CA SB539

Expands hardship assistance eligibility for school facility health and safety projects to include those damaged by wildfires, floods, or other Governor-proclaimed emergencies, in addition to seismic events

Authorizes school districts to use any existing project delivery method to support concurrent coordination and approval by the State Department of Education, State Architect, and State Allocation Board for expedited permitting and construction

Permits state agencies and school districts to use machine learning to automate nondiscretionary aspects of permitting processes and prepare required documents

Requires the Department of Education, Division of the State Architect, Office of Public School Construction, and State Allocation Board to collaborate with the Government Operations Agency every 5 years starting July 1, 2026, to review and improve school design and construction processes

Mandates a report to the Legislature by December 1, 2026 (and every 5 years after) identifying process improvements, including specific review timeframes for the Division of the State Architect and alternative project delivery methods for emergency school reconstruction