Legislation that streamlines the process for the Oakland A’s to receive permits needed for a proposed A’s ballpark at the Port of Oakland’s Howard Terminal was approved Thursday in an unanimous vote in the state Capitol, moving the project a step forward.

Lawmakers voted Thursday to approve AB1191 by 57-0. The legislation gives the State Lands Commission — which manages 4 million acres of tidelands and submerged lands — the authority to decide whether the ballpark at the Port of Oakland is an appropriate use of the land. The bill, introduced by Assemblyman Rob Bonta, D-Alameda, is now headed to the governor’s desk.

Use of the property at Howard Terminal must be consistent with maritime or water-dependent commerce, navigation and fisheries, according to the legislation. The legislation also allows the commission to make changes to the proposed housing and commercial components of the project, Bonta said previously.

Bonta tweeted after the vote that the legislation paves the way for the A’s to achieve a privately-funded stadium at Howard Terminal, “all at high environmental standards!”

Dave Kaval, the president of the A’s, said the team is grateful that both houses of the State Legislature have voted to advance the project.

“We greatly appreciate the efforts of Assemblyman Rob Bonta as well as the supporters of AB 1191, and respectfully urge Governor Newsom to sign this bill, as well as Senator Nancy Skinner's SB 293, into law,” he said. “We still have much work to do in this process, but passage of this legislation, following the passage of AB 734 in 2018, represents a big moment for Oakland.”

AB734 requires that any complaints about the project at that site be resolved within 270 days.

Last week, SB293, introduced by State Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, was approved in a 33-2 vote. The legislation creates a process for financing infrastructure improvements — roads, walkways, electrical and sewer lines — near the new ballpark site.

Opponents of the new ballpark criticized the legislature and said the A’s for asking for “special rules” that only apply to the Howard Terminal project.

“AB 1191 creates special processes and standards which apply only to the A's project at Howard Terminal,” said Mike Jacob, the vice president and general counsel for the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, which represents ocean carriers and marine terminal operators at the Port of Oakland. “If they intended to follow the current laws which govern the process for reviewing and approving projects at the State Lands Commission and Bay Conservation and Development Commission then they wouldn’t need to ask for a bill to change those review and approval standards.”

The next step is the completion of the environmental impact report, which is expected to be done by the end of the year. It will then be presented to the City Council and the port commission by early 2020. Once the project receives all the necessary approvals, the A’s will be able to lease the port property for $3.8 million per year for the first 20 years of a 66-year lease. After 20 years, the rent could increase.

If the project receives all the necessary approvals, the A’s could have a new stadium by spring 2023 featuring 35,000 seats, along with nearby housing and commercial developments, on a 50-acre site at the Oakland Estuary near Jack London Square. Groundbreaking could come as early as 2021.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani