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Legislative Update Richard Markuson ASCE Region 9 Legislative Advocate |
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By Richard Markuson
ASCE Region 9 Legislative Advocate
Important Dates:
- May 2 – Last day for policy committees to hear and report to fiscal committees fiscal bills introduced in their house
- June 6 – Last day for each house to pass bills introduced in that house
- June 15 – Budget bill must be passed by midnight
- July 18 – Last day for policy committees to meet and report bills. Summer Recess begins upon adjournment of session provided Budget Bill has been passed
- September – ASCE/APWA Legislative Day (Sacramento)
Legislation
ADA
AB 649 Lowenthal, D One of two bills dealing with ADA. Under existing law, Defendants are exempt from liability for minimum statutory damages for 120 days if a Certified Access Specialist (CASp) report identifies the violation, given specific conditions: the CASp inspection must precede the claim or demand letter, and the defendant must not be previously aware of the violation. This bill extends this to allow defendants who have corrected all violations identified in a CASp report to have a 120-day period to address new allegations within 10 years. During this period, if defendants meet certain conditions, including pre-inspection correction of violations and lack of prior notice, they can also recover attorney’s fees and costs for claims made. (Based on 03/24/2025 text)
Location: 03/24/2025 – Assembly JUD.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
APM/DB/CMaR
AB 533 Flora, R Current law allows specific health care districts, like the Sonoma Valley and Last Frontier Health Care Districts, to use a design-build approach for constructing hospital-related facilities. This bill proposes allowing any health care district to use this design-build process. (Based on 02/11/2025 text)
Location: 04/24/2025 – Senate RLS.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
SB 272 Becker, D SB 272 authorizes the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) to enter into job order contracts (JOCs). Requires JOCs to be subject to the project labor agreement (PLA) between SamTrans and the San Mateo Building Trades Council or an amendment or extension of that agreement. (Based on 03/18/2025 text)
Location: 04/01/2025 – Assembly DESK
ASCE R9 Position: Rec Support
Bonds
AB 736 Wicks, D Would enact the Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2026, which, if adopted, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $10,000,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law. Proceeds from the sale of these bonds would be used to finance programs to fund affordable rental housing and home ownership programs, including, among others, the Multifamily Housing Program, the CalHome Program, and the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program. (Based on 04/10/2025 text)
Location: 04/30/2025 – Assembly APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
ASCE R9 Position: Rec Support
AB 939 Schultz, D Would enact the Safe, Sustainable, Traffic-Reducing Transportation Bond Act of 2026 which, if approved by the voters, would authorize the issuance of bonds in the amount of $20,000,000,000 pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance transit and passenger rail improvements, local streets and roads and active transportation projects, zero-emission vehicle investments, transportation freight infrastructure improvements, and grade separations and other critical safety improvements. The bill would provide for the submission of the bond act to the voters at the November 3, 2026, statewide general election. (1) Six billion dollars ($6,000,000,000) for transit capital improvements. (2) Four billion dollars ($4,000,000,000) for intercity, regional, and commuter passenger rail improvements. (3) Three billion five hundred million dollars ($3,500,000,000) for local street and road maintenance, safety, rehabilitation, and active transportation projects, including micromobility and station area improvements. (4) Three billion dollars ($3,000,000,000) for zero-emission vehicle investments, including rolling stock, battery electric technology vehicles, and hydrogen technology vehicles. (5) Two billion five hundred million dollars ($2,500,000,000) for transportation freight infrastructure improvements, including airport, border, ports, railyards, and trucking depots. (6) One billion dollars ($1,000,000,000) for grade separations and other critical safety improvements. (Based on 02/19/2025 text)
Location: 03/10/2025 – Assembly TRANS.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
SB 90 Seyarto, R This bill adds new eligible projects under the $10 billion Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act, allowing grants for public evacuation route improvements, mobile rigid dip tanks and prepositioned mobile rigid water storage, enhancements to fire engine and helicopter response capabilities, and backup electrical generators. (Based on 03/12/2025 text)
Location: 04/22/2025 – Senate APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Disfavor
Budget
ACA 1 Valencia, D The California Constitution prohibits the total annual appropriations subject to limitation of the State and of each local government from exceeding the appropriations limit of the entity of government for the prior year adjusted for the change in the cost of living and the change in population. The California Constitution defines “appropriations subject to limitation” of the State for these purposes. This measure would change the 1.5% required transfer to an undetermined percentage of the estimated amount of General Fund revenues for that fiscal year. The measure would change the 10% limit on the balance in the Budget Stabilization Account to 20% of the amount of the General Fund proceeds of taxes for the fiscal year estimate, as specified. The measure would specify that funds transferred under these provisions to the Budget Stabilization Account do not constitute appropriations subject to the above-described annual appropriations limit. (Based on 12/02/2024 text)
Location: 12/02/2024 – Assembly PRINT
ASCE R9 Position: Watch
Business Issues
AB 339 Ortega, D Like AB 2557 from 2024, which failed, this bill may violate Article XXII of the Constitution regarding architecture and engineering (AE) services. Public agencies must notify employee bargaining organizations before contracting for various services, including AE, currently performed by agency employees. Per fiscal analysis, “Costs of an unknown, but potentially significant amount, more than $150,000, across local agencies (nearly 4,000 cities, counties, and special districts) to plan and provide advance notice before procuring a contract, meet and confer with the recognized employee organization, and reopen MOU negotiations. If the Commission on State Mandates determines this bill’s requirements to be a reimbursable state mandate, the state would need to reimburse these costs to local agencies (General Fund).” (Based on 01/28/2025 text)
Location: 04/09/2025 – Assembly APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
ASCE R9 Position: Rec OUA
CEQA
AB 35 Alvarez, D This bill would, except as provided, require a lead agency to determine whether to approve the clean hydrogen environmental assessment and issue a discretionary permit or authorization for the project no later than 270 days after the application for the project is deemed complete. (Based on 04/21/2025 text)
Location: 02/18/2025 – Assembly NAT. RES.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
AB 66 Tangipa, R This bill, effective until January 1, 2032, exempts egress route projects meant to improve emergency access and evacuation in subdivisions lacking secondary routes from CEQA, provided the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection recommends this and certain conditions are met. (Based on 02/24/2025 text)
Location: 04/09/2025 – Assembly APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
ASCE R9 Position: Watch
AB 295 Macedo, R This bill, which ends in 2034, extends the Environmental Leadership Act of 2021 to include water-related projects like water storage, conveyance, and recharge that offer public benefits and help in drought preparedness. The bill requires lead agencies to document proceedings for these projects, adding a state-mandated local program. (Based on 01/23/2025 text)
Location: 02/10/2025 – Assembly NAT. RES.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
AB 314 Arambula, D This bill would require agencies to assess if locations of high-speed rail stations qualify as major transit stops for CEQA exemption purposes, forming a state-mandated local program. (Based on 04/30/2025 text)
Location: 04/29/2025 – Assembly APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
AB 317 Jackson, D Establishes an exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for new construction of a single-family dwelling that is 1,500 square feet or less with no more than three bedrooms and is intended to be sold to a first-time homebuyer for less than $400,000. Also provides for deferral of property taxes on eligible dwellings. (Based on 04/29/2025 text)
Location: 05/01/2025 – Assembly APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Watch
AB 571 Quirk-Silva, D This bill would exempt activities or approvals necessary for completing the Gypsum Canyon Veterans Cemetery in Orange County from CEQA requirements, with this exemption validated by local agencies. The exemption would expire on January 1, 2030. (Based on 04/10/2025 text)
Location: 04/29/2025 – Assembly APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Watch
AB 609 Wicks, D This bill would exempt qualifying housing development projects from CEQA requirements, with the condition that local governments mandate the completion of a phase I environmental assessment by the development proponent. This process requires the lead agency to ascertain if a project qualifies for exemption. (Based on 04/24/2025 text)
Location: 04/30/2025 – Assembly APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Rec Support
AB 941 Zbur, D AB 941 proposes that the Public Utilities Commission must certify the environmental impact report for priority electrical infrastructure projects within 270 days after acknowledging a complete application unless specified otherwise. Applicants must identify and justify priority projects in their applications. The commission’s staff should review applications within 30 days, notify applicants of any deficiencies, and require corrections or explanations within 60 days. A complete application should be accompanied by a preliminary ruling defining the project’s scope and schedule. (Based on 04/23/2025 text)
Location: 04/21/2025 – Assembly APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Rec Support
AB 975 Gallagher, R Exempts projects to repair or reconstruct a bridge up to 30 feet long or a culvert up to 70 feet long, in the County of Sutter, that has been damaged or destroyed by a fire, flood, storm, earthquake, land subsidence, gradual earth movement, or landslide since 2021 from the need to obtain a Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreement (LSAA) from the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW). Sunsets this provision on January 1, 2029 (Based on 05/01/2025 text)
Location: 04/30/2025 – Assembly APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
AB 1456 Bryan, D This bill exempts public agency-led vegetation fuel management projects from CEQA. It requires a lead agency to file a notice of exemption if a project fits this category. (Based on 04/10/2025 text)
Location: 04/28/2025 – Assembly APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Rec Support
SB 71 Wiener, D This bill removes the January 1, 2030 sunset on existing CEQA exemptions for various transportation plans and projects. Retains a January 1, 2032, sunset for transportation projects using near-zero emission, natural gas, or low-NOx technology. Expands the existing exemption to include changes to plans redesigning transit networks and for projects for microtransit, paratransit, shuttles, and ferries (Based on 03/25/2025 text)
Location: 04/28/2025 – Senate APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
SB 231 Seyarto, R SB-231 would require the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation to create a new appendix in the CEQA guidelines to establish best practices for lead agencies to follow when determining if a proposed project will significantly affect the environment. (Based on 03/20/2025 text)
Location: 04/07/2025 – Senate APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
SB 232 Seyarto, R SB-232 will study the effects of a lock-in period for California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) regulations at issuance of the Notice of Preparation (NOP) to promote project efficiency while preserving environmental diligence. Supported by LHC. (Based on 03/20/2025 text)
Location: 04/07/2025 – Senate APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
SB 252 Valladares, R This bill proposes to exempt projects that involve undergrounding powerlines from CEQA requirements. This exemption task requires a lead agency to assess eligibility, thus creating a state-mandated local program. (Based on 02/03/2025 text)
Location: 02/14/2025 – Senate E.Q.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
SB 607 Wiener, D Senate Bill 607 makes several targeted refinements that refocus the scope of environmental analysis required by CEQA to the known issues that are truly environmentally harmful. It proposes restricting environmental reports to conditions that disqualify projects from categorical exemption while ensuring only relevant aspects of ineligible infill projects undergo CEQA review. This bill exempts certain projects, like distribution centers or oil and gas infrastructures, requires mapping of urban infill sites by 2026, and refines exemptions for such projects. It also specifies that certain internal communications be excluded from the record of proceedings unless critical. If legal actions against improper exemptions succeed, further reviews will focus solely on the disqualifying facts. (Based on 05/01/2025 text)
Location: 04/30/2025 – Senate APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Rec Support
Climate
AB 1243 Addis, D Establishes a Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Program whereby climate polluters would be required to pay the state damages for all climate harms accruing since January 1, 1990. (Based on 04/10/2025 text)
Location: 04/22/2025 – Assembly JUD.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
SB 684 Menjivar, D This bill tasks the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) with determining the total damage caused to the state by covered fossil fuel emissions. Then, the agency assesses a cost recovery demand against those responsible parties, which the Legislature will appropriate for any qualified expenditure. (Based on 03/26/2025 text)
Location: 04/03/2025 – Senate JUD.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
Codes
AB 253 Ward, D Allows an applicant for specified residential building permits to contract with or employ a private professional provider to check plans and specifications if the county or city building department estimates a timeframe for this plan-checking function that exceeds 30 days, or does not complete this plan-checking function within 30 days. (Based on 03/13/2025 text)
Location: 04/23/2025 – Senate L. GOV.
ASCE R9 Position: Watch
AB 306 Schultz, D It proposes a moratorium on the adoption or modification of new state and local building standards affecting residential units from June 1, 2025, to June 1, 2031, with limited exceptions. (Based on 03/12/2025 text)
Location: 04/23/2025 – Senate HOUSING
ASCE R9 Position: Rec Oppose
Construction Practices
AB 289 Haney, D This bill introduces the Safe Highway Work Zone Account in the State Transportation Fund to collect such revenues for program administration. The bill maintains the $25 filing fee for appeal processes related to violations. (Based on 03/24/2025 text)
Location: 05/01/2025 – Assembly APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
AB 978 Hoover, R AB 978 (Hoover) would require a local agency with jurisdiction over a street or highway to allow for the use of recycled materials when paving streets and highways. The bill would specifically allow for using up to 25% recycled asphalt pavement in road projects, which is the current Caltrans specification allowance. AB 978 also removes a sunset date tied to a previous statute created by AB 2953 (Salas, 2022). (Based on 04/01/2025 text)
Location: 04/30/2025 – Assembly CONSENT CALENDAR
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
GHG
SB 348 Hurtado, D SB 348 directs the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to revisit and revise the recent Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) updates to reduce the financial burden on California consumers. (Based on 03/20/2025 text)
Location: 04/30/2025 – Senate APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Watch
Groundwater
AB 293 Bennett, D This bill would require each groundwater sustainability agency to publish its board of directors’ membership on its website or the local agency’s website, as provided. The bill would also require each groundwater sustainability agency to publish a link on its website or its local agency’s website to the location on the Fair Political Practices Commission’s website where the statements of economic interests filed by the agency’s board members and executives can be viewed. ACWA opposes this bill, arguing that it establishes unique requirements for GSAs and does not apply to any other special district. Furthermore, ACWA asserts that with the passage of SB 1156 (Hurtado) last year, existing transparency laws are sufficient, and this bill is, therefore, unnecessary. (Based on 01/22/2025 text)
Location: 04/02/2025 – Senate RLS.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
AB 709 Gonzalez, Jeff, R This bill would provide that nothing in existing law relating to submission of groundwater sustainability plans to Department of Water Resources shall be construed to prohibit groundwater sustainability agencies that have developed multiple groundwater sustainability plans for a basin from amending the coordination agreement following department issuance of an assessment of the plans. (Based on 02/14/2025 text)
Location: 04/30/2025 – Assembly CONSENT CALENDAR
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
AB 1466 Hart, D Makes changes to the comprehensive groundwater adjudication statute to set a higher burden of proof for certain challenges and ensure the court has technical information regarding groundwater pumpers that use less than five acre-feet (AF) of water annually or that are not a party to the comprehensive groundwater adjudication. (Based on 04/01/2025 text)
Location: 04/22/2025 – Assembly APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
SB 838 Durazo, D This bill requires that a lead agency review groundwater sustainability plans, management plans, or alternatives in accordance with specific groundwater management laws. (Based on 05/01/2025 text)
Location: 04/02/2025 – Senate L. GOV.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
Housing
SB 79 Wiener, D It allows transit-oriented development on specified sites, gives transit agencies more flexibility under the Surplus Land Act, and exempts specified projects from CEQA. (Based on 04/23/2025 text)
Location: 04/30/2025 – Senate APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
SB 681 Wahab, D This bill makes several changes to laws governing housing approvals, elements, common interest developments, and building standards. Among other provisions, it prohibits landlords from charging tenants certain fees, limits the application screening fee a landlord can charge, and deems subordinate mortgages abandoned if the mortgage servicer fails to provide certain notices. (Based on 04/10/2025 text)
Location: 04/30/2025 – Senate APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
Infrastructure
AB 417 Carrillo, D This bill updates existing law, allowing enhanced infrastructure financing districts to finance projects aimed at broader community economic recovery. It modifies the process for public financing authorities, which must hold meetings and conduct annual reviews of infrastructure financing plans. This allows amendments to be approved by majority votes with proper notice. This bill also facilitates the participation of additional taxing entities in these districts’ financing plans and clarifies the requirements for adopting an annual report after the fiscal year ends. (Based on 03/27/2025 text)
Location: 04/02/2025 – Senate RLS.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
SB 21 Durazo, D The Housing Crisis Act of 2019 restricted housing development projects in affected cities or counties, particularly those involving the demolition of protected housing units. According to the law, any new housing development must replace all demolished protected units and match the highest number of residential units on the site in the last five years. SB 21 proposes that the number of replacement units can be reduced for certain single-room occupancy buildings if the project aims to convert these into affordable rental units while meeting specific criteria. (Based on 05/01/2025 text)
Location: 04/30/2025 – Senate APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Watch
SB 74 Seyarto, R SB-74 will establish the Infrastructure Gap Fund, which, upon appropriation by the Legislature, provides grants of up to 20 percent of necessary remaining funding to cities and local agencies for critically delayed and vital infrastructure projects— including but not limited to roads, schools, and broadband— throughout California (Based on 04/07/2025 text)
Location: 04/21/2025 – Senate APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
ASCE R9 Position: Rec Support
SB 833 McNerney, D This bill mandates state agencies, defined as operators overseeing critical infrastructure with artificial intelligence (AI) systems, to implement human oversight for real-time monitoring and pre-execution approval of AI actions. Additionally, the Department of Technology must provide specialized AI safety and risk management training for oversight personnel. Agencies must also conduct annual assessments of their AI systems, submitting a summary of their findings to the department. (Based on 03/26/2025 text)
Location: 04/22/2025 – Senate APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Watch
Licensure
AB 667 Solache, D Requires licensing boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) to allow applicants who cannot read, speak, or write in English to use an interpreter when taking examinations required for licensure or certification. (Based on 04/09/2025 text)
Location: 04/21/2025 – Assembly APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Watch
AB 1341 Hoover, R AB 1341 (Hoover) clarifies that existing provisions of the Contractors’ State License Law, which make violations of the “building laws of the state” subject to discipline by the Contractors’ State License Board, include the unlicensed practice of architecture, engineering, and land surveying. This clarification protects the public by helping prevent unlicensed practice in these critical disciplines. (Based on 04/23/2025 text)
Location: 05/01/2025 – Assembly THIRD READING
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
Public Works
AB 963 Petrie-Norris, D Requires owners and developers undertaking any public works project to make specified records available to the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), multi-employer Taft-Hartley trust funds, and to joint labor-management committees (JLMCs). Supported by unions, opposed by developers and contractors. Opposed by California Housing Consortium, California Housing Partnership Corporation, Housing California (Based on 02/20/2025 text)
Location: 04/24/2025 – Assembly APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Watch
AB 1198 Haney, D It requires contractors to pay the new prevailing wage whenever DIR changes it. AB 2182 (Haney) of 2024 contained identical provisions to this bill. Governor Newsom vetoed the measure. AB 1140 (Daly) of 2013 was identical to this bill and was vetoed by Governor Jerry Brown. Will third time be a charm? (Based on 02/21/2025 text)
Location: 04/23/2025 – Assembly APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
ASCE R9 Position: Rec Oppose
SB 469 Smallwood-Cuevas, D Would require the Department of Industrial Relations to establish the California Public Infrastructure Task Force, composed of representatives of specified agencies to promote employment in public infrastructure projects for underrepresented communities and to provide compliance assistance to contractors and subcontractors in public infrastructure projects regarding their nondiscrimination obligations, as specified. (Based on 02/19/2025 text)
Location: 04/30/2025 – Senate APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
SCR 62 Becker, D Would declare the week of May 18, 2025, to May 24, 2025, inclusive, as National Public Works Week in the State of California, and would request that the Governor issue a proclamation calling on the people of the great State of California to observe the week with appropriate programs and educational activities. (Based on 04/21/2025 text)
Location: 04/30/2025 – Senate THIRD READING
ASCE R9 Position: Rec Support
Transportation
AB 830 Rogers, D Would require Caltrans to pay to relocate or remove the encroachment of a public utility district (PUD) with a ratepayer base of 5,000 households or fewer in the event of a future improvement to the highway, and to notify the PUD at each stage of a project. (Based on 04/09/2025 text)
Location: 04/22/2025 – Assembly APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
AB 902 Schultz, D The Connected Communities Act is intended to improve California wildlife and climate resilience by requiring metropolitan planning organizations and regional transportation planning agencies to consider and minimize impacts to wildlife movement and habitat connectivity through their regional planning processes (Based on 04/23/2025 text)
Location: 04/24/2025 – Assembly APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
AB 1421 Wilson, D This bill serves as a legislative vehicle to develop an evidence-based, long-term funding solution to replace declining gas tax revenues in a fair, sustainable and effective way to ensure the state’s transportation infrastructure improvements meet Californians’ needs. (Based on 02/21/2025 text)
Location: 03/13/2025 – Assembly TRANS.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
SB 63 Wiener, D SB 63 authorizes a 10- to 15-year regional public transportation operations sales tax measure on the November 2026 ballot in specified Bay Area counties to provide critical funding for transit agencies with major operations shortfalls. Specifically, SB 63 authorizes a ½-cent sales tax measure in Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Counties – with up to 1 cent in San Francisco to provide greater Muni funding. SB 63 provides San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties the opportunity to decide to opt into the measure by July 31, 2025, and envisions determining the exact rate structure by July 31, 2025. SB 63 states the preference of the legislature for San Mateo County to opt into the regional funding measure. (Based on 04/29/2025 text)
Location: 04/28/2025 – Senate APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
SB 78 Seyarto, R SB-78 will task Caltrans with publishing a study that identifies the top 15 locations in the state highway system with the highest rate of vehicle collisions, projects that could improve safety at the identified sites, and any common factors contributing to the delay in the delivery of these projects on or before January 1, 2027. (Based on 04/02/2025 text)
Location: 04/21/2025 – Senate APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
Water
AB 93 Papan, D Establishes requirements for business licenses, cities and counties, state agencies, and urban water suppliers to report water use by data centers and require data centers to use water efficiently. (Based on 04/10/2025 text)
Location: 05/01/2025 – Assembly APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
AB 532 Ransom, D AB 532 clarifies the statutory authority for urban retail water suppliers to run low-income water rate assistance programs within their communities and establishes the California Low Income Household Water Rate Assistance Program. (Based on 04/22/2025 text)
Location: 05/01/2025 – Assembly APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
AB 638 Rodriguez, Celeste, D AB 638 requires the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to develop guidance for using captured urban stormwater to encourage and enhance climate resilience. The SWRCB must establish statewide guidelines so existing stormwater infrastructure and future projects can provide vital non-potable water for the irrigation of public spaces. No opposition. Per Appropriations: “To meet the bill’s six-month implementation timeline, the State Water Board estimates one-time costs of approximately $2.5 million (General Fund or Waste Discharge Permit Fund). This includes roughly $1.5 million for limited-term positions to conduct public outreach and draft the required guidance, as well as $1 million in contracting costs for work associated with establishing criteria for pathogens and pathogen indicators, total suspended solids, toxics, and structural and nonstructural best management practices to reduce potential health risks to exposed populations.” (Based on 03/19/2025 text)
Location: 04/09/2025 – Assembly APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
ASCE R9 Position: Rec Support
SB 31 McNerney, D SB 31 is intended to help CA close the gap in its water needs by making it easier to use recycled water in outdoor irrigation at homes, businesses, parks, and golf courses. No opposition (Based on 04/21/2025 text)
Location: 04/30/2025 – Senate APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
SB 72 Caballero, D SB 72 modernizes the California Water Plan to reflect California’s new climate reality and establish long-term water supply targets that, when met, will ensure sufficient, high-quality water for urban, environmental and agricultural needs across the state. (Based on 04/10/2025 text)
Location: 04/28/2025 – Senate APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
SB 224 Hurtado, D This bill requires DWR to adopt a water supply forecasting model incorporating climate change impacts by January 1, 2027. It should also document its operational plans and reasoning for water reservoir releases. The department must establish criteria for the model’s predictive capabilities and publish these online. Starting January 1, 2028, it must report annually to the Legislature and publish reports on the progress of the new model and the rationale behind its operations for the previous year. (Based on 03/26/2025 text)
Location: 04/07/2025 – Senate APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
ASCE R9 Position: Favor
SB 473 Padilla, D SB 473 offers a permanent solution to water affordability and encourages water conservation by ensuring the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) permits water utilities to use a ‘decoupling’ mechanism when requested. The program lets water utilities separate the fixed water infrastructure costs from the variable water consumption costs. SB 473 will assist in establishing equitable rates so water suppliers can charge higher rates for high-use customers, while those who use less water and conserve pay less, promoting fair rates for customers while maintaining a reliable funding stream for infrastructure improvements. (Based on 04/10/2025 text)
Location: 04/07/2025 – Senate APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
SB 697 Laird, D This bill gives the State Water Resources Control Board flexibility in the manner used to investigate a stream system, rather than requiring the Board to conduct a detailed field investigation, and, when conducting these investigations, authorizes the Board to issue an information order to any person or entity that diverts or uses water or claims a water right. (Based on 05/01/2025 text)
Location: 04/23/2025 – Senate APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Pending
Water Quality
SB 454 McNerney, D This bill creates the PFAS Mitigation Fund in the State Treasury and authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board to use the fund to cover or reduce the costs associated with treating per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water and wastewater. (Based on 04/08/2025 text)
Location: 04/21/2025 – Senate APPR. SUSPENSE FILE
ASCE R9 Position: Favor
SB 601 Allen, D This bill requires dischargers to demonstrate enrollment in state or federal discharge permits when applying for local permits; maintains stringency in drinking water and water quality standards; defines “nexus waters” and enacts the requirements of the federal Clean Water Act for “nexus waters”; expands enforcement authority for the State Water Board and enacts citizen enforcement for “nexus waters”. (Based on 04/21/2025 text)
Location: 04/29/2025 – Senate APPR.
ASCE R9 Position: Disfavor
Workforce development
ACR 19 Macedo, R Would commemorate February 20, 2025, as Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day. (Based on 03/18/2025 text)
Location: 03/18/2025 – Assembly CHAPTERED
ASCE R9 Position: Support
ACR 28 Ortega, D Would proclaim the week of March 2, 2025, to March 8, 2025, inclusive, as Women in Construction Week. (Based on 04/08/2025 text)
Location: 04/08/2025 – Assembly CHAPTERED
ASCE R9 Position: Support
ACR 29 Irwin, D Would recognize the week of February 16, 2025, to February 22, 2025, as Engineers Week. (Based on 03/18/2025 text)
Location: 03/18/2025 – Assembly CHAPTERED
ASCE R9 Position: Support
Appointments
By Governor [Does require Senate confirmation.]
- Reappointed as Poet Laureate: Lee Herrick, Democrat, Fresno, English professor, Fresno City College since 1997. Salary: annual stipend from California Arts Council.
- As director, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment: Kristina Thayer, Raleigh, NC, Democrat, director of the Integrated Risk Information System Division at US Environmental Protection Agency since 2019. Salary: $217,000.
- To the Water Commission: Davina Hurt, Belmont, Democrat, California climate policy director at Pacific Environment since 2025. Salary: $100 per diem.
Reports of Interest
- The Legislative Analyst’s Office released, “Improving Legislative Oversight of Emergency Authorities,” finds “current emergency laws lean more heavily toward giving the Governor flexibility to respond to emergencies than necessary at the expense of the Legislature’s core constitutional powers;” states “concerns” include that “the Governor determines when a state of emergency exists and, as a result, determines when typical legislative budget and policy processes do not need to be followed,” which “allows Governors to proclaim states of emergency even in cases where, arguably, normal budget and policy processes could have been used;” also include that “the Governor’s emergency spending authorities are extremely broad and allow the Governor to spend an essentially unlimited amount of funds on emergencies with very little oversight,” while the Legislature “has often received little information on how emergency response funds are being used.” Contact: information@lao.ca.gov.
- LAO also released, “Rethinking California’s Reserve Policy,” finds the Governor’s proposed changes to state’s reserve policy “would not reliably ensure stable funding for core services over time,” recommends incrementally raising cap on budget reserve fund from 10% of “general fund taxes” to 50% of “general fund taxes.”
- State Library’s Research Bureau released, “How Will California’s Electric Vehicle Policy Impact State-Generated Transportation Revenues?” a research-in-brief by Asha Weinstein Agrawal, estimates $13.3 billion from fuel tax revenue in 2024 and that by 2040 the figure drops to a range of $4.8 billion to $12.1 billion, if “taxes and fees are not changed and/or replaced;” recommends establishing “plan for replacing lost fuel tax revenues within a few years.” Contact: Tonya Lindsey, tonya.lindsey@library.ca.gov.
- Pacific Research Institute released, “The Cost of Going Green: How the green energy transition will hurt Californians,” finds that to achieve state’s requirement that “renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources supply 100% of the retail sales of electricity to California end-use customers and 100% of electricity procured to serve all state agencies by December 31, 2045,” California “households will be on the hook for between $17,398 and $20,182 in estimated costs to fund the state’s energy transition to alternative energy sources between 2025 and 2050.” Contact: Matt Fleming, mfleming@pacificresearch.org.