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SB-1260 • 2026

California Environmental Quality Act.

California Environmental Quality Act.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Jones
Last action
2026-03-04
Official status
Referred to Com. on RLS.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on what updates or changes were made to protect the environment beyond stating that the changes are nonsubstantive.

California Environmental Quality Act

The California Environmental Quality Act requires government agencies to prepare environmental impact reports for projects that may significantly affect the environment.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires lead agencies to create environmental impact reports on projects that might have significant effects on the environment.
  • Allows for negative declarations if a project is found not to have significant environmental impacts.
  • Permits mitigated negative declarations when changes can reduce or eliminate harmful impacts.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Government agencies responsible for approving projects
  • People proposing projects that could affect the environment

Terms To Know

Lead agency
The government body responsible for approving or carrying out a project.
Environmental impact report
A document detailing how a project might affect the environment.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify new projects that will be affected.
  • The changes made are described as nonsubstantive, meaning they do not change the law's requirements significantly.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-04 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on RLS.

  2. 2026-02-20 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 22.

  3. 2026-02-19 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 1260, as introduced, Jones.
California Environmental Quality Act.
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 makes various legislative findings and declarations regarding the maintenance of a quality environment for the people of this state and states
the intent of the Legislature for state agencies to regulate activities so that major consideration is given to preventing environmental damage.
This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to those findings and declarations and to the statement of intent.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF