(April 13, 2010) California Chamber of Commerce-supported legislation increasing construction jobs failed to pass a Senate committee last week.
SB 1010 (Correa; D-Santa Ana), a “job creator” bill, facilitates job creation by giving a limited number of environmentally sound development projects protection from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) lawsuits.
This benefit allows projects that have met their CEQA requirements to break ground sooner, thereby creating badly needed jobs and spurring economic growth.
SB 1010 has a specific focus only on projects certified by lead agencies as environmentally sound under California’s premier environmental law, CEQA. By maintaining the requirement that projects still comply with the strict environmental standards required under CEQA before moving forward, SB 1010 has the dual benefit of facilitating job creation while ensuring environmental integrity.
SB 1010 requires the state Business, Transportation and Housing Agency to annually select for five years a list of 25 projects that deserve protection from litigation based upon specific qualifications.
Projects are carefully selected on the basis of their expected economic value by taking into account the number and quality of jobs that will be created, the amount of capital investment involved, and a balance between public and private projects.
The result is that only projects which have mitigated their environmental impacts and that have a high potential for jobs creation and economic growth are allowed to receive the benefits of this program, which promotes a finer balance between the state’s economic and environmental priorities.
Key Vote
SB 1010 failed passage in the Senate Environmental Quality Committee on a 2-4 vote:
Ayes: Runner (R-Antelope Valley), Strickland (R-Thousand Oaks).
Noes: Simitian (D-Palo Alto), Corbett (D-San Leandro), Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), Pavley (D-Agoura Hills).
Absent/abstaining/not voting: Hancock (D-Berkeley).
The committee then granted the bill reconsideration.
Staff Contact: Robert Callahan