Water Bill Updates
AB 263 (Chris Rogers, D-Santa Rosa) – Legislature Passes Scott and Shasta Instream Flow Bill
This bill codifies an instream flow emergency regulation for the Scott and Shasta rivers for five years or until the State Water Board develops a permanent instream flow rule. Although the Governor’s Office did not push for the bill, its passage would allow them to lift the drought declaration that has been in place for Klamath Basin and Siskiyou County since 2021. Assembly Bill 263 passed the Legislature and heads to the governor. Farm Bureau opposes.
AB 639 (Esmerelda Soria, D-Merced) – Legislature Passes Bill Reclassifying Some Dams as Weirs
This bill recategorizes certain small impoundments in the Kings River area as "weirs" instead of "dams" for the purpose of easing flood regulations. Assembly Bill 639 passed the Legislature and heads to the governor for final approval. Farm Bureau supports.
AB 929 (Damon Connolly, D-Marin) – SGMA Exemption Bill Placed in Inactive File
This bill exempts small community water systems serving disadvantaged communities and privately managed wetlands from fees or allocations imposed by a groundwater sustainability agency. Assembly Bill 929 was held in the state Senate and placed in the inactive file. A similar bill, AB 828, was vetoed last year by the governor, and we understand that his office signaled another veto was likely. Farm Bureau opposes.
One Groundwater Adjudication Bill Advances While Another Stalls
Assembly Bill 1413 (Diane Papan, D-San Mateo), was held in the state Senate and placed in the inactive file. This bill requires courts in a groundwater adjudication to base their decisions on a groundwater basin's sustainable yield—the amount of groundwater they can pump without depleting the aquifer—as determined by the groundwater sustainability agency. The bill split many members of the water community. Farm Bureau opposes.
AB 1466 (Gregg Hart, D-Santa Barbara) passed on the state Senate and heads to the governor. This bill provides alternative methods for determining groundwater rights of small pumpers—defined as those who pump less than 100 acre feet a year—and establishes streamlined processes form them to participate in a comprehensive adjudication. Farm Bureau was originally opposed to this bill, but worked with the author to improve it so we could support it.
SB 72 (Anna Caballero, D-Merced) – Legislature Passes California Water Plan Bill
This bill requires the California Department of Water Resources to add new analyses and storage targets to the California Water Plan Update. A similar bill from this author passed last year and was vetoed by the governor due to increased state costs. The sponsors and authors of Senate Bill 72 believe those issues have been resolved. The bill passed the Assembly and heads to the governor. Farm Bureau supports.
SB 697 (John Laird, D-Santa Cruz) – Legislature Passes Bill Expanding Data Sources Used in General Stream Adjudications
This bill allows the State Water Board to use multiple sources of data or information to determine water rights in a general stream adjudication. The author’s office reached out to Farm Bureau before the bill was introduced to resolve any potential concerns we had with it. The author made several changes at Farm Bureau’s request, including adequate notifications to landowners and preserving a water rights claimant’s ability to request a field investigation. Senate Bill 697 passed the Assembly and heads to the governor’s desk. Farm Bureau is neutral.
Several Water Bills Remain in Limbo at End of Session
Assembly Bill 295 (Alexandra Macedo, R-Porterville) was held in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee in early 2025 and is now a two-year bill. It streamlines CEQA for water storage, water conveyance and groundwater recharge projects under the Environmental Leadership Act of 2021. Farm Bureau supports.
AB 362 (James Ramos, D-Highland) was held in the Assembly. It requires the State Water Board to adopt tribal beneficial uses of water in all water quality control plans and exempts them from CEQA. Farm Bureau opposes.
AB 430 (Juan Alanis, R-Modesto) was held in the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee and is now a two-year bill. This bill requires the State Water Board to produce an analysis of economic and environmental impacts of non-fee emergency orders within six months of an order's rescission. Farm Bureau sponsored this bill, and it had support from other major water and agricultural groups.
AB 717 (Cecila Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters) was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee and is now a two-year bill. It adds "small restoration use" to diversion types permitted under the Water Rights Permitting Reform Act of 1988. This bill is sponsored by the California Association of Winegrape Growers and California Trout, and Farm Bureau supports it.
AB 1146 (Diane Papan, D-San Mateo) was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now a two-year bill. It prohibits federal agencies from releasing water from dams "under false pretenses" and gives the State Water Board authority to issue related orders and fines. This bill had broad opposition from water and ag groups, most of whom went to a “neutral” position after the worst elements of the bill were removed. The remaining bill provisions are likely unconstitutional. Farm Bureau is officially neutral.
SB 599 (Anna Caballero, D-Merced**)** was held in the Assembly and placed in the inactive file. This bill requires the California Department of Water Resources to use experimental tools that produce seasonal and subseasonal atmospheric river forecasts. Farm Bureau supports.
SB 601 (Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica) was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee and is now a two-year bill. It requires the State Water Board to develop a new permitting regime for "nexus waters," a new classification of wetland or water body. Farm Bureau strongly opposes.
Staff Contact: Alexandra Biering, abiering@cfbf.com
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