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 specified pipeline projects from the above requirements. This bill would, until January 1, 2020, additionally exempt from CEQA a project for the construction and installation of a new pipeline or the maintenance, repair, restoration, reconditioning, relocation, replacement, removal, or demolition of an existing pipeline, not exceeding 8 miles in length, for the distribution of recycled water within a public street, highway, or right-of-way and would require the lead agency to undertake specified activities, including the filing of a notice of exemption for the project with the Office of Planning and Research and the office of the county clerk of each county in which the project is located. The bill would require the lead agency, before determining the applicability of the exemption, to hold a noticed public hearing to consider and adopt mitigation measures for potential traffic impacts of the project. Because the lead agency would be required to determine whether a project qualifies for that exemption, and undertake specified activities, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the county clerk to post the notice of exemption within 24 hours of receipt, thereby imposing 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.
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Existing law designates particular days each year as having special significance, and encourages all public schools and educational institutions to observe those days and to conduct suitable commemorative exercises on those days. This bill would express legislative findings and declarations relating to the Asian Lunar New Year. The bill would require the Governor, each year, to designate the date corresponding with the start of the Asian lunar calendar as Asian Lunar New Year's Day, a day having special significance. The bill would also encourage all public schools and educational institutions to conduct exercises observing the Asian Lunar New Year with appropriate activities and programs.
This act would declare June 10, 2016, as Portugal Day to celebrate Portuguese national heritage.
This measure would recognize May 24, 2016, as Slavic Heritage Day.
This measure would proclaim that Monday, January 18, 2016, be observed as the official memorial of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birth and his work in the Civil Rights Movement.
This measure would recognize May 2016 as Celiac Disease Awareness Month.
This measure would commend the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on the celebration of its 150th anniversary and for the myriad contributions it has made to the health and well-being of animals nationwide and would extend best wishes for continued success in the future.
This measure would proclaim April 27, 2016, as Don't Text and Drive Day, and would call upon individuals, government agencies, and schools, among others, to promote awareness of the problem of texting and driving and to support programs and policies that reduce the incidence of texting while driving in California and nationwide.