Brown Surprises Top Democrat

Sacramento, CA – The Associated Press reports that Governor Jerry Brown sees little support from the state legislature for a proposed bill that would limit the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The AP says that Brown’s comments surprised a top Democratic lawmaker.

Governor Brown was speaking to reporters while traveling in China when the subject of CEQA came up. He said that interest in changing CEQA is stronger among groups outside the state Capitol than among Democratic lawmakers. Brown also says CEQA has support from key Democratic Party constituencies and making changes would be difficult and not done in one year.

The AP reports Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg was surprised by Brown’s comments. Steinberg chairs the Senate Rules Committee and is the highest-ranking member of the California State Senate. He also authored one of two bills, both proposed in February 2013, to reform CEQA. Steinberg’s bill (SB 731) is called the Sustainable Communities Strategy.

Also proposed was Senate Bill 787 re-introduced by Local District 14 Republican State Senator Tom Berryhill that he argues will bring common-sense and fairness to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)”. Click here for an earlier story on Berryhill’s bill.