Natural Resources & Water

Creates a temporary exemption from lake and streambed rules for small repairs in Sutter County damaged 2022–2024. Requires a 14-day written notification to the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Mandates a biological survey and consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Expires January 1, 2027 and excludes the state highway system.

Establishes a narrow dam-safety exemption for Kern County energy storage water facilities. Requires height up to 25 feet and storage up to 1,500 acre-feet with engineering supervision. Requires lead agency CEQA approval and state regulatory approvals for those facilities.

Establishes a temporary framework to take mute swans like other nongame birds through 2031. Encourages reporting when mute swans are taken and requires enforcement data. Extends landowner and lessee exemptions to take mute swans on their land without a license. Maintains existing licensing for other nongame birds and relies on current enforcement.

Establishes a public hearing for hydroelectric certification to ensure public input. Requires the board not to delegate if a hearing is requested. Authorizes fees to cover hearing and certification costs. Allows early certification to avoid waiver, with later revision after review.

Establishes a de minimis path to speed minor university plan amendments. Sets a 10 working days deadline for de minimis decisions and allows three-member objections to trigger a hearing. Prioritizes active and public transport over parking and defers housing parking determinations to universities. Requires monthly public posting of plans and amendments on the Coastal Commission site.

Streamlines the state park property acquisition process by allowing transactions under $1 million without state approval. Requires public meetings and notifications before acquiring park property valued over $500,000. Transfers property appraisal authority from General Services to Parks and Recreation Department. Sunsets key provisions in 2033 and requires detailed legislative reports on property transactions.

Requires basin-wide submission only after the entire basin is covered by GSPs. Requires joint submission of all GSPs and the basin-wide coordination agreement. Provides a 60-day public comment period after posting and a two-year department assessment window. Preserves immediate GSP implementation and allows amendments after assessment, with no penalties.

Maintains prohibition on issuing new gill/trammel net permits; renewals only. Allows pre-2027 transfers to any qualified holder with a 15/20-year harvest history. Restricts post-2027 transfers to a one-time family member transfer and nontransferable. Requires regulations to define family member, transfer steps, proof of 15-year history, and fees.

Authorizes cities to delegate western Joshua tree taking for commercial and industrial projects. Limits in-lieu fees for commercial and industrial projects. Removes dead/live tree distinction and permits removal or trimming of any western Joshua tree. Authorizes enforcement via suspension and requires annual local population assessments.

Expands metal theft laws to cover more public infrastructure items. Requires detailed records with time, amount paid, and the employee handling. Adds expanded ID options and a signed ownership/source statement. Raises penalties to up to $5,000 and adds a law enforcement notification duty.

Requires updating forecasting models to address climate change and publish readiness criteria. Requires annual progress and operating-rationale reports to the Legislature and posted online. Sunsets the reporting requirements on Jan 1, 2032 and requires no new appropriation.

Allows minor-quantity groundwater claimants to be treated separately instead of exemption. Establishes SGMA-based case management and requires groundwater sustainability agencies to provide technical reports. Creates a presumption of accuracy for small claims and requires crop and acreage data. Permits interim payments for groundwater sustainability agency reports and makes the reports prima facie evidence.

Requires data centers to provide water-use estimates to water suppliers before licensing. Requires self-certification that the water-use estimate was shared, under penalty of perjury. Authorizes tiered data-center standards by Water Resources as part of efficiency rules.

Extends Habitat Conservation Fund transfers through 2035 with preserved agency allocations. Maintains a $30 million General Fund transfer, offset by non-General Fund accounts. Allocates funds to DPR, the State Coastal Conservancy, SMMC, Tahoe Conservancy, and WCB. Sets admin cap, 24-month pacing, 1/3-2/3 split, and up to 2M to other agencies.

Extends emergency rules for Scott and Shasta rivers to 2031 or until permanent flows. Requires annual updates on progress to permanent flow rules with public comment. Maintains penalties for violations and creates a funding path to the Water Rights Fund. Clarifies emergency definition to cover end-user conservation and reporting only.

Establishes a temporary carve-out allowing DPR to acquire park land without SBWB oversight through 2033. Requires appraisals at fair market value, public notice, and DGS review before acquisitions. Requires reports in 2028, 2030, and 2032 detailing use of the authority. Sets activation rules: both AB 679 and SB 630 must pass, with AB 679 enacted last.

Lifts public trust restrictions on after-acquired lands at Jack London Square until 2066. Authorizes nontrust leases only if revenues fund trust uses, protect access, end by 2066. Requires findings at public meetings for each lease and annual reports to the commission. Resumes trust restrictions on Feb 2, 2066 and reinstates the Stipulated Judgment.

Makes technical changes to update terms and repeal obsolete laws.

Requires Ventura water suppliers to ensure 24 hours of backup power or water for fire suppression. Sets a 2030 deadline for backup readiness with a 2033 extension if not delivered. Sets 2027 minimum fire-safety standards and annual inspections. Mandates emergency plans, three-day notices, and post-event reporting; agency coordination.

Establishes the PFAS Mitigation Fund and Program under SWRCB, subject to appropriation. Provides grants, loans, or contracts to water and sewer providers for PFAS treatment. Operative only with appropriation; guidelines include funding criteria and two workshops plus a 5% admin cap.

Reforms district governance by consolidating officer roles and pay. Raises voter consent threshold for land conveyance to 50-year leases. Authorizes 99-year leases without voter consent for two districts. Permits exchanges up to 80 acres with a 2/3 board vote.

Requires urban level flood protection for developments in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley by 2030. Specifies Natomas, Beach Lake, and Marysville areas for the 2030 deadline. Authorizes requiring a fair share of flood-damage costs until protection is achieved. Requires findings based on substantial evidence before approving flood-zone development or maps.

Establishes a broadened California Water Plan with climate-resilient targets. Expands advisory committee to include tribes, labor, and environmental justice. Requires public workshops, preliminary drafts, and open meetings. Defines a 2040 interim target of 9 million acre-feet via storage, conservation, or reuse.

Establishes a California Migratory Bird Protection Act banning taking migratory birds. Aligns California bans with MBTA rules for pre- and post-2025 designations. Creates an immediate-effect criminal offense for unlawful take or possession. Declares no reimbursement for local agencies despite potential costs.

Expands the use of recycled water for toilet flushing and irrigation in food facilities and public spaces. Permits incidental spray from recycled water irrigation to enter outdoor eating areas in parks. Exempts decorative water features from discharge rules when using recycled water to restore storm losses. Requires engineering reports and safety measures for recycled water systems in buildings.