Bill Commons

CA AB 1553

in committee

California Environmental Quality Act: notice: direct mailing: electronic mail.

California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · lower

Quick answers

Did CA AB 1553 pass?

Not yet. CA AB 1553 is in committee as of 2026-03-17 and has not come to a final vote. Latest recorded action (2026-03-17): Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

What is CA AB 1553 about?

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 requires a lead agency that is preparing an environmental impact report, a negative declaration, or making other determinations, to provide public notice of that fact within a reasonable period of time, as provided. CEQA requires a lead agency to give notice to the last known name and address of all organizations and individuals who have previously requested notice, and to give notice by posting the notice on the internet website of the lead agency, and to give notice through one of 3 different procedures, including direct mailing to the owners and occupants of contiguous property shown on the latest equalized assessment roll. Existing law also requires, for a project involving the burning of municipal wastes, hazardous waste, or refuse-derived fuel, to give notice by direct mailing to the owners and occupants of property within 14 of a mile of any parcel or parcels, as specified. This bill would authorize a lead agency to satisfy the direct mailing requirements listed above by electronic mail if the recipient affirmatively requested to receive notice by electronic mail.

Who sponsors CA AB 1553?

Connolly is the primary sponsor of CA AB 1553.

Description

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 requires a lead agency that is preparing an environmental impact report, a negative declaration, or making other determinations, to provide public notice of that fact within a reasonable period of time, as provided. CEQA requires a lead agency to give notice to the last known name and address of all organizations and individuals who have previously requested notice, and to give notice by posting the notice on the internet website of the lead agency, and to give notice through one of 3 different procedures, including direct mailing to the owners and occupants of contiguous property shown on the latest equalized assessment roll. Existing law also requires, for a project involving the burning of municipal wastes, hazardous waste, or refuse-derived fuel, to give notice by direct mailing to the owners and occupants of property within 14 of a mile of any parcel or parcels, as specified. This bill would authorize a lead agency to satisfy the direct mailing requirements listed above by electronic mail if the recipient affirmatively requested to receive notice by electronic mail.

Introduced
2026-03-16
Latest action
2026-03-17 — Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.
Bill type
bill
Last updated

Subjects

Sponsors

  • Connollyauthor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2026-01-08

    Read first time. To print.

    reading-1

  2. 2026-01-09

    From printer. May be heard in committee February 8.

  3. 2026-03-16

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. Read second time and amended.

    amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee

  4. 2026-03-16

    Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

    referral-committee

  5. 2026-03-17

    Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

    referral-committee

Versions

  • 01/08/26 - Introduced — 2026-01-08Compare
  • 03/16/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-03-16Compare
  • AB1553Compare

Documents

Votes

Not provided by source.

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T01:34:27.960412Z

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

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