California 2021-2022 Regular Session Status: Passed Assembly 6 D cosponsors

AB 2201 — Groundwater sustainability agency: groundwater extraction permit: verification.

Last action — In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Assembly
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2021-2022 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Assembly” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Existing law, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, requires all groundwater basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins by the Department of Water Resources that are designated as basins subject to critical conditions of overdraft to be managed under a groundwater sustainability plan or coordinated groundwater sustainability plans by January 31, 2020, and requires all other groundwater basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins to be managed under a groundwater sustainability plan or coordinated groundwater sustainability plans by January 31, 2022, except as specified. Existing law authorizes any local agency or combination of local agencies overlying a groundwater basin to decide to become a groundwater sustainability agency for that basin and imposes specified duties upon that agency or combination of agencies, as provided. Existing law authorizes a groundwater sustainability agency to request of the county, and requires a county to consider, that the county forward permit requests for the construction of new groundwater wells, the enlarging of existing groundwater wells, and the reactivation of abandoned groundwater wells to the agency before permit approval. Existing law also authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board to designate a high- or medium-priority basin as a probationary basin under certain conditions for specified purposes. Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board to adopt a model water well, cathodic protection well, and monitoring well drilling and abandonment ordinance implementing certain standards for water well construction, maintenance, and abandonment and requires each county, city, or water agency, where appropriate, not later than January 15, 1990, to adopt a water well, cathodic protection well, and monitoring well drilling and abandonment ordinance that meets or exceeds certain standards. Under existing law, if a county, city, or water agency, where appropriate, fails to adopt an ordinance establishing water well, cathodic protection well, and monitoring well drilling and abandonment standards, the model ordinance adopted by the state board is required to take effect on February 15, 1990, and is required to be enforced by the county or city and have the same force and effect as if adopted as a county or city ordinance. This bill would instead require a county to forward permit requests for the construction of new groundwater wells, the enlarging of existing groundwater wells, and the reactivation of abandoned groundwater wells to the groundwater sustainability agency before permit approval. The bill would prohibit a county, city, or any other water well permitting agency from approving a permit for a new groundwater well or for an alteration to an existing well in a basin subject to the act and classified as medium- or high-priority unless specified conditions are met, including that it obtains a written verification, from the groundwater sustainability agency that manages the basin or area of the basin where the well is proposed to be located, determining that, among other things, the extraction by the proposed well is consistent with any sustainable groundwater management program established in any applicable groundwater sustainability plan adopted by that groundwater sustainability agency or an alternate plan approved or under review by the Department of Water Resources. The bill would also require, as condition of approving a permit for a new groundwater well or for an alteration to an existing well in an above-described basin, a county, city, or any other water well permitting agency to, among other things, post the well permit application on its internet website for at least 30 days before approving a permit for a new groundwater well or for an alteration to an existing well. By imposing additional requirements on county, city, or any other water well permitting agency, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would provide various exemptions from the above-described provisions, including exempting a permit for any well that provides less than 2 acre-feet of water annually for domestic use or any well used by a public water supply system or state small water system. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

  2. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 22. Noes 16. Page 5241.).

  3. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  4. Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

  5. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 4. Noes 2.) (August 11).

  6. In committee: Referred to suspense file.

  7. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 3. Noes 1.) (June 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  8. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on GOV. & F.

  9. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on GOV. & F.

  10. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on GOV. & F. (Ayes 6. Noes 3.) (June 14).

  11. Referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and GOV. & F.

  12. In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  13. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 44. Noes 24. Page 4833.)

  14. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  15. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 12. Noes 4.) (May 19).

  16. Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 4736.)

  17. In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.

  18. In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

  19. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  20. Read second time and amended.

  21. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 5.) (April 26).

  22. Re-referred to Com. on W.,P., & W.

  23. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on W.,P., & W. Read second time and amended.

  24. Referred to Com. on W.,P., & W.

  25. From printer. May be heard in committee March 18.

  26. Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 5 co-sponsors · 116 not signed on · 19 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (5)

Not signed on (116)

116 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 116 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

3rd Reading AB2201 Bennett et al. By Laird

Passed 22 Yea · 16 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 13901
Democratic 9301
Republican 0400
Total 221602
% of votes cast 55%40%0%5%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Bradford — Yea
Min — Yea
Atkins — Yea
Kamlager — Yea
Gonzalez — Yea
Hueso — Yea
Pan — Yea
Hertzberg — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Leyva — Yea
Wieckowski — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Dodd — Yea
Wilk — Nay
Newman — Nay
Glazer — Nay
Borgeas — Nay
Eggman — Nay
Nielsen — Nay
Roth — Nay
Melendez — Nay
Bates — Nay
Rubio — Not Voting
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Becker, Josh Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Nay
Cortese, Dave Democratic Nay
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Nay
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Not Voting
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Nay
Grove, Shannon Republican Nay
Jones, Brian W. Republican Nay
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended

Passed 4 Yea · 2 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 3100
Democratic 1001
Republican 0100
Total 4201
% of votes cast 57%29%0%14%
How each member voted (7)
Member Party Vote
Portantino — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Wieckowski — Yea
Bates — Nay
Laird, John Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Not Voting
Jones, Brian W. Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Placed on suspense file

Passed 7 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 5000
Democratic 1000
Republican 1000
Total 7000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (7)
Member Party Vote
Bates — Yea
Kamlager — Yea
Wieckowski — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Governance and Finance]

Passed 6 Yea · 3 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 4000
Unaffiliated 2100
Republican 0200
Total 6300
% of votes cast 67%33%0%0%
How each member voted (9)
Member Party Vote
Hertzberg — Yea
Hueso — Yea
Eggman — Nay
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Nay
Jones, Brian W. Republican Nay

Official roll call →

AB 2201 Bennett Assembly Third Reading

Passed 44 Yea · 24 Nay · 10 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 201306
Republican 0900
Democratic 24204
Total 4424010
% of votes cast 56%31%0%13%
How each member voted (78)
Member Party Vote
Waldron — Nay
Gray — Nay
Smith — Nay
Cunningham — Nay
Cooper — Nay
Levine — Not Voting
Maienschein — Not Voting
Rodriguez — Not Voting
Mayes — Not Voting
Villapudua — Not Voting
O'Donnell — Not Voting
Rendon — Yea
Mullin — Yea
Holden — Yea
Jones-Sawyer — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Quirk — Yea
Wood — Yea
Nazarian — Yea
Ting — Yea
Low — Yea
Daly — Yea
Medina — Yea
McCarty — Yea
Voepel — Nay
Cooley — Nay
Mathis — Nay
Bigelow — Nay
Salas — Nay
Kiley — Nay
Bloom — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Cristina Garcia — Yea
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Jim Patterson — Nay
Luz Rivas — Yea
Mark Stone — Yea
Vince Fong — Nay
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Nay
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Bennett, Steve Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Not Voting
Boerner, Tasha Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Not Voting
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Not Voting
Haney, Matt Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Lee, Alex Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Nay
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Yea
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Ramos, James C. Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Not Voting
Ward, Christopher M. Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Wilson, Lori D. Democratic Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Nay
Choi, Steven S. Republican Nay
Dahle, Megan Republican Nay
Davies, Laurie Republican Nay
Flora, Heath Republican Nay
Gallagher, James Republican Nay
Lackey, Tom Republican Nay
Seyarto, Kelly Republican Nay
Valladares, Suzette Martinez Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Do pass.

Passed 12 Yea · 4 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 5200
Democratic 7000
Republican 0200
Total 12400
% of votes cast 75%25%0%0%
How each member voted (16)
Member Party Vote
Levine — Yea
Holden — Yea
Quirk — Yea
Bigelow — Nay
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Vince Fong — Nay
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Wilson, Lori D. Democratic Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Nay
Davies, Laurie Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]

Passed 8 Yea · 5 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 3302
Democratic 5100
Republican 0100
Total 8502
% of votes cast 53%33%0%13%
How each member voted (15)
Member Party Vote
Friedman — Yea
Nazarian — Yea
Smith — Nay
Bigelow — Nay
Villapudua — Nay
Levine — Not Voting
Salas — Not Voting
Cristina Garcia — Yea
Bennett, Steve Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Nay
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Yea
Ward, Christopher M. Democratic Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Subjects

environment
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Frequently asked questions

What does AB 2201 do?
Existing law, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, requires all groundwater basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins by the Department of Water Resources that are designated as basins subject to critical conditions of overdraft to be managed under a groundwater sustainability plan or coordinated groundwater sustainability plans by January 31, 2020, and requires all other groundwater basins designated as high- or medium-priority basins to be managed under a groundwater sustainability plan or coordinated groundwater sustainability plans by January 31, 2022, except as specified. Existing law authorizes any local agency or combination of local agencies overlying a groundwater basin to decide to become a groundwater sustainability agency for that basin and imposes specified duties upon that agency or combination of agencies, as provided. Existing law authorizes a groundwater sustainability agency to request of the county, and requires a county to consider, that the county forward permit requests for the construction of new groundwater wells, the enlarging of existing groundwater wells, and the reactivation of abandoned groundwater wells to the agency before permit approval. Existing law also authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board to designate a high- or medium-priority basin as a probationary basin under certain conditions for specified purposes. Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board to adopt a model water well, cathodic protection well, and monitoring well drilling and abandonment ordinance implementing certain standards for water well construction, maintenance, and abandonment and requires each county, city, or water agency, where appropriate, not later than January 15, 1990, to adopt a water well, cathodic protection well, and monitoring well drilling and abandonment ordinance that meets or exceeds certain standards. Under existing law, if a county, city, or water agency, where appropriate, fails to adopt an ordinance establishing water well, cathodic protection well, and monitoring well drilling and abandonment standards, the model ordinance adopted by the state board is required to take effect on February 15, 1990, and is required to be enforced by the county or city and have the same force and effect as if adopted as a county or city ordinance. This bill would instead require a county to forward permit requests for the construction of new groundwater wells, the enlarging of existing groundwater wells, and the reactivation of abandoned groundwater wells to the groundwater sustainability agency before permit approval. The bill would prohibit a county, city, or any other water well permitting agency from approving a permit for a new groundwater well or for an alteration to an existing well in a basin subject to the act and classified as medium- or high-priority unless specified conditions are met, including that it obtains a written verification, from the groundwater sustainability agency that manages the basin or area of the basin where the well is proposed to be located, determining that, among other things, the extraction by the proposed well is consistent with any sustainable groundwater management program established in any applicable groundwater sustainability plan adopted by that groundwater sustainability agency or an alternate plan approved or under review by the Department of Water Resources. The bill would also require, as condition of approving a permit for a new groundwater well or for an alteration to an existing well in an above-described basin, a county, city, or any other water well permitting agency to, among other things, post the well permit application on its internet website for at least 30 days before approving a permit for a new groundwater well or for an alteration to an existing well. By imposing additional requirements on county, city, or any other water well permitting agency, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would provide various exemptions from the above-described provisions, including exempting a permit for any well that provides less than 2 acre-feet of water annually for domestic use or any well used by a public water supply system or state small water system. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Who sponsors AB 2201?
AB 2201 is sponsored by Bennett, Steve (Democratic), Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca (Democratic), Kalra, Ash (Democratic), Rivas, Robert (Democratic), Allen, Benjamin (Democratic), and Stern, Henry I. (Democratic).
What is the current status of AB 2201?
This bill died with 2021-2022 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Assembly” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track AB 2201?
Track AB 2201 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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