Assembly BillChaptered/SignedFood and Agriculture
AB 1603: Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): Department of Pesticide Regulation.
What AB 1603 does, verified September 29, 2026
The bill aims to regulate the use of pesticides in California. It prohibits the registration of pesticides containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (pfas) that are intentionally added as active, adjuvant, or inert ingredients. Starting July 1, 2028, pesticides containing pfas will be classified as restricted materials, requiring permits for their use. By January 1, 2030, it will be prohibited to use pesticides containing pfas, and by January 1, 2035, the manufacture, sale, delivery, and offering for sale of such pesticides will also be prohibited.
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Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 531, Statutes of 2026. (2026-09-27)Alert me
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| Sep. 27, 2026 | Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 531, Statutes of 2026. |
| Sep. 27, 2026 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep. 03, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m. |
| Aug. 26, 2026 | Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 63. Noes 9. Page 6629.). |
| Aug. 26, 2026 | In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. |
Latest bill textChaptered version, September 27, 2026 · 1,080 words
Assembly Bill No. 1603
CHAPTER 531
An act to amend and renumber Section 12500.5 of, to add Sections 12500.3 and 12500.4 to, and to add Article 19 (commencing with Section 13200) to Chapter 2 of Division 7 of, the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to pesticides.
[ Approved by Governor September 27, 2026. Filed with Secretary of State September 27, 2026. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1603, Schultz. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): Department of Pesticide Regulation.
Existing law generally regulates the use of pesticides, and requires every manufacturer of, importer of, or dealer in any pesticide, except as specified, to obtain a certificate of registration from the Department of Pesticide Regulation before the pesticide is offered for sale. Existing law requires a pesticide use report to be submitted to a county agricultural commissioner or the Director of Pesticide Regulation, as provided.
This bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2028, or on or before the posting of the pesticide use reporting database containing 2026 data, whichever occurs first, and annually thereafter, to indicate if a pesticide contains perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pesticide ingredients, as defined, in the pesticide use reporting database on its internet website, include PFAS as a category of interest for purposes of that database, and include pesticide use trends of PFAS pesticide ingredients from the pesticide database in the pesticide use annual report and other relevant pesticide use reporting documents. The bill would also require the department to, on or before January 1, 2028, publish a list of all registered pesticides that contain PFAS pesticide ingredients and submit this list to the commissioner of each county, and to, within 60 calendar days of the registration of a new pesticide containing PFAS pesticide ingredients, update the list on its internet website and submit the updated list to the commissioner of each county.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(1) Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of persistent and highly toxic chemicals with widespread contamination across the United States, including California. The United States Geological Survey estimates that 45 percent of the United States’ tap water is contaminated with PFAS. It is also estimated that 98 percent of people living in the United States have PFAS in their blood. State water testing data indicates that PFAS have been detected in the drinking water of 25,000,000 Californians.
(2) Exposure to PFAS poses a significant threat to the environment and public health. Adverse health effects associated with PFAS include, but are not limited to, kidney and liver damage, decreased immune system function, including interference with vaccine response and increased risk of asthma and developmental and reproductive harm, and increased cholesterol levels, thyroid disorders and other hormone disruption, and incidences of testicular and kidney cancer.
(3) PFAS are increasingly intentionally added to pesticides. According to a recent report, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has approved 70 active ingredient PFAS pesticides, and the Department of Pesticide Regulation has allowed 53 of these PFAS pesticides to be used in the state. Twenty-three of the California-approved PFAS pesticides are not allowed to be used in the European Union.
(4) A 2025 analysis of the Department of Pesticide Regulation’s data found that approximately 2,500,000 pounds of active ingredient PFAS pesticides are applied to California crops each year. Between 2018 and 2023, nearly 15,000,000 pounds of PFAS pesticides were applied to farmland in 58 California counties.
(5) Thirty-seven percent, or 348 out of 930, of California-grown produce samples tested in 2023 by the Department of Pesticide Regulation contained traces of PFAS pesticides. Seventy-eight types of produce grown in California, including peaches, nectarines, lettuce, spinach, grapes, and strawberries, were represented in these samples, and, of the 78 produce types tested, 40 contained PFAS pesticides.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to do both of the following:
(1) Address the use of PFAS pesticides as a class and reduce the presence of all PFAS pesticides on California-grown produce and in California’s soil, air, and water.
(2) Begin phasing out the use of PFAS pesticides and take additional steps to address other PFAS in pesticides.
SEC. 2.
Section 12500.3 is added to the Food and Agricultural Code, to read:12500.3.
“Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances” or “PFAS” means a class of fluorinated organic chemicals containing at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom.SEC. 3.
Section 12500.4 is added to the Food and Agricultural Code, to read:12500.4.
“PFAS pesticide ingredients” means PFAS that are intentionally added to a pesticide as active, adjuvant, or inert ingredients.SEC. 4.
Section 12500.5 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended and renumbered to read:12500.2.
“Director” means the Director of Pesticide Regulation.SEC. 5.
Article 19 (commencing with Section 13200) is added to Chapter 2 of Division 7 of the Food and Agricultural Code, to read:Article 19. Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
13200.
On or before January 1, 2028, or on or before the posting of the pesticide use reporting database containing 2026 data, whichever occurs first, and annually thereafter, the department shall do both of the following:(a) The department shall indicate if a pesticide contains PFAS pesticide ingredients in the pesticide use reporting database on its internet website and shall include PFAS as a category of interest for purposes of the pesticide use reporting database.
(b) The department shall include any pesticide use trends of PFAS pesticide ingredients from the pesticide use reporting database in the pesticide use annual report and shall include these pesticide use trends in other relevant pesticide use reporting documents.
13201.
(a) On or before January 1, 2028, the department shall publish a list of all registered pesticides that contain PFAS pesticide ingredients on its internet website and submit this list to the commissioner of each county.(b) After the publication and submission of the list pursuant to subdivision (a), the department shall update the list of all registered pesticides that contain PFAS pesticide ingredients on its internet website, and shall submit the updated list to the commissioner of each county, within 60 calendar days of registration of a new pesticide containing PFAS pesticide ingredients.
13202.
The provisions of this article are severable. If any provision of this article or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.Text of AB 1603 as chaptered, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions