veeto
Home
Bills
Influence
Feedback
hamburger
    Privacy Policy
    © 2025 Veeto. All rights reserved.
    SB-231
    Energy & Environment

    California Environmental Quality Act: the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation: technical advisory.

    Introduced
    CA
    ∙
    2025-2026 Regular Session
    0
    0
    Track
    Track

    Key Takeaways

    • Requires development of state guidelines for measuring greenhouse gas and noise pollution impacts by July 2027.
    • Establishes optional thresholds for local agencies to evaluate environmental impacts in urban and rural areas.
    • Mandates consideration of disadvantaged communities when setting environmental impact standards.
    • Requires public posting of environmental guidelines on the state website.

    Summary

    Senator Seyarto's environmental quality legislation directs California's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation to develop standardized thresholds for assessing greenhouse gas and noise pollution impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The office must consult with regional, local, state, and federal agencies to create these technical guidelines by July 1, 2027.

    The technical advisory will establish suggested significance thresholds tailored to different areas across California, accounting for factors such as urban versus rural settings, air district boundaries, and designated disadvantaged communities identified through CalEnviroScreen. The guidelines will incorporate existing environmental frameworks, including the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 and the California Noise Control Act of 1973. Once developed, lead agencies conducting environmental reviews may choose to adopt these thresholds when evaluating project impacts.

    Under current CEQA requirements, lead agencies must assess whether projects may cause significant environmental effects through environmental impact reports, negative declarations, or mitigated negative declarations. The Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, which serves as the state's comprehensive planning agency, will post the completed technical advisory on its website to provide public access to these new evaluation guidelines.

    Key Dates

    Next Step
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Next Step
    Senate Committee
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Hearing has not been scheduled yet
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Environmental Quality Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Environmental Quality Hearing
    Senate Environmental Quality Hearing
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
    Senate Floor
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

    Contacts

    Profile
    Anna CaballeroD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Roger NielloR
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Tom LackeyR
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Steven ChoiR
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Phillip ChenR
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 14 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 3
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Anna CaballeroD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Roger NielloR
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Tom LackeyR
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Steven ChoiR
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Phillip ChenR
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Tim GraysonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Megan DahleR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Kelly SeyartoR
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Rosilicie Ochoa BoghR
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Juan AlanisR
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Aisha WahabD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Christopher CabaldonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Laura RichardsonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Suzette ValladaresR
    Senator
    Bill Author

    Get Involved

    Act Now!

    Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

    Introduced By

    Kelly Seyarto
    Kelly SeyartoR
    California State Senator
    Co-Authors
    Juan Alanis
    Juan AlanisR
    California State Assembly Member
    Phillip Chen
    Phillip ChenR
    California State Assembly Member
    Steven Choi
    Steven ChoiR
    California State Senator
    Tom Lackey
    Tom LackeyR
    California State Assembly Member
    Roger Niello
    Roger NielloR
    California State Senator
    Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh
    Rosilicie Ochoa BoghR
    California State Senator
    Suzette Valladares
    Suzette ValladaresR
    California State Senator
    10% progression
    Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (1/28/2025)

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    April 7, 2025
    PASS
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    7007PASS

    Key Takeaways

    • Requires development of state guidelines for measuring greenhouse gas and noise pollution impacts by July 2027.
    • Establishes optional thresholds for local agencies to evaluate environmental impacts in urban and rural areas.
    • Mandates consideration of disadvantaged communities when setting environmental impact standards.
    • Requires public posting of environmental guidelines on the state website.

    Get Involved

    Act Now!

    Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

    Introduced By

    Kelly Seyarto
    Kelly SeyartoR
    California State Senator
    Co-Authors
    Juan Alanis
    Juan AlanisR
    California State Assembly Member
    Phillip Chen
    Phillip ChenR
    California State Assembly Member
    Steven Choi
    Steven ChoiR
    California State Senator
    Tom Lackey
    Tom LackeyR
    California State Assembly Member
    Roger Niello
    Roger NielloR
    California State Senator
    Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh
    Rosilicie Ochoa BoghR
    California State Senator
    Suzette Valladares
    Suzette ValladaresR
    California State Senator

    Summary

    Senator Seyarto's environmental quality legislation directs California's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation to develop standardized thresholds for assessing greenhouse gas and noise pollution impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The office must consult with regional, local, state, and federal agencies to create these technical guidelines by July 1, 2027.

    The technical advisory will establish suggested significance thresholds tailored to different areas across California, accounting for factors such as urban versus rural settings, air district boundaries, and designated disadvantaged communities identified through CalEnviroScreen. The guidelines will incorporate existing environmental frameworks, including the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 and the California Noise Control Act of 1973. Once developed, lead agencies conducting environmental reviews may choose to adopt these thresholds when evaluating project impacts.

    Under current CEQA requirements, lead agencies must assess whether projects may cause significant environmental effects through environmental impact reports, negative declarations, or mitigated negative declarations. The Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, which serves as the state's comprehensive planning agency, will post the completed technical advisory on its website to provide public access to these new evaluation guidelines.

    10% progression
    Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (1/28/2025)

    Key Dates

    Next Step
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Next Step
    Senate Committee
    Referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations
    Hearing has not been scheduled yet
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    Senate Environmental Quality Hearing
    Senate Committee
    Senate Environmental Quality Hearing
    Senate Environmental Quality Hearing
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
    Senate Floor
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

    Latest Voting History

    View History
    April 7, 2025
    PASS
    Senate Committee
    Senate Appropriations Hearing
    AyesNoesNVRTotalResult
    7007PASS

    Contacts

    Profile
    Anna CaballeroD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Roger NielloR
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Tom LackeyR
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Steven ChoiR
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    Profile
    Phillip ChenR
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Not Contacted
    Not Contacted
    0 of 14 row(s) selected.
    Page 1 of 3
    Select All Legislators
    Profile
    Anna CaballeroD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Roger NielloR
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Tom LackeyR
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Steven ChoiR
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Phillip ChenR
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Tim GraysonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Megan DahleR
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Kelly SeyartoR
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Rosilicie Ochoa BoghR
    Senator
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Juan AlanisR
    Assemblymember
    Bill Author
    Profile
    Aisha WahabD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Christopher CabaldonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Laura RichardsonD
    Senator
    Committee Member
    Profile
    Suzette ValladaresR
    Senator
    Bill Author