Steve Padilla
- Democratic
- Senator
- District 18
Author
(1) The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires preparation of specified documentation before a public agency approves or carries out certain projects. Existing law makes an environmental leadership development project, as defined, that meets specified requirements and is certified by the Governor eligible for streamlined procedures under CEQA. In particular, existing law requires the adoption of rules of court that expedite certain CEQA actions and proceedings related to an environmental leadership development project to resolve those actions and proceedings, to the extent feasible, within 270 days. Existing law authorizes persons proposing eligible facilities, including electrical transmission lines carrying electricity from certain other facilities that are located in the state to a point of junction with any interconnected electrical transmission system, to file applications, on or before June 30, 2029, with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) to certify sites and related facilities as environmental leadership development projects, as specified. Existing law makes a site and related facility certified by the Energy Commission as an environmental leadership development project subject to streamlined procedures under CEQA with no further action by the applicant or the Governor. Under existing law, the Energy Commission's certification of sites and related facilities is in lieu of any permit, certificate, or similar document required by any state, local, or regional agency, or federal agency to the extent permitted by federal law, for the use of the sites and related facilities, and supersedes any applicable statute, ordinance, or regulation of any state, local, or regional agency, or federal agency to the extent permitted by federal law, except as specified. This bill would expand the facilities eligible to be certified as environmental leadership development projects by the Energy Commission to include electrical transmission projects. The bill would require an applicant applying for certification of an electrical transmission project to take certain actions, including, among other actions, to avoid or minimize significant environmental impacts in any disadvantaged community. (2) Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Existing law prohibits an electrical corporation from beginning the construction of a line, plant, or system, or any extension of a line, plant, or system, without having first obtained from the PUC a certificate that the present or future public convenience and necessity require its construction. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the PUC is a crime. The bill would authorize an electrical corporation that files an application with the PUC to authorize the new construction of any electrical transmission facility to simultaneously submit to the Energy Commission an application for certification of the facility as an environmental leadership development project, as specified. The bill would authorize the Energy Commission to recover the reasonable administrative costs incurred from evaluating an application, as specified. The bill would provide that the Energy Commission's certification of a facility proposed by an electrical corporation satisfies and replaces the PUC's obligations under CEQA with respect to that facility. The bill would prohibit the PUC from approving an application until after the Energy Commission has issued a decision on certification of the proposed facility. Because these provisions would be part of the Public Utilities Act and a violation of these requirements or a PUC action implementing these requirements would therefore be a crime, the 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.
Veto sustained.
Stricken from file.
In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
Vetoed by the Governor.
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m.
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2735.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
From committee: That the Assembly amendments be concurred in. (Ayes 14. Noes 0. Page 2695.)
Set for hearing September 12.
From committee: Be re-referred to Com. on E., U. & C. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(d). (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 2543.) Re-referred to Com. on E., U. & C.
Re-referred to Com. on RLS pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(d).
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 3005.) Ordered to the Senate.
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (September 1).
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
August 23 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (July 12).
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on U. & E. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (July 10). Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.
Assembly Rule 56 suspended.
Re-referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and U. & E. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 1347.) Ordered to the Assembly.
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 1177.) (May 18).
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Set for hearing May 18.
May 15 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.
Set for hearing May 15.
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 16. Noes 0. Page 871.) (April 24).
Set for hearing April 24.
April 18 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.
Set for hearing April 18.
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 18.
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
| Bill Text Versions | Format |
|---|---|
| SB619 | HTML |
| 02/15/23 - Introduced | |
| 05/01/23 - Amended Senate | |
| 06/21/23 - Amended Assembly | |
| 08/14/23 - Amended Assembly | |
| 09/01/23 - Amended Assembly | |
| 09/15/23 - Enrolled |
| Document | Format |
|---|---|
| 04/21/23- Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications | |
| 05/12/23- Senate Appropriations | |
| 05/20/23- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 07/07/23- Assembly Natural Resources | |
| 07/11/23- Assembly Committee on Utilities and Energy | |
| 08/21/23- Assembly Appropriations | |
| 09/05/23- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 09/11/23- Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications | |
| 09/12/23- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 10/19/23- Sen. Floor Analyses |
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