AB 2016 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

State Water Resources Control Board: drinking water: hexavalent chromium removal.

Summary

The California Safe Drinking Water Act provides for the operation of public water systems and imposes on the State Water Resources Control Board various duties and responsibilities for the regulation and control of drinking water in the State of California. The act requires the state board to adopt primary drinking water standards for contaminants in drinking water based upon specified criteria, and requires a primary drinking water standard to be established for hexavalent chromium. This bill would appropriate $69,425,000 from the General Fund to the board for the purpose of removing hexavalent chromium from drinking water. The bill would require the board to make specified grants to specified entities to undertake construction or planning and design of facilities to remove hexavalent chromium from drinking water.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 17, 2026 Last action Apr 27, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

02/17/26 - Introduced → 04/16/26 - Amended Assembly · 6 edits · Apr 16, 2026

MODERATE

AB 2016 was substantially expanded in the Assembly amendment to add a $69,425,000 General Fund appropriation for hexavalent chromium removal from drinking water across nine specified water districts and cities, while retaining the original purpose of eliminating income caps and dollar limits on military retirement pay tax exclusions. The bill now requires a two-thirds vote due to the new appropriation.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded significantly from a single-subject tax exclusion amendment to a dual-purpose bill that also appropriates state funds for water infrastructure. It now covers both the Revenue and Taxation Code (military retirement pay exclusions) and the Health and Safety Code (drinking water contamination remediation).

FISCAL

Added Section 116365.7 to the Health and Safety Code appropriating $69,425,000 from the General Fund to the State Water Resources Control Board for hexavalent chromium removal from drinking water.

REQUIREMENT

Requires the State Water Resources Control Board to make specific grants to nine entities: Coachella Valley Water District ($9.3M), Mission Springs Water District ($10M), Indio Water Authority ($3M), City of Watsonville ($2M), Sunnyslope County Water District ($2M), Soquel Creek Water District ($18M), City of Los Banos ($4M), City of Coachella ($20M), and City of Banning ($1.125M).

ELIGIBILITY

Removed the 'qualified taxpayer' definition that limited the military retirement pay exclusion to taxpayers with adjusted gross income of $250,000 or less (joint filers) or $125,000 or less (other individuals). The exclusion now applies to any taxpayer.

Removed the $20,000 annual cap on retirement pay eligible for exclusion from gross income under Section 17132.9.

Removed the 'qualified taxpayer' definition and $20,000 cap from the Survivor Benefit Plan annuity exclusion under Section 17132.10, making it available to any taxpayer.

ENFORCEMENT

Vote requirement changed from simple majority to two-thirds majority, and appropriation status changed from 'no' to 'yes,' reflecting the new General Fund spending.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

lower

Apr 20, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on E.S & T.M. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.

lower

Apr 20, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.

lower

Apr 16, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on REV. & TAX. Read second time and amended.

lower

Apr 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

lower

Mar 2, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.

lower

Feb 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 20.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors