AB-609 • 2026

California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: housing development projects.

Education Housing Taxes

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Wicks (A) , Alvarez (A) , Carrillo (A) , Flora (A) , Quirk-Silva (A) , Wilson
Last action: 2025-05-20
Official status: In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text and digest do not provide detailed conditions for housing development projects to qualify for exemption beyond size, density, and location criteria.

California Environmental Quality Act: Housing Project Exemption

AB-609 exempts certain housing development projects from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements if they meet specific conditions, including size, density, and location criteria.

What This Bill Does

Exempts housing development projects meeting certain conditions from CEQA requirements.
Requires local governments to make developers complete a phase I environmental assessment regarding hazardous substance releases as a condition of approval for the development.
Imposes state-mandated local program responsibilities on lead agencies to determine eligibility for the exemption.

Who It Names or Affects

Housing development projects that meet specific criteria
Local governments responsible for approving housing developments
Lead agencies determining project eligibility

Terms To Know

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): A law requiring environmental impact reports on projects with potential significant effects.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify all conditions for housing development projects to qualify for exemption.
It is unclear how this will affect existing CEQA requirements and exemptions.

Bill History

2025-05-20 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-05-19 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 67. Noes 0. Page 1603.)
2025-05-15 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-14 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).
2025-05-06 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-05-05 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2025-05-01 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (April 30).
2025-04-28 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on H. & C.D.
2025-04-24 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2025-04-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on H. & C.D. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 21).
2025-04-21 California Legislative Information
(Pending re-refer to Com. on H. & C. D.)
2025-04-21 California Legislative Information
Assembly Rule 56 suspended. (Page 1163.)
2025-03-25 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.
2025-03-24 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. Read second time and amended.
2025-03-24 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on NAT. RES. and H. & C.D.
2025-02-14 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 16.
2025-02-13 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 609, as amended, Wicks.
California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: housing development projects.
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 exempts from its requirements various projects, including, but not limited to, housing projects that meet certain requirements.
This bill
would exempt from the requirements of CEQA a housing development project, as defined, that meets certain
conditions.
conditions relating to, for example, size, density, and location, including specific requirements for any housing on the project site located within 500 feet of a freeway.
The bill would require a local government, as a condition of approval for the development, to require the development proponent to complete a
phase I
specified
environmental
assessment, as provided.
assessment regarding hazardous substance releases. If a recognized environmental condition is found, the bill would require the development proponent to complete a preliminary endangerment assessment and specified mitigation based on that assessment.
Because a lead agency would be required to determine whether a housing development project qualifies for this exemption, 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.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF