42652.9.
(a) At the time of the first revision after January 1, 2025, to the regulations adopted pursuant to Section 42652.5 for purposes that are unrelated to this section, the department shall also revise those regulations to require the department, when it reviews and evaluates a waiver application that is submitted by a local jurisdiction to the department pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) or paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 18984.12 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, as that section read on January 1, 2024, to consider, in addition to census tracts, the following alternatives to those census tracts when deciding the geographic boundaries of those waivers:(1) Boundaries submitted by counties, cities, or other public agencies.
(2) Boundaries of incorporated cities.
(3) Boundaries of census-designated places.
(b) The department shall not consider the alternatives to census tracts when it reviews and evaluates a waiver application, as described in subdivision (a), until it adopts revised regulations pursuant to subdivision (a).