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 exempts specified projects, including, among other things, projects for advanced manufacturing and childcare facilities, as provided, from its provisions.

This bill would provide that it is the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation that would amend provisions of CEQA relating to natural and protected lands, childcare facilities, and advanced manufacturing, among other changes, as provided.