Assembly BillPassed first houseWater
AB 638: Stormwater: uses: irrigation.
What AB 638 does, verified December 13, 2025
The bill aims to develop recommendations for stormwater capture and use for irrigation purposes. The state water resources control board is required to create guidelines by December 1, 2026, addressing opportunities to use captured stormwater to offset potable water usage. The board must consider factors such as pathogens, pathogen indicators, and total suspended solids in their recommendations. Before approving the recommendations, the board must solicit and receive written public comment.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
✓In CommitteeComplete
✓First Chamber FloorComplete
4Second ChamberCurrent
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: In committee: Held under submission. (2025-06-02)Alert me
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions23 total · showing 5
| Aug. 29, 2025 | In committee: Held under submission. |
| Aug. 18, 2025 | In committee: Referred to suspense file. |
| Jul. 16, 2025 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 16). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Jul. 03, 2025 | Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W. |
| Jul. 02, 2025 | From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on N.R. & W. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (July 2). |
Latest bill textAmended version, July 3, 2025 · 432 words
| Amended IN Senate July 03, 2025 |
| Amended IN Assembly May 23, 2025 |
| Amended IN Assembly March 19, 2025 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 638
| Introduced by Assembly Member Celeste Rodriguez (Coauthors: Assembly Members Bauer-Kahan and McKinnor) (Coauthor: Senator Allen) |
February 13, 2025 |
An act to add Section 10566 to the Water Code, relating to stormwater.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 638, as amended, Celeste Rodriguez. Stormwater: uses: irrigation.
Existing law, the Stormwater Resource Planning Act, authorizes one or more public agencies to develop a stormwater resource plan that meets certain standards to address the capture of stormwater, as defined, and dry weather runoff, as defined. The act requires the State Water Resources Control Board, by July 1, 2016, to establish guidance for purposes of the act.
This bill would require the board, by December 1, 2026, to develop recommendations for stormwater capture and use for the irrigation of urban public lands, as defined. The bill would require the recommendations to address, but not be limited to, opportunities for the use of captured stormwater for irrigation to offset the use of potable water, as specified, and recommendations for, among other things, pathogens and pathogen indicators and total suspended solids. Prior to approving the recommendations, the bill would require the board to solicit and receive written public comment on proposed recommendations.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 10566 is added to the Water Code, immediately following Section 10565, to read:10566.
(a) On or before December 1, 2026, the board shall develop recommendations for stormwater capture and use for the irrigation of urban public lands for the purpose of providing guidance. The recommendations shall address, but not be limited to, both of the following:(1) Opportunities for use of captured stormwater for irrigation to offset potable water demand in a manner that poses minimal to no public health risks.
(2) Recommendations for pathogens and pathogen indicators, total suspended solids, toxics, and structural and nonstructural best management practices to reduce potential health risks.
(b) The board shall solicit and receive written public comment on the proposed recommendations described in subdivision (a). The board shall approve the final recommendations described in subdivision (a) following the completion of a public hearing.
(b)
(c) “Urban public lands” as used in this section means land in an urban area that is owned by the state, a city, or a county, or land that has been dedicated for public access, including, but not limited to, parks, street medians and parkways, and golf courses.
Text of AB 638 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions