AB1457 - General plan: environmental justice element: disadvantaged communities.

Amended IN Senate August 18, 2026 Amended IN Senate June 04, 2026 Amended IN Assembly May 23, 2025 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 1457 Introduced by Assembly Member Bryan February 21, 2025 An act to amend Section 65302 of the Government Code, relating to land use. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1457, as amended, Bryan. General plan: environmental justice element: disadvantaged communities. The Planning and Zoning Law requires each planning agency to prepare and the legislative body of each county and city to adopt a comprehensive, long-term general plan for the physical development of the county or city, and specified land outside its boundaries, that contains specified mandatory elements, including an environmental justice element, or related goals, policies, and objectives integrated in other elements, that identifies disadvantaged communities, as defined, within the area covered by the general plan of the city, county, or city and county, if the city, county, or city and county has a disadvantaged community, as specified. The law requires a city, county, or city and county subject to these provisions to adopt or review the environmental justice element, or the environmental justice goals, policies, and objectives in other elements, upon the adoption of the next revision of two or more elements concurrently on or after January 1, 2018. This bill would require a city, county, or city and county to meaningfully involve disadvantaged communities in the development, adoption, and implementation of the environmental justice element, or the related goals, policies, and objectives integrated in other elements, using methods that are designed to effectively involve disadvantaged communities based on local conditions and circumstances, as specified. The bill would require a city, county, or city and county subject to these provisions to adopt or review the environmental justice element, or the environmental justice goals, policies, and objectives in other elements, upon the earliest of the adoption or next revision of two or more elements concurrently on or after January 1, 2018, or June 30, 2028. 2031, except as specified. By increasing the duties on local governments, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 65302 of the Government Code is amended to read: 65302. The general plan shall consist of a statement of development policies and shall include a diagram or diagrams and text setting forth objectives, principles, standards, and plan proposals. The plan shall include the following elements: (a) A land use element that designates the proposed general distribution and general location and extent of the uses of the land for housing, business, industry, open space, including agriculture, natural resources, recreation, and enjoyment of scenic beauty, education, public buildings and grounds, solid and liquid waste disposal facilities, greenways, as defined in Section 816.52 of the Civil Code, and other categories of public and private uses of land. The location and designation of the extent of the uses of the land for public and private uses shall consider the identification of land and natural resources pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (d). The land use element shall include a statement of the standards of population density and building intensity recommended for the various districts and other territory covered by the plan. The land use element shall identify and annually review those areas covered by the plan that are subject to flooding identified by flood plain mapping prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or the Department of Water Resources. The land use element shall also do both of the following: (1) Designate in a land use category that provides for timber production those parcels of real property zoned for timberland production pursuant to the California Timberland Productivity Act of 1982 (Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 51100) of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5). (2) Consider the impact of new growth on military readiness activities carried out on military bases, installations, and operating and training areas, when proposing zoning ordinances or designating land uses covered by the general plan for land, or other territory adjacent to military facilities, or underlying designated military aviation routes and airspace. (A) In determining the impact of new growth on military readiness activities, information provided by military facilities shall be considered. Cities and counties shall address military impacts based on information from the military and other sources. (B) The following definitions govern this paragraph: (i) “Military readiness activities” mean all of the following: (I) Training, support, and operations that prepare the members of the military for combat. (II) Operation, maintenance, and security of any military installation. (III) Testing of military equipment, vehicles, weapons, and sensors for proper operation or suitability for combat use. (ii) “Military installation” means a base, camp, post, station, yard, center, homeport facility for any ship, or other activity under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Defense as defined in paragraph (1) of subsection (g) of Section 2687 of Title 10 of the United States Code. (b) (1) A circulation element consisting of the general location and extent of existing and proposed major thoroughfares, transportation routes, terminals, any military airports and ports, and other local public utilities and facilities, all correlated with the land use element of the plan. (2) (A) Commencing January 1, 2011, upon any substantive revision of the circulation element, the legislative body shall modify the circulation element to plan for a balanced, multimodal transportation network that meets the needs of all users of streets, roads, and highways for safe and convenient travel in a manner that is suitable to the rural, suburban, or urban context of the general plan. (B) Upon any substantive revision of the circulation element on or after January 1, 2025, the legislative body shall do all of the following: (i) Incorporate the principles of the Federal Highway Administration’s Safe System Approach, in the circulation element by including policies that aim to eliminate fatal and serious injuries for all road users through a holistic view of the roadway system, including provisions that account for human error, recognize vulnerable road users, and promote redundant and proactive safety measures. (ii) Develop bicycle plans, pedestrian plans, and traffic calming plans based on the policies and goals in the circulation element that shall address all of the following for any urbanized area within the scope of the general plan: (I) Identify safety corridors and any land or facility that generates high concentrations of bicyclists or pedestrians. (II) Use evidence-based strategies, including strategies identified in the United States Department of Transportation’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan to develop safety measures specific to those areas that are intended to eliminate traffic fatalities, with an emphasis on fatalities of bicyclists, pedestrians, and users of any other form of micromobility device in the areas identified in subclause (I). (III) Set goals for initiation and completion of all actions identified in the plans within 25 years of the date of adoption of the modified circulation element based upon projected development activities within urbanized areas within the scope of the general plan and projected availability of revenues. (C) (i) A county or city shall begin implementation of the modified circulation element plan specified in subparagraph (B) within two years of the date of adoption of the plan. (ii) A county or city shall regularly review the progress towards and identify impediments to completing implementation of the plan for a multimodal transportation network, including all bicycle plans, pedestrian plans, and traffic calming plans iterated in the modified circulation element, and the construction of any related infrastructure. (iii) A county or city shall consider revising the circulation element if, following the review under clause (ii), the county or city determines it will not reach the goals of the bicycle, pedestrian, or traffic calming plans within 25 years of the date of adoption of the modified circulation element. (D) For the purposes of this paragraph, the following definitions shall apply: (i) “Business activity district” has the same meaning as defined in Section 22358.9 of the Vehicle Code. (ii) “Land facilities that generate high concentrations of bicyclists or pedestrians” has the same meaning as described in Section 22358.7 of the Vehicle Code. (iii) “Micromobility device” means a bicycle, electric bicycle, or motorized scooter as those terms are defined and described in Division 1 (commencing with Section 100) of the Vehicle Code. (iv) “Safety corridor” has the same meaning as defined in Section 22358.7 of the Vehicle Code. (v) “Urbanized area” has the same meaning as defined in Section 21071 of the Public Resources Code. (E) For purposes of this paragraph, “users of streets, roads, and highways” mean bicyclists, children, persons with disabilities, motorists, movers of commercial goods, pedestrians, users of public transportation, and seniors. (c) A housing element as provided in Article 10.6 (commencing with Section 65580). (d) (1) A conservation element for the conservation, development, and utilization of natural resources, including water and its hydraulic force, forests, soils, rivers and other waters, harbors, fisheries, wildlife, minerals, and other natural resources. The conservation element shall consider the effect of development within the jurisdiction, as described in the land use element, on natural resources located on public lands, including military installations. The conservation element shall consider the effect of development within the jurisdiction, as described in the land use element, on the movement of wildlife and habitat connectivity. That portion of the conservation element including waters shall be developed in coordination with any countywide water agency and with all district and city agencies, including flood management, water conservation, or groundwater agencies that have developed, served, controlled, managed, or conserved water of any type for any purpose in the county or city for which the plan is prepared. Coordination shall include the discussion and evaluation of any water supply and demand information described in Section 65352.5, if that information has been submitted by the water agency to the city or county. (2) The conservation element may also cover all of the following: (A) The reclamation of land and waters. (B) Prevention and control of the pollution of streams and other waters. (C) Regulation of the use of land in stream channels and other areas required for the accomplishment of the conservation plan. (D) Prevention, control, and correction of the erosion of soils, beaches, and shores. (E) Protection of watersheds. (F) The location, quantity, and quality of the rock, sand, and gravel resources. (3) Upon the next revision of the housing element on or after January 1, 2009, the conservation element shall identify rivers, creeks, streams, flood corridors, riparian habitats, and land that may accommodate floodwater for purposes of groundwater recharge and stormwater management. (4) Upon the adoption or next revision of one or more elements on or after January 1, 2028, the conservation element shall be updated to: (A) Identify and analyze connectivity areas, permeability, and natural landscape areas within the jurisdiction, as those terms are defined in Section 158 of the Streets and Highways Code. (B) Identify and analyze existing or planned wildlife passage features, as defined in Section 158 of the Streets and Highways Code, including, but not limited to, wildlife passage features included in the inventory of connectivity needs on the state highway system, as described in Section 158.1 of the Streets and Highways Code, to ensure that planned development does not undermine the effectiveness of existing and potential wildlife passage features, as defined in Section 158 of the Streets and Highways Code. (C) (i) Consider the impacts of development and the barriers caused by development to wildlife and habitat connectivity. (ii) For the purposes of this subparagraph, “wildlife” has the same meaning as defined in Section 89.5 of the Fish and Game Code. (D) Avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts and barriers to wildlife movement to the extent feasible. (E) Analyze and consider opportunities to remediate existing barriers to wildlife connectivity and restore degraded habitat and open space. (5) If a city, county, or city and county has already included policies in existing plans, including its certified local coastal plan, that meet the requirements of paragraph (4), the city, county, or city and county may incorporate the plan by reference into the general plan to comply with this section. (6) In preparing to update the conservation element, the city, county, or city and county may do any of the following: (A) Consider incorporating appropriate standards, policies, and feasible implementation programs such as wildlife-friendly fencing and lighting, buffers from sensitive resources, prohibitions on invasive plants, habitat connectivity overlay zones, and compact development standards, or consider whether adoption of ordinances is necessary to feasibly implement these standards, policies, and implementation programs, and include goals to adopt any necessary ordinances. (B) Consult with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, any California Native American tribe that is on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission and that has traditional lands located within the city, county, or city and county’s jurisdiction, and any open-space district that owns lands designated for conservation within the city, county, or city and county’s jurisdiction. Upon receiving a request for consultation, the department, tribe, or district may, in its sole discretion, accept or refuse to consult, based on the priority of natural resources impacted or other factors. (C) Consider relevant best available science as appropriate, including, but not limited to, peer-reviewed literature, citable publicly available datasets, publicl [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]