State Policies
Senate Bill 743
Passed in 2013 and effective 2020, SB 743 achieved a monumental change in planning policy by updating the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the law establishing guidelines for assessing the environmental impact of new development projects. SB 743 mandated a change in how a project’s transportation impact on the environment is measured under CEQA. Instead of using a metric measuring time delay caused by traffic congestion, cities now must use the amount of driving (measured by vehicle miles traveled, or VMT).
Shifting the goal from managing traffic congestion to reducing the overall amount of driving will more effectively mitigate a project’s environmental impact. SB 743 aims to create communities in which Californians drive less while aligning planning practices with state climate change policies. It has tremendous potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion, encourage multi-modal transportation networks, and result in more efficient land use by supporting infill development and mixed-use properties.
Senate Bill 288
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for quick economic recovery, SB 288 exempts sustainable transportation projects such as bus rapid transit, bicycle lanes, and zero emission vehicle charging infrastructure from CEQA review beginning January 2021. The environmental review process often delays implementation of much-needed transportation infrastructure projects that support sustainable transportation modes. SB 288 aims to remove barriers that burden transportation projects while generating job opportunities to work on transit, bike, and pedestrian projects.
In 2022, the Legislature and Governor extended the exemption provided by SB 288 through 2029 (SB 922, Wiener). Assembly Bill 2503 (Lee, 2024) expanded the exemption to include zero-emission rail projects. In January 2025, Senator Wiener introduced SB 71, which would remove the SB 922 sunset date to make this law permanent.
California’s Parking Cash-Out Law
Some employers who subsidize their employees’ parking are required by state law to provide cash back to employees who forgo a parking space. The parking cash-out program is an effective trip reduction strategy that encourages employees to commute by transit, bicycle, walking, or carpooling, instead of driving alone. For more information about this law, click here.
Vision Zero is an initiative adopted by forward-thinking communities across the United States and globally as a direct response to the traffic-related tragedies occurring on our public streets. Originally introduced in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision Zero policies have been introduced in American cities to reduce traffic fatalities and severe injuries, thereby creating safe, healthy, and equitable communities. For more information about Vision Zero, check out this 
