California 2019-2020 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate 1 D cosponsors

SB 621 — California Environmental Quality Act: expedited judicial review: affordable housing projects: reports.

Last action — July 8 set for second hearing canceled at the request of author.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed Assembly
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2019-2020 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

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 authorizes a court, in an action or proceeding brought challenging the decision of a public agency on the ground of noncompliance with CEQA, to enter an order to suspend any specific project activity if the court finds that the activity will prejudice the consideration and implementation of particular mitigation measures or alternatives to the project. CEQA provides that, except as otherwise specified, it is not intended to limit the equitable powers of the courts. This bill would require the Judicial Council, by July 1, 2020, to adopt a rule of court applicable to an action or proceeding brought to attack, review, set aside, void, or annul the certification of an environmental impact report for an affordable housing project, as defined, or the granting of an approval of an affordable housing project that requires the action or proceeding, including any potential appeals therefrom, to be resolved, to the extent feasible, within 270 days of the filing of the certified record of proceeding with the court. The bill would provide that these provisions do not apply to an affordable housing project if it is in certain locations. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2025. This bill would require the Judicial Council, in coordination with the Office of Planning and Research, on or before specified dates, to report to the Legislature specified information relating to actions or proceedings brought pursuant to CEQA. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2025. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation that would provide additional funding to the courts to enable the courts to adjudicate, in an expeditious manner, actions or proceedings filed pursuant to CEQA.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. July 8 set for second hearing canceled at the request of author.

  2. Assembly Rule 56 suspended.

  3. June 24 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.

  4. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

  5. Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and JUD.

  6. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  7. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 30. Noes 5. Page 1258.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  8. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  9. From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.

  10. Set for hearing May 13.

  11. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  12. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 799.) (April 23).

  13. Set for hearing April 23.

  14. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  15. From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 5. Noes 2. Page 652.) (April 10).

  16. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on EQ.

  17. Set for hearing April 10.

  18. Referred to Coms. on EQ. and JUD.

  19. Read first time.

  20. From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 27.

  21. Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Sponsors

  • Glazer · Primary
  • Anna M. Caballero · Cosponsor
  • Bates · Cosponsor
  • Melendez · Cosponsor

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 3 co-sponsors · 118 not signed on · 3 voted No

Sponsors (1)

  • Glazer

Co-sponsors (3)

Not signed on (118)

118 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 118 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

3rd Reading SB621 Glazer et al.

Passed 30 Yea · 5 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 22302
Democratic 6201
Republican 2000
Total 30503
% of votes cast 79%13%0%8%
How each member voted (38)
Member Party Vote
Rubio — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Atkins — Yea
Hill — Yea
Roth — Yea
Morrell — Yea
Hueso — Yea
Mitchell — Not Voting
Monning — Not Voting
Dodd — Yea
Moorlach — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Allen — Yea
Borgeas — Yea
Galgiani — Yea
Hertzberg — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Bates — Yea
Glazer — Yea
Nielsen — Yea
Chang — Yea
Pan — Yea
Wieckowski — Nay
Beall — Nay
Leyva — Nay
Mark Stone — Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Nay
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Nay
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Not Voting
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 5 Yea · 1 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 1000
Democratic 2002
Unaffiliated 2101
Total 5103
% of votes cast 56%11%0%33%
How each member voted (9)
Member Party Vote
Allen — Yea
Borgeas — Yea
Wieckowski — Nay
Monning — Not Voting
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Not Voting
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Not Voting
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

housing environment
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 621 do?
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 authorizes a court, in an action or proceeding brought challenging the decision of a public agency on the ground of noncompliance with CEQA, to enter an order to suspend any specific project activity if the court finds that the activity will prejudice the consideration and implementation of particular mitigation measures or alternatives to the project. CEQA provides that, except as otherwise specified, it is not intended to limit the equitable powers of the courts. This bill would require the Judicial Council, by July 1, 2020, to adopt a rule of court applicable to an action or proceeding brought to attack, review, set aside, void, or annul the certification of an environmental impact report for an affordable housing project, as defined, or the granting of an approval of an affordable housing project that requires the action or proceeding, including any potential appeals therefrom, to be resolved, to the extent feasible, within 270 days of the filing of the certified record of proceeding with the court. The bill would provide that these provisions do not apply to an affordable housing project if it is in certain locations. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2025. This bill would require the Judicial Council, in coordination with the Office of Planning and Research, on or before specified dates, to report to the Legislature specified information relating to actions or proceedings brought pursuant to CEQA. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2025. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation that would provide additional funding to the courts to enable the courts to adjudicate, in an expeditious manner, actions or proceedings filed pursuant to CEQA.
Who sponsors SB 621?
SB 621 is sponsored by Glazer, Caballero, Anna M. (Democratic), Bates, and Melendez.
What is the current status of SB 621?
This bill died with 2019-2020 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 621?
Track SB 621 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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