Public Resources: sea level rise plans.

Assembly Member Pellerin's coastal resources legislation modifies California's sea level rise planning requirements by allowing state commissions to accept existing local plans and establishing a voluntary early consultation process for coastal communities. The measure affects local governments within the coastal zone or San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission jurisdiction, which must incorporate sea level rise plans into their local coastal programs by 2034.

The bill authorizes the California Coastal Commission and San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission to deem existing local sea level rise information or plans as meeting statutory requirements. These plans must address specific elements including current scientific data, vulnerability assessments for at-risk communities, adaptation strategies, implementation leadership, and update timelines. The legislation maintains existing requirements for economic impact analyses covering critical infrastructure costs and adaptation strategy implementation approaches.

A new early consultation framework encourages local governments to engage with the California Coastal Commission before 2029 while developing or amending their coastal programs. Under this voluntary process, municipalities submit draft plans and status reports, after which commission staff provide written recommendations about certification requirements through single or recurring meetings. The timeframe for feedback is determined by mutual agreement between local officials and commission staff.