The state Assembly gave final approval to the California Dream Act today, sending the controversial legislation to the governor’s desk for its anticipated signing. The Dream Act, Assembly Bill 131, by Assemblyman Gilbert Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, makes illegal immigrant college students eligible for publicly funded financial aid.

Gov. Jerry Brown already has signed related legislation and has signaled he will sign AB 131.

In other news as the Legislature continues working in the chaotic final days of the legislative session, Assembly Speaker John A. Perez and State Sen. Alex Padilla, both Los Angeles Democrats, announced they are heading up legislation to expedite legal challenges of a proposed downtown Los Angeles NFL football stadium.

The $1.2 billion project being pushed by Anschutz Entertainment Group is being called the most environmentally friendly stadium in the nation. However, despite its supposed environmental cred, AEG is concerned that environmental lawsuits will hold up the project.

Enter the Perez-Padilla legislation, which would allow environmental challenges to the project to be heard immediately by the California Court of Appeals, which would then be required to come to a ruling within 175 days. This six-month process would represent a significantly faster judicial review than what’s currently permitted under the law.

It remains unclear, however, whether the governor will support this legislation, which affects only one project, or will prefer more fundamental reforms.

The Legislature approved three other bills of note, all of which are now headed to the governor’s desk:

AB 353, also by Cedillo, which prevents unlicensed drivers from having their cars impounded if they’re stopped a sobriety checkpoint. California Watch‘s Ryan Gabrielson revealed in 2010 that DUI checkpoints are used increasingly to generate revenue from impounding cars — cars that are predominately taken from minority motorists, including illegal immigrants.

AB 135, by Orange County Assemblyman Curt Hagman, R-Chino Hills, which requires that at least one of the 11 members of the California Air Resources Board be a small business owner. Republicans have long criticized the board for taking costly actions against small businesses.

Senate Bill 746, by State Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, which prevents Californians under the age of 18 from using tanning beds.

The Legislature concludes its session on Sept. 9.