Building For Abundance: The CEQA Reforms Behind AB 130 And SB 131

On June 30, 2025, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 130 (“AB 130”) and Senate Bill 131 (“SB 131”) into law, making the most significant changes to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) in decades. Together, AB 130 and SB 131 represent an ambitious effort to reform and modernize CEQA in service of Governor Newsom’s “Abundance Agenda,” focused on accelerating the construction of housing, transportation, and key infrastructure that the state desperately needs. The passage of these bills marks a significant milestone on the road to CEQA reform, which has been described by former Governor Jerry Brown as “doing the Lord’s work” due to its political difficulty. The CEQA reforms included in these two bills reflect the state’s growing recognition that existing environmental laws and procedures, while well-intentioned, have in practice often delayed or obstructed projects that align with California’s environmental goals.