AB 1456: California Environmental Quality Act: California Vegetation Treatment Program.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

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 (EIR) 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 authorizes the preparation and certification of an EIR for a program, plan, policy, or ordinance, commonly known as a “program EIR,” and requires a lead agency to examine later activities in the program in light of the program EIR to determine whether an additional environmental document is required to be prepared.

This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2027, the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to update the California Vegetation Treatment Program Final Program Environmental Impact Report (FPEIR) to, among other things, expand the area that is treatable landscape under the FPEIR to portions of the state suitable for vegetation treatment consistent with the FPEIR, regardless of fire suppression responsibility designation, and recognize cultural burning conducted pursuant to a specified law as a covered treatment activity. The bill would authorize a public agency to partner with a federally recognized California Native American tribe to conduct a project under the FPEIR in the agency’s jurisdiction.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. August 29, 2025In committee: Held under submission.
2. August 18, 2025In committee: Referred to suspense file.
3. July 18, 2025Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
4. July 18, 2025From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 16).
5. July 2, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on N.R. & W. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (July 2). Re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.
6. June 18, 2025Referred to Coms. on E.Q. and N.R. & W.
7. June 4, 2025In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
8. June 3, 2025Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 1997.)
9. May 27, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
10. May 23, 2025From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).
11. May 14, 2025In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
12. April 29, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.