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AB 2569: California Environmental Quality Act: natural hazards and adverse environmental conditions.

California · Assembly · 2025–2026 Regular Session · last verified May 16, 2026

What AB 2569 does, verified May 16, 2026

This bill aims to expand the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to include impacts on people. The CEQA requires a lead agency to prepare an environmental impact report (EIR) on a project that may have a significant effect on the environment. The bill would require the lead agency to consider significant effects resulting from locating the proposed project near or attracting people to existing or reasonably foreseeable natural hazards or adverse environmental conditions. The bill would impose a state-mandated local program, requiring the lead agency to undertake this additional consideration. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. However, this bill would provide that no reimbursement is required for the costs associated with implementing this new requirement.

Bill journey

1IntroducedCurrent

2In CommitteePending

3First Chamber FloorPending

4Second ChamberPending

5GovernorPending

6ChapteredPending

Last action: In committee: Held under submission. (2026-05-14)Alert me

Author and sponsors

Asm. Gregg HartAuthor · California State Assembly

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Recent actions6 total · showing 5

May. 14, 2026	In committee: Held under submission.
Apr. 29, 2026	In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Apr. 14, 2026	From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 4.) (April 13). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Mar. 09, 2026	Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.
Feb. 21, 2026	From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

Full action history, 1 earlier actionConnect Plus

Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 20, 2026 · 820 words

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2569

Introduced by Assembly Member Hart

February 20, 2026

An act to amend Sections 21060.5, 21068, and 21100 of the Public Resources Code, relating to environmental quality.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2569, as introduced, Hart. California Environmental Quality Act: natural hazards and adverse environmental conditions.

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 (EIR) 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 “environment” and “significant effect on the environment” for its purposes. CEQA requires the EIR to include a detailed statement setting forth specified facts.

This bill would expand those definitions to include impacts on people, as specified. The bill would additionally require the lead agency to include in the EIR a detailed statement on any significant effects that may result from locating the proposed project near, or attracting people to, existing or reasonably foreseeable natural hazards or adverse environmental conditions. Because the lead agency would be required to undertake this additional consideration, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 21060.5 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

21060.5.

“Environment” means the physical conditions ~~which~~ that exist within the area ~~which~~ that will be affected by a proposed project, including land, air, water, minerals, flora, fauna, noise, objects of historic or aesthetic ~~significance.~~ significance, as well as the health and safety of people affected by the physical conditions at the location of a project.

SEC. 2.

Section 21068 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

21068.

“Significant effect on the environment” means a substantial, or potentially substantial, adverse change in the environment. “Significant effect on the environment” includes exposure of people, either directly or indirectly, to a substantial existing or reasonably foreseeable natural hazard or adverse condition of the environment.

SEC. 3.

Section 21100 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

21100.

(a) All lead agencies shall prepare, or cause to be prepared by contract, and certify the completion of, an environmental impact report on any project which they propose to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment. Whenever feasible, a standard format shall be used for environmental impact reports.

(b) The environmental impact report shall include a detailed statement setting forth all of the following:

(1) All significant effects on the environment of the proposed project.

(2) In a separate section:

(A) Any significant effect on the environment that cannot be avoided if the project is implemented.

(B) Any significant effect on the environment that would be irreversible if the project is implemented.

(3) Mitigation measures proposed to minimize significant effects on the environment, including, but not limited to, measures to reduce the wasteful, inefficient, and unnecessary consumption of energy.

(4) Alternatives to the proposed project.

(5) The growth-inducing impact of the proposed project.

(6) Any significant effects that may result from locating the proposed project near, or attracting people to, existing or reasonably foreseeable natural hazards or adverse environmental conditions.

(c) The report shall also contain a statement briefly indicating the reasons for determining that various effects on the environment of a project are not significant and consequently have not been discussed in detail in the environmental impact report.

(d) For purposes of this section, any significant effect on the environment shall be limited to substantial, or potentially substantial, adverse changes in physical conditions ~~which~~ that exist within the area as defined in Section 21060.5.

(e) Previously approved land use documents, including, but not limited to, general plans, specific plans, and local coastal plans, may be used in cumulative impact analysis.

SEC. 4.

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because a local agency or school district has the authority to levy service charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to pay for the program or level of service mandated by this act, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code.

Text of AB 2569 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions