California Coastal Act of 1976: filing fee waiver: Marine Invasive Species Act: biennial reports: semiannual updates.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on how fee waiver criteria will be determined.

California Coastal Act Changes: Filing Fee Waivers and Marine Invasive Species Reporting

This law clarifies that the California Coastal Commission can waive filing fees for permit amendments, specifies conditions under which fee waivers apply to future applications, changes reporting requirements for marine invasive species from biennial to triennial, and mandates semiannual updates of ballast water management data on the State Lands Commission's website.

What This Bill Does

• Clarifies that the California Coastal Commission can waive filing fees not just for initial coastal development permits but also for permit amendments.
• Allows the commission to specify if a fee waiver applies to future permit amendment applications under certain conditions.
• Changes the reporting schedule from every two years to every three years for marine invasive species reports submitted by the State Lands Commission.
• Requires the State Lands Commission to publish summaries of ballast water management report forms on its website, updated twice each year starting April 30, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

• People applying for coastal development permits or amendments who may qualify for fee waivers.
• The California Coastal Commission responsible for handling permit applications and waiving fees.
• Entities required to submit ballast water management report forms, such as shipping companies.
• State agencies like the State Lands Commission that manage marine invasive species reports.

Terms To Know

Coastal Development Permit

A permit needed for any development in California's coastal zone.

Ballast Water Management Report Forms

Documents submitted by vessels to report on their ballast water management practices, which can affect marine invasive species.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how the fee waiver criteria will be determined.
• It is unclear what specific entities are involved in consulting for marine invasive species reports.

Official Summary Text

SB 856, Committee on Natural Resources and Water.
California Coastal Act of 1976: filing fee waiver: Marine Invasive Species Act: biennial reports: semiannual updates.
The California Coastal Act of 1976 establishes the California Coastal Commission and requires any person wishing to perform or undertake any development in the coastal zone, as defined, in addition to obtaining any other permit required by law from any local government or from any state, regional, or local agency, to obtain a coastal development permit, as provided. The act authorizes the commission to waive the filing fee for an application for a coastal development permit.
This bill would clarify the commission is authorized to also waive the filing fee for an application for a coastal development permit amendment. The bill would authorize the commission to, when the commission waives the filing fee for an application for a coastal development permit or permit
amendment for a project meeting certain criteria, specify whether the waiver also applies to future applications for an amendment to the permit. The bill would also make various nonsubstantive changes and update erroneous cross references.
Existing law, the Marine Invasive Species Act, requires the State Lands Commission, in consultation with specific entities, to biennially submit to the Legislature a report that includes certain information, including, among other things, a summary of the information provided in the ballast water discharge report forms submitted to the commission, as provided.
This bill would require the biennial report submitted to the Legislature to instead be submitted triennially and would require that report to instead include a summary of the information provided in the ballast water management report forms submitted to the commission, as provided. The
bill would require the commission to publish on its internet website, on or before April 30, 2026, and updated semiannually, a summary of the information provided in those ballast water management report forms, as provided, and inspection and compliance rates for vessels, as available.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF