Assembly BillIntroducedWater
AB 2630: Water diversion and use: adoption of regulations.
What AB 2630 does, verified April 17, 2026
This bill amends the water code to regulate water diversion and use. The state water resources control board will adopt regulations requiring measurement and reporting of water diversion and use by certain individuals and entities. These regulations will remain in effect until revised by the state board until January 1, 2032. The initial regulations adopted in 2025 will remain in effect until revised. The bill also exempts these regulations from the California Environmental Quality Act.
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. (2026-04-16)Alert me
Author and sponsors
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| Apr. 16, 2026 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. |
| Apr. 06, 2026 | Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES. |
| Mar. 26, 2026 | Read second time and amended. |
| Mar. 25, 2026 | From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. (Ayes 8. Noes 4.) (March 24). |
| Mar. 09, 2026 | Referred to Coms. on W., P., & W. and NAT. RES. |
Latest bill textAmended version, March 26, 2026 · 673 words
| Amended IN Assembly March 26, 2026 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2630
| Introduced by Assembly Member Bennett |
February 20, 2026 |
An act to amend amend, repeal, and add Section 1841 of the Water Code, relating to water.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2630, as amended, Bennett. Water diversion and use: adoption of regulations.
Existing law authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board to adopt regulations requiring measurement and reporting of water diversion and use by persons, including, among others, those authorized to appropriate water under a permit, a license, a registration for small domestic, small irrigation, or livestock stockpond use, or a certificate for livestock stockpond use. For the initial regulations, existing law requires that they be adopted as emergency regulations and provides that the emergency regulations remain in effect until revised by the state board. Existing law also exempts the initial regulations from the California Environmental Quality Act.
This bill would require require, until January 1, 2032, that all further regulations adopted by the state board pursuant to these provisions be adopted as emergency regulations and remain in effect until revised by the state board, and would exempt them from the California Environmental Quality Act.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 1841 of the Water Code is amended to read:1841.
(a) The board may adopt regulations requiring measurement and reporting of water diversion and use by either of the following:(1) Persons authorized to appropriate water under a permit, license, registration for small domestic, small irrigation, or livestock stockpond use, or certification for livestock stockpond use.
(2) Persons required to comply with measurement and reporting regulations pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) of Section 5103.
(b) The regulations that the board adopts pursuant to this section shall be adopted as emergency regulations in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. The adoption of the regulations is an emergency and shall be considered by the Office of Administrative Law as necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, and general welfare. Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, any emergency regulations adopted under this section shall remain in effect until revised by the board.
(c) The adoption of regulations pursuant to this article is exempt from Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code.
(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2032, and as of that date is repealed.
SEC. 2.
Section 1841 is added to the Water Code, to read:1841.
(a) The board may adopt regulations requiring measurement and reporting of water diversion and use by either of the following:(1) Persons authorized to appropriate water under a permit, license, registration for small domestic, small irrigation, or livestock stockpond use, or certification for livestock stockpond use.
(2) Persons required to comply with measurement and reporting regulations pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) of Section 5103.
(b) The initial regulations that the board adopts pursuant to this section shall be adopted as emergency regulations in accordance with Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. The adoption of the initial regulations is an emergency and shall be considered by the Office of Administrative Law as necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety, and general welfare. Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, any emergency regulations adopted under this section shall remain in effect until revised by the board.
(c) The adoption of the initial regulations pursuant to this article is exempt from Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code.
(d) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2032.
Text of AB 2630 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions