In his 2013 State of the State address delivered on January 24, 2013, Governor Jerry Brown focused on education, health care, jobs, and the interrelated areas of climate change, water, transportation and the high speed rail project. Continuing an express agenda of CEQA reform originating during his time as Oakland’s mayor, the Governor stated the following in his discussion on jobs: “We also need to rethink and streamline our regulatory procedures, particularly the California Environmental Quality Act. Our approach needs to be based on consistent standards that provide greater certainty and cut needless delays.”

Senator Michael Rubio, Senate Pro Tem President Darrell Steinberg’s recent pick to chair the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality, praised Brown’s speech in a statement issued by his office, asserting that it “certainly puts the Legislature on notice that the Governor is fully ready to tackle the tough issues still facing California – budget, water, education, regulations/CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) and many other ongoing priorities. In order for our state to fully thrive, I share the Governor’s belief that streamlining CEQA is not only necessary, but critical.”