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SB-695 • 2026

Transportation: climate resiliency: projects of statewide and regional significance.

Transportation: climate resiliency: projects of statewide and regional significance.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Cortese (S) , Caballero
Last action
2025-10-13
Official status
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 781, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide detailed criteria or definitions for 'projects of statewide and regional significance', leaving some uncertainty about the exact selection process.

Transportation Projects for Climate Resilience

This law requires California's Department of Transportation to create and update an annual list of key transportation projects that help the state prepare for extreme weather events caused by climate change.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Department of Transportation to develop a prioritized list of important transportation projects annually, starting July 1, 2026.
  • Includes criteria for selecting these projects based on their benefits to regional and statewide mobility, economy, goods movement, safety, and other protective measures.
  • Needs the department to consult with the California Transportation Commission and the Transportation Agency when creating this list.
  • Requires the department to submit an annual report to the Legislature containing the prioritized list of projects.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Department of Transportation in California
  • California Transportation Commission
  • Transportation Agency

Terms To Know

Climate Adaptation Projects
Projects that help prepare for changes caused by climate change, like extreme weather.
Statewide Mobility
How well people and goods can move around the entire state.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much money will be spent on these projects.
  • It is unclear what specific criteria are used to define 'projects of statewide and regional significance'.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-13 California Legislative Information

    Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 781, Statutes of 2025.

  2. 2025-10-13 California Legislative Information

    Approved by the Governor.

  3. 2025-09-10 California Legislative Information

    Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.

  4. 2025-09-04 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

  5. 2025-09-04 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 2908.) Ordered to the Senate.

  6. 2025-09-02 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  7. 2025-08-29 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 29).

  8. 2025-08-20 California Legislative Information

    August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  9. 2025-07-08 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (July 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  10. 2025-06-05 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on TRANS.

  11. 2025-05-29 California Legislative Information

    In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  12. 2025-05-29 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1328.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  13. 2025-05-27 California Legislative Information

    Ordered to special consent calendar.

  14. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  15. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1210.) (May 23).

  16. 2025-05-16 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 23.

  17. 2025-05-12 California Legislative Information

    May 12 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  18. 2025-05-02 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 12.

  19. 2025-04-29 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0. Page 919.) (April 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  20. 2025-04-10 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 28.

  21. 2025-04-02 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.

  22. 2025-03-26 California Legislative Information

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

  23. 2025-03-05 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on RLS.

  24. 2025-02-24 California Legislative Information

    Read first time.

  25. 2025-02-24 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 24.

  26. 2025-02-21 California Legislative Information

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

Official Summary Text

SB 695, Cortese.
Transportation: climate resiliency: projects of statewide and regional significance.
Existing law establishes the State Transportation Infrastructure Climate Adaptation Program, administered by the Department of Transportation, for purposes of planning, developing, and implementing projects adapting state transportation infrastructure to climate change. Existing law requires the department, in consultation with, among others, the Transportation Agency and the California Transportation Commission, to develop a program of its top priority climate adaptation projects and to submit projects in this program to the commission for adoption. Existing law requires the department, in developing the program of projects, to consider specified criteria, including, but not limited to, the benefits of the project to preserving or enhancing regional or statewide mobility, economy, goods movement, and
safety, and other benefits associated with protecting the asset.
This bill would require the department, in consultation with the commission and the agency, and on or before July 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, to create a prioritized list of projects of statewide and regional significance, as defined, to better prepare the state for extreme weather-related events, with priority based on specified criteria. The bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, to submit to the Legislature a report containing the prioritized list of projects.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF