Alex Lee
- Democratic
- Assemblymember
- District 24
Author
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, until January 1, 2030, exempts from its requirements certain transportation-related projects if specified requirements are met, including that a local agency, as defined, is carrying out the project and that the project will be completed by a skilled and trained workforce, as provided. CEQA includes within these exempt transportation-related projects a public project for the institution or increase of bus rapid transit, bus, or light rail service, which will be exclusively used by low-emission or zero-emission vehicles, on existing public rights-of-way or existing highway rights-of-way. Existing law requires the lead agency, if it determines that a transportation-related project is exempt from CEQA and determines to carry out the project, to file a notice of exemption with the Office of Planning and Research and the county clerk in which the project is located. This bill would expand that exemption from CEQA to include a public project for the institution or increase of other passenger rail service, which will be exclusively used by zero-emission trains, located entirely within existing rail rights-of-way or existing highway rights-of-way. Because the bill would increase the duties of the county clerk, this 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.
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 718, Statutes of 2024.
Approved by the Governor.
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 60. Noes 0. Page 6432.).
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 30. Noes 5.).
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after August 22 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 3.) (June 25).
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 5).
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on E.Q.
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 73. Noes 0. Page 5089.)
Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 24).
Read second time and amended.
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (April 8).
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. Read second time and amended.
From printer. May be heard in committee March 15.
Read first time. To print.
| Bill Text Versions | Format |
|---|---|
| AB2503 | HTML |
| 02/13/24 - Introduced | |
| 04/01/24 - Amended Assembly | |
| 04/11/24 - Amended Assembly | |
| 05/16/24 - Amended Senate | |
| 06/10/24 - Amended Senate | |
| 06/27/24 - Amended Senate | |
| 08/26/24 - Enrolled | |
| 09/27/24 - Chaptered |
| Document | Format |
|---|---|
| 04/05/24- Assembly Natural Resources | |
| 04/22/24- Assembly Appropriations | |
| 06/03/24- Senate Environmental Quality | |
| 06/21/24- Senate Transportation | |
| 08/07/24- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 08/21/24- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS |
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