Senate BillChaptered/SignedHealth and Safety
SB 466: Drinking water: primary standard for hexavalent chromium: exemption.
What SB 466 does, verified December 13, 2025
This bill would prohibit a public water system from being determined in violation of the primary drinking water standard for hexavalent chromium if it meets the total chromium maximum contaminant level enforceable standard for drinking water in California while implementing a state-approved compliance plan or while the state board is reviewing the proposed plan. The bill aims to provide a temporary exemption for public water systems that are already meeting the chromium standard, allowing them to continue operating without immediate penalty. This would enable public water systems to implement compliance plans and allow the state board to review and approve these plans before imposing penalties.
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6ChapteredCurrent
Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 320, Statutes of 2025. (2025-10-03)Alert me
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| Oct. 03, 2025 | Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 320, Statutes of 2025. |
| Oct. 03, 2025 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep. 22, 2025 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m. |
| Sep. 11, 2025 | Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2928.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. |
| Sep. 09, 2025 | Ordered to special consent calendar. |
Latest bill textChaptered version, October 3, 2025 · 444 words
Senate Bill No. 466
CHAPTER 320
An act to add Section 116341 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to drinking water.
[ Approved by Governor October 03, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 03, 2025. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 466, Caballero. Drinking water: primary standard for hexavalent chromium: exemption.
The California Safe Drinking Water Act provides for the operation of public water systems and imposes on the State Water Resources Control Board various duties and responsibilities for the regulation and control of drinking water in the State of California. The act requires the state board to adopt primary drinking water standards for contaminants in drinking water based upon specified criteria, and requires a primary drinking water standard to be established for hexavalent chromium. Existing law authorizes the state board to grant a variance from primary drinking water standards to a public water system.
This bill would prohibit a public water system that meets the total chromium maximum contaminant level (MCL) enforceable standard for drinking water in California from being determined, held, considered, or otherwise deemed in violation of the primary drinking water standard for hexavalent chromium while implementing a state board approved compliance plan or while state board action on the proposed and submitted compliance plan is pending, except as provided.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 116341 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:116341.
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (e) and subject to subdivision (b), a public water system shall not be determined, held, considered, or otherwise deemed in violation of the primary drinking water standard for hexavalent chromium while implementing a state board approved compliance plan. A public water system that has submitted a compliance plan for approval shall not be determined, held, considered, or otherwise deemed in violation of the primary drinking water standard for hexavalent chromium while state board action on the proposed and submitted compliance plan is pending.(b) This section only applies to a public water system that meets the total chromium maximum contaminant level (MCL) enforceable standard for drinking water in California.
(c) This section does not affect the state’s requirements for establishing drinking water standards for contaminants in drinking water. This section does not apply to any contaminants other than hexavalent chromium.
(d) This section shall not apply if a hexavalent chromium MCL compliance plan is rejected by the state board.
(e) This section does not affect the authority of the state board or the Attorney General to enforce any applicable law or regulation regarding hexavalent chromium, including a state board-approved hexavalent chromium MCL compliance plan.
Text of SB 466 as chaptered, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions