ELR Citation: 55 ELR 20110
No(s). 2:24-cv-00801-ODW (PVCx) (C.D. Cal. Aug 13, 2025) (Wright, J.)

A district court denied business groups' motion to preliminarily enjoin two California laws that require large businesses to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions (S.B. 253) and climate-related financial risk (S.B. 261). The groups challenged the laws on First Amendment grounds. The court found the groups did not show a likelihood of success as to their challenge to S.B. 253, given California's duel interests in providing reliable information on which to make investment decisions and in reducing emissions; nor did they show a likelihood that the state's interest in providing reliable information to investors failed intermediate scrutiny in a substantial majority of S.B. 261's applications. It further found the balance of equities did not favor the groups because enjoining the laws would delay the state from advancing the public interests for which it adopted them. The court denied the motion.