Assembly Member Jeff Gonzalez's groundwater management legislation clarifies the authority of local agencies to modify their coordination agreements after state review of their sustainability plans. The measure amends California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, which requires agencies overseeing high- and medium-priority basins to develop and implement groundwater sustainability plans.
Under current law, when multiple agencies manage different portions of a groundwater basin, they must jointly submit their sustainability plans along with coordination agreements detailing how they will work together. The Department of Water Resources then evaluates these submissions within two years and issues an assessment. The new legislation explicitly states that agencies may amend their coordination agreements after receiving the department's assessment, addressing uncertainty about whether such modifications were permitted under existing statute.
The measure maintains all current requirements for plan development, submission, and review while adding flexibility for agencies to adjust their collaborative approaches based on the department's feedback or changing basin conditions. This procedural clarification comes without new funding requirements or expanded regulatory obligations for either local agencies or state reviewers.
![]() Anna CaballeroD Senator | Floor Vote | Not Contacted | |
![]() Roger NielloR Senator | Floor Vote | Not Contacted | |
![]() Tony StricklandR Senator | Floor Vote | Not Contacted | |
![]() Shannon GroveR Senator | Floor Vote | Not Contacted | |
![]() Brian JonesR Senator | Floor Vote | Not Contacted |
Bill Number | Title | Introduced Date | Status | Link to Bill |
---|---|---|---|---|
AB-293 | Groundwater sustainability agency: transparency. | January 2025 | Engrossed | |
AB-2799 | Sustainable groundwater management: small farms: fees. | February 2024 | Failed | |
AB-828 | Sustainable groundwater management: managed wetlands. | February 2023 | Vetoed | |
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. | February 2022 | Failed | ||
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act: groundwater sustainability plans. | February 2022 | Failed | ||
Sustainable groundwater management: groundwater sustainability plan. | February 2021 | Failed | ||
Groundwater sustainability agency: financial authority. | February 2020 | Failed | ||
Sustainable groundwater management. | February 2020 | Failed | ||
Sustainable groundwater management: groundwater sustainability agencies. | February 2017 | Failed | ||
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. | February 2017 | Failed |
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Assembly Member Jeff Gonzalez's groundwater management legislation clarifies the authority of local agencies to modify their coordination agreements after state review of their sustainability plans. The measure amends California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, which requires agencies overseeing high- and medium-priority basins to develop and implement groundwater sustainability plans.
Under current law, when multiple agencies manage different portions of a groundwater basin, they must jointly submit their sustainability plans along with coordination agreements detailing how they will work together. The Department of Water Resources then evaluates these submissions within two years and issues an assessment. The new legislation explicitly states that agencies may amend their coordination agreements after receiving the department's assessment, addressing uncertainty about whether such modifications were permitted under existing statute.
The measure maintains all current requirements for plan development, submission, and review while adding flexibility for agencies to adjust their collaborative approaches based on the department's feedback or changing basin conditions. This procedural clarification comes without new funding requirements or expanded regulatory obligations for either local agencies or state reviewers.
Ayes | Noes | NVR | Total | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | PASS |
![]() Anna CaballeroD Senator | Floor Vote | Not Contacted | |
![]() Roger NielloR Senator | Floor Vote | Not Contacted | |
![]() Tony StricklandR Senator | Floor Vote | Not Contacted | |
![]() Shannon GroveR Senator | Floor Vote | Not Contacted | |
![]() Brian JonesR Senator | Floor Vote | Not Contacted |
Bill Number | Title | Introduced Date | Status | Link to Bill |
---|---|---|---|---|
AB-293 | Groundwater sustainability agency: transparency. | January 2025 | Engrossed | |
AB-2799 | Sustainable groundwater management: small farms: fees. | February 2024 | Failed | |
AB-828 | Sustainable groundwater management: managed wetlands. | February 2023 | Vetoed | |
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. | February 2022 | Failed | ||
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act: groundwater sustainability plans. | February 2022 | Failed | ||
Sustainable groundwater management: groundwater sustainability plan. | February 2021 | Failed | ||
Groundwater sustainability agency: financial authority. | February 2020 | Failed | ||
Sustainable groundwater management. | February 2020 | Failed | ||
Sustainable groundwater management: groundwater sustainability agencies. | February 2017 | Failed | ||
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. | February 2017 | Failed |