AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 28, 2026

AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 23, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

97

Introduced by Senator Caballero

February 18, 2026

An act to add Part 4.9 (commencing with Section 71385) to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, relating to solar energy.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law establishes the California Environmental Protection Agency to enhance the state’s protection of the environment. Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation in state government in the Governor’s office to serve the Governor and Governor’s Cabinet as staff for long-range planning and research, and constitute the comprehensive state planning agency.

Existing law provides state goals for the installation of solar energy systems through, among other programs, the California Solar Initiative.

This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2029, and upon appropriation by the Legislature, the agency Office of Land Use and Climate Change to complete a study on the impacts of large-scale solar on the land use planning, the environment, and the economy of the central valley Central Valley region. The bill would require the agency, Office of Land Use and Climate Change, in conducting the study, to consult interested parties, as specified. The bill would require the study to include an analysis of the impacts of large-scale solar on regional land use planning, the regional environment, and the regional economy. The bill would require the study to include recommendations on how to mitigate impacts of large-scale solar through changes to existing or the adoption of new state, regional, and local policy, as provided.

This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the central valley Central Valley region.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Part 4.9 (commencing with Section 71385) is added to Division 34 of the Public Resources Code, to read:

Part 4.9. Central Valley Industrial Solar Study

71385.

(a) (1) On or before January 1, 2029, the California Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Land Use and Climate Change, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall complete a study on the impacts of large-scale solar on the land use planning, the environment, and the economy of the central valley Central Valley region.

(2) The study shall be posted, upon completion, on the internet website of the California Environmental Protection Agency Office of Land Use and Climate Change and submitted to the Legislature, pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(b) In conducting the study required by this section, the California Environmental Protection Agency Office of Land Use and Climate Change shall consult interested parties, including, but not limited to, all of the following entities:

(1) Relevant state agencies.

(2) Relevant local agencies.

(3) Industry organizations, including solar and agricultural organizations.

(4) Nongovernmental organizations and community groups focused on the environment or land use.

(c) The study required by this section shall include both of the following:

(1) An analysis of the impacts of large-scale solar on each of the following:

(A) Regional land use planning, including, but not limited to, impacts on alternative land uses, such as housing and agriculture, and impacts once the large-scale solar is out of use.

(B) The regional environment, including, but not limited to, impacts on air quality, water quality, wildlife, habitat, and open space.

(C) The regional economy, including impacts on employment, wages, high road jobs, affordability, and economic growth in comparison to other land uses.

(2) Recommendations to mitigate impacts of large-scale solar, other than mitigation through the California Environmental Protection Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000)), that include all of the following:

(A) Changes to existing or adoption of new state, regional, and local policies, including, but not limited to, each of the following:

(i) Regional land use planning policies, including policies to mitigate impacts once large-scale solar is out of use.

(ii) Regional environmental policies.

(iii) Regional economic policies, including policies to mitigate impacts on employment wages, high road jobs, affordability, and economic growth.

(B) Locations The identification of locations in the region for large-scale solar that most exceed the benefits of alternative land uses. other land uses that are not large-scale solar.

(C) Community benefit programs for large-scale solar, including the potential for a standardized community benefits framework at the regional level.

SEC. 2.

The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the unique circumstances in the central valley, Central Valley, which contains a significant amount of the state’s industrial solar that is planned or constructed.