Assembly BillPassed both housesGovernment
AB 2728: Groundwater: de minimis extractors: fees: exemption.
What AB 2728 does, verified September 15, 2026
The proposed bill aims to improve the management of California's water resources by requiring the coordination and integration of existing water and ecological data from local, state, and federal agencies. This data will be used to improve the efficacy of management actions. A statewide integrated water data platform will be created and maintained by the department of water resources, in consultation with other relevant agencies, to integrate existing data information from multiple databases. The platform will be made available by August 1, 2027, and will include information from state and federal agencies, such as hatchery production, release, and escapement.
Bill journey
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6ChapteredPending
Last action: Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m. (2026-09-04)Alert me
Author and sponsors
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| Sep. 04, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m. |
| Aug. 27, 2026 | Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 6735.). |
| Aug. 27, 2026 | From committee: That the Senate amendments be concurred in. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (August 27). |
| Aug. 25, 2026 | Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 6503.) |
| Aug. 13, 2026 | Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV. pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.2. |
Latest bill textEnrolled version, September 1, 2026 · 905 words
| Enrolled September 01, 2026 |
| Passed IN Senate August 10, 2026 |
| Passed IN Assembly August 27, 2026 |
| Amended IN Senate June 11, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly March 19, 2026 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2728
| Introduced by Assembly Member Soria |
February 20, 2026 |
An act to add Article 4.8 (commencing with Section 53759.5) to Chapter 4 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code, and to amend Section 10730 of the Water Code, relating to water.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2728, Soria. Groundwater: de minimis extractors: fees: exemption.
Existing law authorizes a groundwater sustainability agency to impose fees, including, but not limited to, permit fees and fees on groundwater extraction or other regulated activity, to fund the costs of a groundwater sustainability program, and investigations, inspections, compliance assistance, enforcement, and program administration, as provided. Existing law prohibits a groundwater sustainability agency from imposing those fees on a de minimis extractor, as defined, unless the agency has regulated the user, as provided.
This bill would authorize a local government, including, but not limited to, a groundwater sustainability agency, that imposes a fee, levy, charge, or exaction for groundwater monitoring or management, upon making specified findings, to exempt de minimis extractors, including the above-described regulated users, from the payment of the fee, levy, charge, or exaction, as provided.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Article 4.8 (commencing with Section 53759.5) is added to Chapter 4 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code, to read:Article 4.8. De Minimis Extractors
53759.5.
(a) For purposes of Article XIII C and Article XIII D of the California Constitution and this article, a local government, including, but not limited to, a groundwater sustainability agency, that imposes a fee, levy, charge, or exaction for groundwater monitoring or management may exempt de minimis extractors from paying the fee, levy, charge, or exaction upon making both of the following findings:(1) The groundwater monitoring or management activities for which the fee, levy, charge, or exaction is imposed directly benefit parties other than de minimis extractors.
(2) Any benefits received by de minimis extractors as a consequence of providing the groundwater monitoring or management activities occur incidentally and without additional cost to the parties upon whom the fee, levy, charge, or exaction is imposed.
(b) For purposes of this section, “de minimis extractor” has the same meaning as in Section 10721 of the Water Code.
(c) This section is declaratory of existing law, and does not limit the ability of a local government to establish other exemptions from any fee, levy, charge, or exaction when otherwise permissible under Article XIII C or XIII D of the California Constitution.
SEC. 2.
Section 10730 of the Water Code is amended to read:10730.
(a) A groundwater sustainability agency may impose fees, including, but not limited to, permit fees and fees on groundwater extraction or other regulated activity, to fund the costs of a groundwater sustainability program, including, but not limited to, preparation, adoption, and amendment of a groundwater sustainability plan, and investigations, inspections, compliance assistance, enforcement, and program administration, including a prudent reserve. A groundwater sustainability agency shall not impose a fee pursuant to this subdivision on a de minimis extractor unless the agency has regulated the user pursuant to this part, and may exempt regulated de minimis extractors from payment of any fee in accordance with Section 53759.5 of the Government Code.(b) (1) Before imposing or increasing a fee, a groundwater sustainability agency shall hold at least one public meeting, at which oral or written presentations may be made as part of the meeting.
(2) Notice of the time and place of the meeting described in paragraph (1) shall include a general explanation of the matter to be considered and a statement that the data required by this section is available. The notice shall be published pursuant to Section 6066 of the Government Code, posted on the internet website of the groundwater sustainability agency, and mailed to any interested party who files a written request with the agency for mailed notice of the meeting on new or increased fees. A written request for a mailed notice is valid for one year from the date that the request is made and may be renewed by making a written request on or before April 1 of each year.
(3) At least 20 days before the meeting, the groundwater sustainability agency shall make available to the public the data upon which the proposed fee is based.
(c) Any action by a groundwater sustainability agency to impose or increase a fee shall be taken only by ordinance or resolution.
(d) (1) As an alternative method for the collection of fees imposed pursuant to this section, a groundwater sustainability agency may adopt a resolution requesting collection of the fees in the same manner as ordinary municipal ad valorem taxes.
(2) A resolution described in paragraph (1) shall be adopted and furnished to the county auditor-controller and board of supervisors on or before August 1 of each year that the alternative collection of the fees is being requested. The resolution shall include a list of parcels and the amount to be collected for each parcel.
(e) The power granted by this section is in addition to any powers a groundwater sustainability agency has under any other law.
Text of AB 2728 as enrolled, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions