Senate BillChaptered/SignedPublic Resources
SB 958: California Environmental Quality Act: environmental impacts: building height.
What SB 958 does, verified October 1, 2026
<p>The bill amends California's Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to prohibit considering increased building height alone as having significant environmental impacts, provided certain conditions are met. It requires lead agencies to determine if these conditions apply and imposes state-mandated local program requirements. The bill also specifies that no reimbursement is required from the state for local agencies or school districts due to this act.</p>
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
✓In CommitteeComplete
✓First Chamber FloorComplete
✓Second ChamberComplete
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6ChapteredCurrent
Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 788, Statutes of 2026. (2026-09-29)Alert me
Author and sponsors
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| Sep. 29, 2026 | Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 788, Statutes of 2026. |
| Sep. 29, 2026 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep. 08, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m. |
| Aug. 30, 2026 | Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. |
| Aug. 25, 2026 | Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 55. Noes 5. Page 6526.) Ordered to the Senate. |
Latest bill textEnrolled version, September 1, 2026 · 519 words
| Enrolled September 01, 2026 |
| Passed IN Senate August 30, 2026 |
| Passed IN Assembly August 25, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly August 19, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly August 06, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly June 15, 2026 |
| Amended IN Senate April 16, 2026 |
| Amended IN Senate March 24, 2026 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 958
| Introduced by Senator Weber Pierson |
February 02, 2026 |
An act to add Section 21080.82 to the Public Resources Code, relating to environmental quality.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 958, Weber Pierson. California Environmental Quality Act: environmental impacts: building height.
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.
This bill would, for purposes of CEQA, prohibit the environmental impacts that are associated with increased building height alone from being considered significant impacts on the environment, if a project meets specified conditions, as provided. Because a lead agency would be required to determine if a project meets the specified conditions, 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.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 21080.82 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:21080.82.
For purposes of this division, the environmental impacts of a project that are associated with increased building height alone, including, but not limited to, air circulation, noise and light refraction or reflection, shadow, or the potential to attract wildlife, shall not be considered significant impacts on the environment if the project meets all of the following conditions:(a) The use and density of the project is otherwise analyzed in a certified environmental impact report.
(b) The project is on a previously graded infill site.
(c) There are no sensitive biological resources physically present on the site.
(d) The project is not an industrial use project.
(e) The project is consistent with local airport land use plans.
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 958 as enrolled, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions