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Water, Parks and Wildlife

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Members · 13

Legislation

Recent bills · 5

signed · California · Senate Jul 13, 2026

SB 1139: Monterey Peninsula Water Management District: nonfunctional turf: noncompliance and enforcement.

The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District Law establishes the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District. The act authorizes the district to, among other things, prohibit the use of district water during an emergency caused by drought, or other threatened or existing water shortage, for specific uses that the district finds to be nonessential. Existing law prohibits the use of potable water for the irrigation of nonfunctional turf located on commercial, industrial, and institutional properties, other than a cemetery, and on properties of homeowners' associations, common interest developments, and community service organizations or similar entities, as specified. Existing law requires a person or entity to be subject to civil liability or penalties by the State Water Resources Control Board, as prescribed, or to civil liability and penalties imposed by an urban water supplier, pursuant to a locally adopted ordinance or policy. Existing law authorizes a public water system, city, county, or city and county to enforce the provisions relating to the prohibition, as specified. This bill would require a person or entity to be subject to civil liability or penalties imposed by the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District pursuant to a locally adopted ordinance or policy. The bill would authorize the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District to enforce the provisions relating to the prohibition, as specified. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District.
in committee · California · House Apr 22, 2026

AB 1972: Water right permits and licenses: annual fee: exemption.

Existing law requires each person or entity who holds a permit or license to appropriate water, leases water pursuant to specified provisions of law, or files a specified application, registration, or petition to pay a fee according to a fee schedule established by the State Water Resources Control Board. This bill would require the board to exempt a person who holds a water right permit or license from paying the annual fee pursuant to a specified regulation for a pond with 20 acre-feet or less of water.
in committee · California · House Apr 13, 2026

AB 2356: State parks: Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation: Tolowa Dunes State Park.

Existing law authorizes the Director of General Services to execute grants to real property belonging to the state in the name and upon behalf of the state, whenever the sale or exchange of real property is authorized or contemplated by law, if no other state agency is specifically authorized and directed to execute the grants. Existing law finds and declares that California's state parks are a true reflection of the state's collective history, natural and cultural heritage, and ideals. Existing law requires the Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation to promote and regulate the use of the state park system in a manner that conserves the scenery, natural and historic resources, and wildlife in the individual units of the system for the enjoyment of future generations. Existing law authorizes the director to transfer specified park property to specified entities, as provided. This bill would require the Department of General Services to grant to the Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation, subject to specified conditions, all of the rights, title, and interest of the state in the land it owns within the Tolowa Dunes State Park, consisting of 3 parcels totaling approximately 4,301 acres. The bill would exempt that land from property taxation. By imposing additional duties on locals in the administration of this exemption, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations related to a gift of public funds. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above. Existing law requires the state to reimburse local agencies annually for certain property tax revenues lost as a result of any exemption or classification of property for purposes of ad valorem property taxation. This bill would provide that, notwithstanding those provisions, no appropriation is made and the state shall not reimburse local agencies for property tax revenues lost by them pursuant to the bill.
in committee · California · House Apr 6, 2026

AB 2132: California Environmental Quality Act: exemption: groundwater recharge project.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a lead agency, as defined, to prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify the completion of an environmental impact report on a project that it proposes to carry out or approve that may have a significant effect on the environment or to adopt a negative declaration if it finds that the project will not have that effect. CEQA also requires a lead agency to prepare a mitigated negative declaration for a project that may have a significant effect on the environment if revisions in the project would avoid or mitigate that effect and there is no substantial evidence that the project, as revised, would have a significant effect on the environment. Existing law, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, requires all groundwater basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins by the Department of Water Resources to be managed under a groundwater sustainability plan or coordinated groundwater plans, except as specified. Existing law requires a groundwater sustainability plan to include various information relating to subsidence, as applicable. This bill would exempt from the requirements of CEQA a groundwater recharge project if the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency determines the project would address subsidence. Because a lead agency would be required to determine whether a project qualifies for this exemption, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
passed both · California · House Mar 9, 2026

AB 568: Tule East Groundwater Sustainability Agency Act.

Existing law, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, requires all groundwater basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins by the Department of Water Resources to be managed under a groundwater sustainability plan or coordinated groundwater sustainability plans, except as specified. The act authorizes any local agency or combination of local agencies overlying a groundwater basin to decide to become a groundwater sustainability agency for that basin. The act deems certain agencies created by statute to manage groundwater the exclusive local agencies within their respective statutory boundaries with powers to comply with the act and authorizes these agencies to opt out of being the exclusive groundwater management agency. This bill would create the Tule East Groundwater Sustainability Agency and would establish the agency's initial boundaries. The bill would authorize the boundaries of the agency to be adjusted, as specified. The bill would require the agency to elect to be a groundwater sustainability agency under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act for that portion of the Tule Subbasin that lies within the boundaries of the agency and would require the agency to develop and implement a groundwater sustainability plan to achieve sustainable groundwater management within the territory of the agency. The bill would generally specify the powers and purposes of the agency. The bill would prescribe the composition of the 5-member board of directors of the agency and would require members and alternates to be chosen, as specified. By imposing duties on the agency and the County of Tulare, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would deem the Tule East Groundwater Sustainability Agency the exclusive local agency with powers to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Tule Subbasin. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.