Senate BillFailedPublic Resources
SB 426: California Environmental Quality Act: defensible space.
What SB 426 does, verified February 3, 2026
This bill would exempt public agencies from preparing environmental impact reports when maintaining defensible space to comply with state requirements. The exemption applies to projects that meet certain criteria, including revisions to the project that avoid or mitigate significant environmental effects. The bill would also require a lead agency to determine the applicability of the exemption, resulting in a state-mandated local program. The state would not be required to reimburse local agencies or school districts for costs associated with implementing this exemption.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
2In CommitteeCurrent
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. (2026-02-02)Alert me
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions6 total · showing 5
| Feb. 02, 2026 | Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. |
| Mar. 25, 2025 | April 2 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author. |
| Mar. 11, 2025 | Set for hearing April 2. |
| Feb. 26, 2025 | Referred to Coms. on E.Q. and N.R. & W. |
| Feb. 19, 2025 | From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 21. |
Latest bill textIntroduced version, February 18, 2025 · 409 words
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 426
| Introduced by Senator Alvarado-Gil |
February 18, 2025 |
An act to add Section 21080.37 to the Public Resources Code, relating to environmental quality.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 426, as introduced, Alvarado-Gil. California Environmental Quality Act: defensible space.
The California Environmental Quality Act 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.
Existing law requires a person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains specified structures within certain areas to maintain a defensible space around the structures meeting certain requirements.
This bill would exempt from CEQA projects undertaken or approved by a public agency for purposes of maintaining defensible space to comply with the above requirements.
Because a lead agency would be required to determine the applicability of the exemption, this 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.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 21080.37 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:21080.37.
This division does not apply to a project undertaken or approved by a public agency for purposes of maintaining a defensible space as required by Section 51182 of the Government Code or Section 4291 of this code.SEC. 2.
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 SB 426 as introduced, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions