SB 856: California Coastal Act of 1976: filing fee waiver: Marine Invasive Species Act: biennial reports: semiannual updates.

Official summary

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

The California Coastal Act of 1976 establishes the California Coastal Commission and requires any person wishing to perform or undertake any development in the coastal zone, as defined, in addition to obtaining any other permit required by law from any local government or from any state, regional, or local agency, to obtain a coastal development permit, as provided. The act authorizes the commission to waive the filing fee for an application for a coastal development permit.

This bill would clarify the commission is authorized to also waive the filing fee for an application for a coastal development permit amendment. The bill would authorize the commission to, when the commission waives the filing fee for an application for a coastal development permit or permit amendment for a project meeting certain criteria, specify whether the waiver also applies to future applications for an amendment to the permit. The bill would also make various nonsubstantive changes and update erroneous cross references.

Existing law, the Marine Invasive Species Act, requires the State Lands Commission, in consultation with specific entities, to biennially submit to the Legislature a report that includes certain information, including, among other things, a summary of the information provided in the ballast water discharge report forms submitted to the commission, as provided.

This bill would require the biennial report submitted to the Legislature to instead be submitted triennially and would require that report to instead include a summary of the information provided in the ballast water management report forms submitted to the commission, as provided. The bill would require the commission to publish on its internet website, on or before April 30, 2026, and updated semiannually, a summary of the information provided in those ballast water management report forms, as provided, and inspection and compliance rates for vessels, as available.

Sponsors

“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 28, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 102, Statutes of 2025.
2. August 28, 2025Approved by the Governor.
3. August 27, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 11 a.m.
4. August 21, 2025In Senate. Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. August 21, 2025Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 2706.) Ordered to the Senate.
6. July 17, 2025Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.
7. July 16, 2025From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (July 16).
8. July 8, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (July 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
9. May 29, 2025Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.
10. May 8, 2025In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
11. May 8, 2025Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 1051.) Ordered to the Assembly.
12. May 6, 2025Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.