California SB954: California Environmental Quality Act: advanced manufacturing facilities: exemption.

What the bill says

An act to amend Sections 21067.5, 21080.085, 21080.1, and 21080.69 of, and to add Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 21189.100) to Division 13 of, the Public Resources Code, relating to environmental quality. environmental quality California Environmental Quality Act: advanced manufacturing facilities: exemption…

From the enrolled text, August 31, 2026:

An act to amend Sections 21067.5, 21080.085, 21080.1, and 21080.69 of, and to add Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 21189.100) to Division 13 of, the Public Resources Code, relating to environmental quality. environmental quality California Environmental Quality Act: advanced manufacturing facilities: exemption. 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 defines various terms, including “natural and protected lands” for its purposes. This bill would revise the definition of that term to include habitats for protected species identified as candidate, sensitive, or species of special status by state or federal agencies. CEQA exempts from its requirement projects that consist exclusively of a day care center that is not located …

Read the full official text

Sponsors

• Catherine Blakespear (D, SD38) · primary sponsor
• Damon Connolly (D, AD12)
• Benjamin Allen (D, SD24)
• Dave Cortese (D, SD15)
• Mike McGuire (D, SD02)
• Pérez, Sasha Renée (D, SD25)
• Reyes, Eloise Gómez (D, SD29)
• Dawn Addis (D, AD30)
• Jessica Caloza (D, AD52)
• Ward, Christopher (D, AD78)
• Jesse Arreguín (D, SD07)
• John Laird (D, SD17)

Latest actions

1. September 18, 2026: In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
2. September 18, 2026: Vetoed by the Governor.
3. September 4, 2026: Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
4. August 28, 2026: Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 28. Noes 10. Page 6060.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. August 28, 2026: Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 28. Noes 10.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
6. August 27, 2026: In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
7. August 26, 2026: Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 50. Noes 17. Page 6623.) Ordered to the Senate.
8. August 26, 2026: Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate.
9. August 21, 2026: Ordered to third reading.
10. August 21, 2026: Read third time and amended.

Votes

• Unfinished Business SB954 Blakespear et al. Concurrence (August 28, 2026): 28 yea, 10 nay, passed
• SB 954 Blakespear Senate Third Reading By Connolly (August 26, 2026): 50 yea, 17 nay, passed
• Do pass as amended. (August 13, 2026): 11 yea, 4 nay, passed
• Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] (June 24, 2026): 5 yea, 1 nay, passed
• Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Labor and Employment] (June 22, 2026): 9 yea, 4 nay, passed
• Senate 3rd Reading SB954 Blakespear et al. (May 27, 2026): 23 yea, 9 nay, passed

Common questions

What is SB954?

SB954 is a bill in the California Legislature (2025-2026 Regular Session): California Environmental Quality Act: advanced manufacturing facilities: exemption.

What does SB954 do?

In its own words: An act to amend Sections 21067.5, 21080.085, 21080.1, and 21080.69 of, and to add Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 21189.100) to Division 13 of, the Public Resources Code, relating to environmental quality. environmental quality California Environmental Quality Act: advanced manufacturing facilities: exemption…

What is the status of SB954?

Vetoed as of September 18, 2026. Latest action: In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending. (September 18, 2026).

Who sponsored SB954?

Catherine Blakespear (D, SD38), with 11 co-sponsors.

Where is the official record for SB954?

On the California Legislature website: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB954