Rep. Alex Lee

Existing law prohibits a city, county, city and county, or public agency from approving or signing a deed, instrument, or other document related to a conveyance of land or issuing a permit for the building or reuse of existing buildings by any private corporation, contractor, or vendor to house or detain noncitizens for purposes of civil immigration proceedings, unless the city, county, city and county, or public agency has given notice to the public of the proposed conveyance or permitting action at least 180 days before execution of the conveyance or permit and solicited and heard public comments on the proposed conveyance or permit action in at least 2 separate meetings open to the public. This bill would revise and recast those provisions to prohibit a city, county, city and county, or public agency from approving or executing, among other documents, any document signifying the public entity's approval for the building or reuse of existing buildings by any private corporation, contractor, or vendor to house or detain a person for purposes of civil immigration custody before the public entity has given notice to the public of the proposed action 180 days before execution or approval of the proposed action, promptly provided access to any documents related to the proposed action, as provided, and solicited and heard public comments on the proposed action in at least 2 separate meetings open to the public. The bill would prescribe the contents, the posting and publication, and the broadcast of the public notice. The bill would also prescribe the conduct of the meetings. The bill would make these provisions apply to a charter city and independently to a public entity. 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 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. The Permit Streamlining Act sets forth various procedures for the review and approval of development project applications. Among other things, the act requires a public agency that is the lead agency or a responsible agency for a development project to approve or disapprove the project within a specified period of time, which varies depending on the project's phase in the CEQA process. The act defines "development project" to include specified housing development projects, as provided. This bill would additionally require approval or disapproval of a housing development project within 30 days from the date of certification by the lead agency of the EIR, if the EIR is prepared pursuant to specified provisions of CEQA if certain other conditions are met. The bill would also define "housing development project" for the purposes of the Permit Streamlining Act and make additional conforming changes. By imposing additional duties on local agencies, 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.

Existing law vests the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) with the exclusive jurisdiction to certify thermal powerplants with a generating capacity of 50 megawatts or more. Existing law prohibits the Energy Commission from certifying a nuclear fission thermal powerplant, except for specified powerplants, and provides that a nuclear fission thermal powerplant, except those specified powerplants, is not a permitted land use in California unless certain conditions are met regarding the existence of technology for the construction and operation of nuclear fuel rod processing plants and of demonstrated technology or means for the disposal of high-level nuclear waste, as specified. Existing law, the 100 Percent Clean Energy Act of 2018, declares that it is the policy of the state to achieve 100% zero-carbon electricity by 2045. This bill would require the Energy Commission, on or before January 1, 2028, to prepare, as provided, a comprehensive assessment of the potential role for advanced nuclear technologies in supporting critical infrastructure in California, and of the potential for new, in-state nuclear powerplants to cost-effectively meet statewide needs for new electricity resources, and to meet the expressed policy of the state described above. The bill would authorize the Energy Commission to update the assessment as appropriate. The bill would authorize the Energy Commission, the Public Utilities Commission, the Independent System Operator, and other public agencies to evaluate the potential of nuclear energy to meet long-term resource needs.

Maddy summaryCalifornia Assembly Resolution 140 designates August 2026 as Children's Get Offline and Get Outdoors Month to promote awareness of the benefits of screen-free play for child development. The resolution cites research linking excessive social media use and reduced free play time to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and other behavioral issues among teenagers. It encourages families and communities to support unstructured outdoor activities and highlights ongoing federal efforts to protect children's mental health through technology guardrails.

This measure would memorialize the Legislature's strong disagreement with the decision of the United States Supreme Court in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and encourage states to adopt policies to limit the powers of corporations to contribute to political campaigns, consistent with the United States Constitution.

Existing law prohibits the maximum gross weight on any one axle of a bus from exceeding 20,500 pounds, except the maximum limit for the curb weight on any one axle of a transit bus procured through a solicitation process pursuant to which a solicitation was issued on or after January 1, 2019, is set at 22,000 pounds. Existing law, notwithstanding the previous provisions, sets specified higher maximum limits up to 25,000 pounds for the curb weight on any one axle of an articulated transit bus or zero-emission transit bus procured through a solicitation process pursuant to which a solicitation was issued during specified periods between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2021, inclusive, and sets the 22,000-pound maximum limit for an articulated transit bus or zero-emission transit bus procured through a solicitation process pursuant to which a solicitation was issued on or after January 1, 2022. A violation of this provision is a crime. This bill would, until January 1, 2032, establish specified higher weight limitations up to 25,000 pounds for zero-emission transit buses procured through a solicitation process pursuant to which a solicitation was issued at various specified periods between January 1, 2027, and December 31, 2031 inclusive.

Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services, subject to an appropriation, to provide grants to qualified nonprofit organizations through contracts, in order to provide certain immigration-related legal services to persons residing in, or formerly residing in, the state. Under existing law, those grants are aimed at obtaining certain immigration remedies and benefits, assisting with the naturalization process and an appeal arising from the process, or providing legal training and technical assistance. This bill would establish the Immigration Legal Fellowship Project within the department for the purpose of expanding access to high-quality immigration legal services by supporting legal fellowships for qualified individuals who provide immigration legal services under the grant programs described above. The bill would require the department to award grants or enter into contracts with nonprofit entities to operate legal fellowships that include specified components, including, among other things, the recruitment, placement, coordination, and hosting of legal fellows. The bill would authorize the department to establish eligibility criteria, application requirements, and funding priorities for the program. The bill would require the department to include specified information relating to the use of funds appropriated for the purposes of the project in reports and updates provided to the Legislature regarding other immigration-related programs. The bill would provide that the implementation of these provisions is contingent on an appropriation for these purposes.

This measure would urge President Donald J. Trump to avoid raising the cost of living for American consumers by rescinding the tariffs that he has imposed since taking office in January 2025 and refunding the American people for the costs passed on to them by his tariffs. The measure would also urge the United States Congress to enact a joint resolution to rescind President Trump's tariffs and to oppose all future unilateral and arbitrary tariff increases imposed by President Trump.

Maddy summaryCalifornia Assembly Resolution 137 formally recognizes the Diwali festival scheduled for November 8, 2026, and encourages state residents to participate in the celebration. The resolution highlights the cultural significance of the holiday for Indian Americans and South Asian communities, noting its themes of unity, joy, and the triumph of light over darkness. It also acknowledges that California previously designated Diwali as an official state holiday in 2025. This measure serves as a commemorative statement rather than a law with new regulatory or financial provisions.

This measure would declare the Legislature's opposition to any federal executive action that restricts, burdens, or interferes with California's vote by mail system and would call upon the United States Congress to reject any federal legislation that would restrict or eliminate vote by mail options and to protect the constitutional authority of states to administer their own elections.