California Air Resources Board

Summary 

Commencing January 1, 2024, requires each transportation planning agency, when updating the regional transportation plan, to base the sustainable communities strategy (SCS) on population projections produced by the California Department of Finance and regional population forecasts used in determining applicable city and county regional housing needs, in consultation with each council of governments, and describe how to resolve differences in population projections. This bill also requires the annual Regional Housing Needs Assessment report that a city or county planning agency provides annually to the California Department of Housing and Community Development to include the progress of the city or county towards the recommended alignment of land use regulations with applicable SCS or alternative planning strategy. Was not heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary 

Prohibits a local agency from approving the development or expansion of any qualifying logistics use, as defined, within 1,000 feet of sensitive receptors, as defined, except as provided. Authorizes a local agency to approve the development or expansion of a qualifying logistics under certain conditions, including, among other things, conducting a cumulative analysis of the air quality impacts of the warehouse development project, as specified. The bill also requires a local agency, upon receipt of an application for a warehouse development project, to take certain actions. Reconsideration granted after failing passage in the Assembly Committee for Local Government.

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Summary 

Authorizes the legislative bodies of local governments to jointly form a Reinvestment in Infrastructure for a Sustainable and Equitable California district (RISE district) in accordance with specified procedures. The bill requires the California Office of Planning and Research to develop standards for the formation of RISE districts no later than November 30, 2025, and provides for the establishment of a governing board of a RISE district with representatives of each participating local government, raising revenue to support RISE, and a revolving loan fund. Was not heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

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Summary 

Requires the California Transportation Commission (CTC) to convene relevant State agencies to assess the procurement and implementation of data, modeling, and analytic software tools to support various State goals, and requires the CTC to develop, by July 1, 2025, a proposal to procure and a process to provide access to data, modeling, and analytic software tools, among other provisions. As a condition of receiving a grant of funds or access to data, modeling, and analytic software tools provided by the commission, a State or local agency shall submit a report by August 1, 2027, to the CTC about the use of the data, modeling, and analytic software tools for sustainable transportation, safety, active transportation planning, equity, affordable housing, efficient land use, air quality, or climate change-related program.

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Summary 

Extends the validity of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments' (SACOG) Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) for approximately two years, to December 31, 2025, for most purposes, except for projects without federal discretionary funding applying for the Solution for Congested Corridors Program and other specified State programs that require consistency with an SCS. Also requires SACOG to include an equity component in its SCS and by July 1, 2026, and biennially thereafter, to report on the regional implementation of its most recently adopted SCS in a publicly available format on its internet website, as specified.

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Summary 

Additionally authorizes investments in traffic signal synchronization as a component of a roadway improvement project requiring multiple signals, including, but not limited to, multimodal redevelopment projects, rail trail projects, urban renewal projects, or projects near transit facilities as eligible projects for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. This bill also requires projects to continue to be designed and implemented to achieve cost-effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and includes specific emissions reduction targets and metrics to evaluate the project’s effect. Was not heard in the Assembly Transportation Committee. 

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Summary 

Would have authorized the California Coastal Commission to require an applicant with a project that impacts coastal wetland, subtidal, intertidal, or marine habitats or ecosystems to build or contribute to a blue carbon demonstration project, as defined, and would have required the California Coastal Commission to consult with CARB and other specified entities in developing a blue carbon demonstration project program. Each blue carbon demonstration project would have to be designed, monitored, and have sufficient data collected to demonstrate the carbon uptake and sequestration achieved and results would have to be presented to the California Coastal Commission in a public hearing. This bill was similar to AB 2593 (Boerner, 2022). Held on suspense in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Requires the California Transportation Plan to include a financial element, an analysis of how it will achieve certain principles, and funding benefits to disadvantaged communities, as specified, and requires the California Transportation Agency, California Department of Transportation, and California Transportation Commission to incorporate the specified goals related to the Climate Action Plan for Transportation Infrastructure into program funding guidelines and planning processes. Ordered to the inactive file in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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Summary

Requires CARB, between January 1, 2024, and September 30, 2026, to establish additional greenhouse gas targets for 2035 and 2045 and updates the Sustainable Communities Strategy review process for CARB and metropolitan planning organizations. This bill also requires each project nomination for the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program to demonstrate how the project would contribute to achieving the state’s greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Was not heard in the Senate Transportation Committee.

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Summary

Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development and the California Building Standards Commission to consider mandatory bike parking standards in multifamily buildings and to update existing bike parking standards in a manner independent of vehicle parking.

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