California Environmental Quality Act: administrative and judicial streamlining benefits: hospital: City of Emeryville.

Senator Arreguín's proposal to streamline environmental review for a new Emeryville hospital campus aims to maintain healthcare access in the San Francisco East Bay following planned closures of existing facilities. The bill establishes an expedited California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process for hospital construction projects meeting specific investment, environmental, and labor requirements.

To qualify for streamlined review, projects must invest at least $1 billion in California, achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions with 50% of reductions from local measures, and reduce per capita vehicle miles traveled by 15%. The project applicant must enter a community benefits agreement mandating electric buildings, carbon-free energy sources, and free zero-emission vehicle charging stations. All new construction must obtain LEED gold certification.

The bill requires the project to create 500 construction jobs paying prevailing wages and employing a skilled workforce. The Attorney General must conduct a health impact review, and any environmental impacts affecting disadvantaged communities must be mitigated directly in those areas. The Judicial Council must establish procedures to resolve legal challenges within 365 days, with project applicants responsible for associated court costs and record preparation.

The City of Emeryville will serve as lead agency, certifying projects that meet these criteria and managing administrative records. All environmental documents must be posted online for public access, with specific timelines for processing non-electronic submissions. The bill authorizes the city to levy fees to cover implementation costs without state reimbursement.