California initiative that would make changes to the environmental review process established by CEQA qualifies for the
The California Secretary of State announced that a ballot initiative proposing to amend the California Environmental Quality Act by modifying environmental review processes qualified for the ballot on June 16. The Committee to Build an Affordable California, the campaign supporting the initiative, submitted 942,967 signatures, of which the secretary of state projected 77.5% are valid, or about 731,082 valid signatures, through a random sample count. To qualify an initiated state statute in California, petitioners need to submit signatures equal to 5% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election, which is 546,651 signatures for this election cycle.
The initiative would expedite the environmental review process for specified project categories, such as housing, water supply improvements, transportation, energy, and facilities for health and public safety. This would amend the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the Permit Streamlining Act (PSA).
CEQA was enacted in 1970 and requires state and local government agencies to inform decision-makers and the public about the potential environmental impacts of proposed projects and mitigate them as much as possible. CEQA applies to projects that need government approval or use public funds and could cause a physical change to the environment. PSA, enacted in 1977, established time limits for state and local agencies making permitting decisions. Permits cannot be issued until the CEQA process is complete.
The initiative would set deadlines for public agencies to complete the environmental review, and allow an expedited review of the environmental impacts of the project, setting a 365-day limit on environmental reviews. If the agency does not complete the review within the 365-day limit, the applicant can submit a written request requiring the agency to move forward, where the final decision must be made within 60 days. It would amend the judicial process by requiring courts to rule on CEQA challenges within 270 days.
https://news.ballotpedia.org/2026/06/17/california-initiative-that-would-make-changes-to-the-environmental-review-process-established-by-ceqa-qualifies-for-the-november-ballot/