All Roll Calls
Yes: 207 • No: 1
CaliforniaSB 712025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET
California Environmental Quality Act: exemptions: transit projects.
Sponsored By: Scott Wiener (Democratic)
Signed by Governor
Your PRIA Score
Score Hidden
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
Parking changes and housing protections near transit
The law streamlines local parking and travel‑demand planning. Cities and counties can reduce or remove parking minimums, set parking maximums, remove or restrict parking, or add transportation demand management programs without CEQA review. Those parking and TDM planning decisions do not have to follow the separate board‑approval or skilled‑and‑trained‑workforce rules. Projects that combine an exempt transit component with housing that is nondiscretionary or already exempt can move forward together. Exempt projects cannot demolish affordable housing units.
Stronger worker rules on exempt projects
The law raises labor standards on exempt projects. A lead agency cannot sign a construction contract unless the contractor promises in writing to use a skilled and trained workforce and require the same of all subcontractors, or the work is covered by a project labor agreement. When the board approves an exempt project, the agency must certify it will use a skilled and trained workforce, unless an existing policy or project labor agreement already requires it. For projects with a notice of exemption filed before January 1, 2023, the agency may certify after granting the exemption or show it meets the law’s alternative workforce options.
Extra reviews and meetings for big projects
For exempt projects estimated at more than $100,000,000, the agency must meet added steps before construction. The project must be in a regional plan with program‑level review in the past 10 years; all construction impacts must be fully mitigated; a public business case must be prepared; and a racial equity analysis must be completed. The agency must hold at least three noticed public meetings before deciding the exemption and at least two noticed meetings each year during construction. Projects estimated above $50,000,000 must also follow extra public notice and meeting rules. If at least half the project or its stops are in areas at risk of residential displacement and peak headways are 15 minutes or less, the agency must finish a displacement analysis and list antidisplacement strategies. Starting January 1, 2026, the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation updates these dollar thresholds every two years using the Consumer Price Index and may do so without formal rulemaking. This section ends on January 1, 2040.
Faster transit, bike, and pedestrian projects
The law speeds up many local transit, bike, and walking projects by exempting them from CEQA. It covers active transportation, pedestrian, and bicycle plans; transit route changes; bike and pedestrian facilities; transit‑priority signals and bus or HOV lane conversions; wayfinding; and utility work tied to those projects. It also exempts zero‑emission charging and refueling on agency or utility property, and some cleaner bus and passenger rail projects that sit inside existing rights‑of‑way. Limits apply: projects cannot add general highway lanes or induce single‑occupant driving; TNC‑run services are excluded except contracted microtransit; ferry terminals with a notice of preparation filed before January 1, 2026 are excluded; and in high‑pollution air basins, only zero‑emission trains qualify. Starting January 1, 2032, projects used mainly by near‑zero, low‑NOx, CNG, or hybrid vehicles lose this exemption (articulated‑bus projects are still allowed). Hydrogen refueling projects must also complete extra business‑case, equity, and public‑notice steps before using the exemption. If a whole project is built only from listed exempt parts, the combined project is exempt too.
More public notice for CEQA exemptions
Before an agency decides a project is exempt, it must hold noticed public hearings in the affected area and publish notices in a local paper. The agency must approve the exemption at a public board meeting, or use an existing approval process that already applies. When the agency approves or carries out an exempt project, it must file a notice with the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation and the county clerk, following Section 21152. These steps make exemption decisions public and easier to find.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Scott Wiener
Democratic • Senate
Cosponsors
Jesse ArreguÃn
Democratic • Senate
Phillip Chen
Republican • House
Alex Lee
Democratic • House
Christopher Ward
Democratic • House
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 9/10/2025
Item 51 — Senate SFLOOR
Yes: 39 • No: 0
House vote • 9/9/2025
Item 118 — Assembly AFLOOR
Yes: 78 • No: 1
legislature vote • 8/29/2025
Vote in CX25
Yes: 10 • No: 0
legislature vote • 7/14/2025
Vote in CX16
Yes: 12 • No: 0
Senate vote • 6/3/2025
Item 146 — Senate SFLOOR
Yes: 36 • No: 0
legislature vote • 5/23/2025
Vote in CS61
Yes: 5 • No: 0
legislature vote • 4/28/2025
Vote in CS61
Yes: 7 • No: 0
legislature vote • 4/8/2025
Vote in CS59
Yes: 12 • No: 0
legislature vote • 3/19/2025
Vote in CS64
Yes: 8 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 742, Statutes of 2025.
10/13/2025SenateApproved by the Governor.
10/13/2025legislatureEnrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
9/17/2025legislatureAssembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2820.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
9/10/2025SenateIn Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
9/9/2025SenateRead third time. Passed. (Ayes 78. Noes 1. Page 3082.) Ordered to the Senate.
9/9/2025HouseRead second time. Ordered to third reading.
9/3/2025HouseRead second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
9/2/2025HouseFrom committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (August 29).
8/29/2025HouseAugust 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
8/20/2025HouseRead second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
7/17/2025HouseFrom committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (July 14).
7/17/2025House(Ayes 49. Noes 15. Page 2578.)
7/17/2025HouseAssembly Rule 63 suspended.
7/17/2025HouseJuly 7 hearing postponed by committee.
7/3/2025HouseFrom committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.
6/30/2025HouseReferred to Com. on NAT. RES.
6/9/2025HouseIn Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
6/4/2025HouseRead third time. Passed. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 1451.) Ordered to the Assembly.
6/3/2025SenateRead second time. Ordered to third reading.
6/2/2025SenateOrdered to second reading.
5/29/2025SenateRead third time and amended.
5/29/2025SenateRead second time. Ordered to third reading.
5/27/2025SenateRead second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
5/23/2025SenateFrom committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 1190.) (May 23).
5/23/2025Senate
Bill Text
Chaptered
10/13/2025
Enrolled
9/12/2025
Amended Assembly
9/2/2025
Amended Assembly
7/17/2025
Amended Assembly
6/30/2025
Amended Senate
5/29/2025
Amended Senate
5/23/2025
Amended Senate
3/25/2025
Amended Senate
3/13/2025
Introduced
1/14/2025