California Environmental Quality Act: guidelines: study.

Senator Seyarto's proposal for evaluating potential reforms to California's environmental review process directs the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation to study how maintaining consistent regulatory guidelines throughout project reviews could affect the state's environmental protection framework.

The legislation calls for examining "locked-in guidelines" - a system where California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements in place when a project's notice of preparation is issued would remain fixed for that project's entire review period, regardless of subsequent regulatory changes. The Office must analyze how this approach could influence regulatory certainty, review timelines, and environmental protection quality. The study will specifically examine financial implications for projects facing guideline changes within five years of their initial notice, as well as potential effects on review efficiency and environmental safeguards.

By January 2027, the Office must report findings to the Governor and Legislature on whether locked-in guidelines could provide more predictable regulatory conditions while maintaining environmental standards. The report will include recommendations for balancing consistency needs with adaptation to emerging environmental challenges. The bill's provisions expire January 1, 2028, limiting its scope to producing analysis rather than implementing permanent changes to CEQA procedures.