California Environmental Quality Act: sports and entertainment project.

(1) 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 establishes administrative procedures for the review and certification of the EIR for a project and judicial review procedures for any action or proceeding brought to challenge the lead agency's decision to certify the EIR or to grant project approvals. This bill would authorize the Governor to certify a specified sports and entertainment project located in the City of Inglewood for streamlining if the project meets certain requirements. The bill would apply certain rules of court establishing procedures requiring actions or proceedings seeking judicial review pursuant to CEQA or the granting of project approvals, including any appeals therefrom, to be resolved within 270 days of the filing of the certified record of proceedings with the court to an action or proceeding seeking judicial review of the lead agency's action related to the certified project. The bill would require the lead agency to prepare concurrently the record of proceedings with the environmental review of the certified project, as specified. Because the lead agency would be required to prepare concurrently the record of proceedings, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. If the lead agency fails to certify an EIR for the project before January 1, 2025, the bill's provisions would be repealed as of that date. (2) This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the City of Inglewood. (3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.