Transportation projects: barriers to wildlife movement.

Education Taxes

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Schultz
Last action: 2025-08-29
Official status: In committee: Held under submission.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact details about wildlife passage features are not defined in the summary.

Wildlife Passage in Transportation Projects

This law requires transportation projects that affect wildlife movement to include features that help animals cross safely, unless Caltrans is the lead agency for a state highway project.

What This Bill Does

Requires agencies leading transportation infrastructure projects in connectivity areas to incorporate appropriate wildlife passage features if needed.
Allows agencies to use compensatory mitigation credits instead of building new passages if approved by the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Exempts state highway system projects from this requirement if Caltrans is the lead agency.

Who It Names or Affects

Agencies that lead transportation infrastructure projects
Local governments

Terms To Know

Compensatory mitigation credits: Credits given to agencies for actions that help the environment, which can be used instead of building new wildlife passages.
Connectivity area: An area where wildlife needs to move freely between habitats.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if Caltrans is not the lead agency for a state highway project.
It's unclear how much extra money local agencies might need to spend because of this law.

Bill History

2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
In committee: Held under submission.
2025-08-18 California Legislative Information
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
2025-07-10 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-07-09 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (July 8).
2025-06-25 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on N.R. & W. (Ayes 12. Noes 2.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.
2025-06-11 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and N.R. & W.
2025-06-03 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-06-02 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 56. Noes 14. Page 1910.)
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 2.) (May 23).
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.)
2025-05-14 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
2025-04-24 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on APPR. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
2025-04-24 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
2025-04-23 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2025-04-22 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 11. Noes 2.) (April 21).
2025-04-21 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.
2025-04-10 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and amended.
2025-03-17 California Legislative Information
Referred to Coms. on TRANS. and L. GOV.
2025-02-20 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
2025-02-19 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 902, as amended, Schultz.
Transportation projects: barriers to wildlife movement.
Existing law requires the Department of Transportation (Caltrans), for any project on the state highway system in a connectivity area that adds a traffic lane or that has the potential to significantly impair wildlife connectivity, to perform an assessment, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW), to identify potential wildlife connectivity barriers and any needs for improved permeability, as specified. Existing law requires the implementing agency to remediate barriers to wildlife connectivity in conjunction with the project if any structural barrier to wildlife connectivity exists or will be added by the project for target species in the connectivity area, as provided. Existing law authorizes Caltrans to use compensatory mitigation credits to satisfy this requirement if DFW concurs with the use of those credits.
This
bill would require a lead agency to incorporate appropriate wildlife passage features into a transportation infrastructure project in a connectivity area, as specified. By requiring a lead agency to expand the scope of its transportation project, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would exempt a project on the state highway system from this requirement if Caltrans is the lead agency. The bill would authorize a lead agency to use compensatory mitigation credits to satisfy this requirement, as specified.
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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made
pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

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