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Business and conservation groups oppose exempting SB 253 and SB 261 rulemaking from SREA and CEQA
Summary
A coalition of business associations, property owners, and conservation groups urged the subcommittee to reject budget‑trailer language that would exempt SB 253 and SB 261 rulemaking from standardized regulatory impact analysis (SREA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Business groups, building owner associations and environmental advocates told the committee that proposed trailer‑bill language exempting SB 253 and SB 261 rulemaking from the standardized regulatory impact analysis (SREA) and CEQA would remove important transparency and impact analysis protections.
John Kendrick, speaking for the California Chamber of Commerce, said: "If you're gonna look at SB 253 and SB 261 as being about transparency and accountability, the rulemaking should be transparent and accountable as well." He read prior assessments concluding SREA increases the consistency and quality of agency analyses and surfaces confusion in proposed regulations.
Speakers representing the California Business Properties Association, Building Owners and Managers Association of California, and the California Retailers Association echoed that economic and environmental review are necessary for major regulations that impose costs on businesses and consumers. Several manufacturing and trade groups also voiced opposition.
Conservation groups and coastal and fisheries advocates supported returning water quality plan and Delta conveyance provisions to the policy process rather than embedding them as budget trailer bills.
Why it matters Exempting major rulemaking from SREA or CEQA could reduce the structured financial and environmental analysis available to the public and regulated community, speakers warned, potentially obscuring compliance costs and secondary impacts on other state agencies.
What the record shows - The California Chamber of Commerce, California Retailers Association, California Business Properties Association, and other trade groups urged rejection of the proposed SREA/CEQA exemptions. - Property owners and logistics interests said the lack of economic analysis would affect major sectors of the state economy. - Several environmental and coastal groups supported policy review rather than inclusion within the budget trailer language.
Next steps The subcommittee rejected the trailer‑bill action on Delta Conveyance and moved other items forward; the fate of any SREA/CEQA exemption language depends on subsequent budget negotiations and policy committee review.
