is in the best interest of the program to conserve agricultural land use that the payment be either deferred or not required, and the extension is approved by the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, as provided. This bill would remove the ability of a city or county to waive payment or extend the time for making payment, as described above. The bill would instead authorize the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, upon application by the landowner, to waive payment or extend the time for making payment, as described above, if either the cancellation is caused by an involuntary transfer or change in the use which may be made of the land, as described above, or the cancellation is to facilitate a photovoltaic solar facility that meets specified conditions. The bill, until January 1, 2037, would require the secretary to approve a completed application for extension of making the payment by a landowner if it includes certain items, as provided, and would require the secretary to waive payment if the landowner attests and provides proof to the secretary that a solar project has been constructed on the property. The act deems a contract null and void upon acquisition of the land subject to the contract in an eminent domain action or upon acquisition of land in lieu of eminent domain, as provided. The Jobs and Economic Improvement Through Environmental Leadership Act of 2021 authorizes the Governor, until January 1, 2032, to certify, among other projects, a clean renewable energy project that generates electricity exclusively through wind or solar, as specified, for certain streamlining benefits. This bill would additionally deem a contract null and void when that land is approved for use as a photovoltaic solar facility certified under the Jobs and Economic Improvement Through Environmental Leadership Act of 2021, as provided.
passed both · California · Assembly Aug 27, 2026

AB 2635: Air pollution: small off-road engines: voucher programs: local regulation.

Existing law requires the State Air Resources Board, by July 1, 2022, consistent with federal law, to adopt cost-effective and technologically feasible regulations to prohibit engine exhaust and evaporative emissions from new small off-road engines, as defined by the state board. Existing law requires those regulations to apply to engines produced on or after January 1, 2024, or as soon as the state board determines is feasible, whichever is later, and requires the state board to identify, and, to the extent feasible, make available, funding for commercial rebates or similar incentive funding, as specified. This bill would require, to the extent that funding is appropriated by the Legislature, each large and medium air pollution control and air quality management district, no later than January 1, 2028, to implement and maintain a commercial voucher program to support the transition to zero-emission small off-road equipment consistent with specified requirements. By requiring districts to establish a new program, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also require a small rural district or local government that chooses to adopt such a program to comply with specified requirements in administering the program. This bill would prohibit the punishment of a violation of an ordinance adopted by a local government governing the use of any small off-road engine landscaping equipment as an infraction or misdemeanor, and would provide that the ordinance is only punishable by an administrative fine imposed in accordance with specified requirements. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
passed both · California · Assembly Aug 27, 2026

AB 2494: State forests: forest management.

(1) Existing law authorizes the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to engage in management of state forests and defines "management" for purposes of the state forests as a means of handling forest crop and forest soil to achieve maximum sustained production of high-quality forest products while giving consideration to values relating to, among other values, recreation, watershed, and wildlife, as provided. This bill would redefine "management" for purposes of state forests as the handling of forest vegetation, water, and soils within the demonstration state forest system for public benefits, as described to include, among other things, watershed health and wildfire resilience. (2) Existing law declares it is in the interest of the welfare of the people of the state and their industries and other activities involving the use of wood, lumber, poles, piling, wood pulp, and other forest products that desirable cutover forest lands be made fully productive and that the holding and reforestation of such lands is a necessary measure predicated on waning supplies of original old growth timber, as provided. Existing law further declares it is in the interest of the welfare of the people of the state that the state retain the existing land base of state forests in timber production for research and demonstration. Existing law requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, in consultation with the Secretary for Environmental Protection, to, on or before January 10 of each year, submit to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee a report on the activities of all state departments, agencies, and boards relating to forest and timberland regulation. Existing law requires this report to include, among other things, the number of timber harvest plans reviewed in the most recent fiscal year, as specified, and the average time for plan review. This bill would repeal these provisions and instead declare, among other things, that the purpose of the demonstration state forest system is to acquire lands, the reforestation or restoration of which is not assured under private ownership, to achieve the public benefits as described in paragraph (1) through means that include, but are not limited to, multibenefit forest management. The bill would authorize the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to enter into, and would require the secretary to make good faith efforts to collaboratively develop, comanagement agreements with California Native American tribes, as defined, to incorporate local traditional ecological knowledge and local indigenous knowledge into the management direction of a forest in the demonstration state forest system, as provided. The bill would require the annual report submitted to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee to also include the number of timber harvest plans approved in the most recent fiscal year and the median time for plan review and would make other nonsubstantive changes relating to the report. The bill would require research to be allowed on land in the demonstration state forest system that informs forest management strategies, science-based decisionmaking, biodiversity, durable onsite carbon storage or sequestration, habitat, water and soil quality, watershed health, tribal stewardship, or other goals that further healthy and resilient ecosystems. The bill would authorize timber harvesting within the demonstration state forest system if in furtherance of specified objectives. (3) Existing law requires the management of state forests and the cutting and sale of timber and other forest products from state forests to conform with regulations prepared by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection and approved by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. Existing law requires the regulations to conform with forest management practices designed to achieve maximum sustained production of high-quality forest products while giving consideration to values relating to, among other values, recreation, watershed, and wildlife, as specified. Existing law authorizes state forest lands to be used for grazing and mining purposes pursuant to regulations established by the board. Under existing law, a person who violates the rules and regulations pertaining to the state forests established by the board is guilty of a misdemeanor. The bill would instead require the management of demonstration state forests and the cutting and sale of timber and other forest products from demonstration state forests to conform with regulations prepared by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection and approved by the board. The bill would repeal the authorization for state forest lands to be used for mining purposes, except as provided. The bill would require the regulations permitting prescribed herbivory, recreation concession, and surface mining for forest-related work and restoration purposes, including, but not limited to, the construction of watercourse crossings, on state forest lands to be updated to reflect the redefinition of management. Because a violation of these regulations would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires the department to prepare a map and data relating to the forest conditions, as provided. Existing law requires the department, in preparing the map and data, to be guided by a specified report. This bill would require the department to be guided by consultation with the board instead of by the specified report. Existing law declares that it is the policy of the state to establish and preserve an intensively managed, multifaceted research forest, known as the Soquel Demonstration State Forest, which is representative of forest activities as a living forest in the County of Santa Cruz, as provided. Existing law establishes the Legislature's intent relating to the demonstration state forest. Existing law requires that income from the demonstration state forest property sustain all costs of operation and provide income for research and educational purposes. Existing law requires the department to adopt a general plan for the demonstration state forest, as provided. This bill would instead declare that it is the policy of the state to establish and conserve the Soquel Demonstration State Forest and would revise the Legislature's intent relating to the demonstration state forest, as provided. The bill would require that income from the demonstration state forest property to additionally provide income for recreation. The bill would require the board, instead of the department, to adopt a forest management plan for the demonstration state forest, as specified. (4) Existing law authorizes the department to collect recreational user fees for overnight camping and reserved group activities in a demonstration state forest. Existing law prohibits the department from charging a fee that exceeds the amount necessary to reimburse the department's costs for maintenance and improvement of campground facilities, associated recreational facilities, natural environment, and access thereto. Existing law requires all user fees collected by the department to be deposited into the Forest Resources Improvement Fund and requires the fees to be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to reimburse the department's cost of maintaining and improving the campground facilities, associated recreational facilities, natural environment, and access thereto. Under existing law, the Forest Resources Improvement Fund is the depository for all revenue derived from the receipts from the sale of forest products, as defined, from state forests to support specified operations. Existing law authorizes money in the Forest Resource Improvement Fund to only be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the cost of operations associated with management of lands held in trust by the state and operated as demonstration state forests, as specified. This bill would repeal the prohibition on the department regarding charging a fee that exceeds the amount necessary to reimburse the department's costs for maintenance and improvement, as provided. The bill would require any other funds generated by a demonstration state forest to be deposited into the Forest Resources Improvement Fund. (5) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Sections 4629.6 and 4629.8 of the Public Resources Code proposed by AB 706 to be operative only if this bill and AB 706 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (6) 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.
signed · California · Senate Aug 27, 2026

SB 1008: California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: railroad grade crossing closure.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA exempts certain projects from its requirements and authorizes a lead agency, if it determines a certain project is exempt from CEQA, to file a notice of exemption, as provided. This bill would exempt from CEQA the closure of a railroad grade crossing by order of the Public Utilities Commission if the commission finds the crossing to present a threat to public safety. The bill would provide that the exemption is inapplicable to any crossing for high-speed rail or any crossing for a project carried out by the High-Speed Rail Authority. The bill would require the lead agency to file the notice of exemption with specified public entities, as provided. Because the bill would impose additional duties on a lead agency with regard to the filing of the notice of exemption, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.
passed · California · Assembly Aug 27, 2026

AB 2322: Water discharge: commercial, industrial, or institutional sites.

Under existing law, the State Water Resources Control Board and the 9 California regional water quality control boards prescribe waste discharge requirements for the discharge of stormwater by municipalities and industries in accordance with the federal national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit program, established by the federal Clean Water Act and the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act. Under existing law, the state board and the 9 regional water quality control boards issue permits for the discharge of stormwater from municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) . For purposes of issuing permits for the discharge of stormwater from MS4s, this bill define "commercial, industrial, or institutional site" or "CII site" as a privately owned parcel or contiguous parcels of land that are commercial, industrial, or institutional based on the appropriate county tax assessor land use codes, as specified.
passed · California · Senate Aug 27, 2026

SB 887: California Environmental Quality Act: environmental leadership development projects: data centers: geothermal powerplant projects.

(1) The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA requires the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation to prepare and propose guidelines for the implementation of CEQA by public agencies and requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to certify and adopt the guidelines. CEQA requires the guidelines to include a list of classes of projects that have been determined not to have a significant effect on the environment and that are exempt from CEQA, commonly known as categorical exemptions. This bill would define "data center" for the purposes of CEQA and prohibit the application of categorical exemption to a project for the development and operation of a data center, as specified. By increasing the duties of a lead agency in relation to the environmental review of a data center project, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) The Jobs and Economic Improvement Through Environmental Leadership Act of 2021 authorizes the Governor, until January 1, 2032, to certify environmental leadership development projects that meet specified requirements for certain streamlining benefits related to CEQA. The act, among other things, requires a lead agency to prepare the record of proceedings for an environmental leadership development project concurrent with the administrative process and to provide a specified notice within 10 days of the Governor certifying the project. The act specifies the process for the quantification and mitigation of impacts from emissions of greenhouse gases of certain environmental leadership projects, as provided. The act is repealed by its own terms on January 1, 2034. This bill would authorize the Governor to certify a data center project that is certified by the lead agency to meet specified conditions as an environmental leadership development project. The bill would require the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission and other state agencies, as necessary, to develop uniform statewide standards for satisfying those conditions for data centers, as specified. The bill would also authorize the Governor to certify a geothermal powerplant that is certified by the lead agency to meet certain criteria as an environmental leadership development project. The bill would require the quantification and mitigation of impacts for emissions of greenhouse gases of a data center project and geothermal powerplant projects to be determined in the same manner as for those certain environmental leadership projects. By increasing the duties of a lead agency, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) 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.
Showing 11 to 20 of 86 bills
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