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California 20252026

AB 1156

Williamson Act contracts: cancellation fees: photovoltaic solar facilities.

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Source: Open States / PluralUpdated 2026-09-12 13:12:55 UTC.

Official record

Measure details

Jurisdiction
California
Session
20252026
Chamber
lower
Classification
bill
Subjects
WilliamsonActcontracts, cancellationfees, photovoltaicsolarfacilities
Introduced / first action
2025-02-20 00:00:00

Alternate titles

  • Agricultural land use: conversion to solar-use easements.
  • Solar-use easements: suspension of Williamson Act contracts: terms of easement: termination.

Source-supplied abstracts

The California Land Conservation Act of 1965 (act) , otherwise known as the Williamson Act, authorizes a city or county to contract with a landowner to limit the use of agricultural land to agricultural use if the land is located in an agricultural preserve designated by the city or county, as specified. Existing law authorizes the county or city to cancel a contract under certain circumstances and conditions. Existing law requires the city or county to determine the amount of the cancellation fee, based on the assessor's determination of the fair market value of the land as though it were free of the contractual restriction, that the landowner shall pay if the city and county approves a cancellation of a contract, as specified. Existing law authorizes the city or county to waive the payment or extend the time for making payment if the cancellation is caused by an involuntary transfer or change in the use which may be made of land, the county or city has determined that it is in the best interest of the program to conserve agricultural land use that the payment be either deferred or not required, and the extension is approved by the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, as provided. This bill would remove the ability of a city or county to waive payment or extend the time for making payment, as described above. The bill would instead authorize the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, upon application by the landowner, to waive payment or extend the time for making payment, as described above, if either the cancellation is caused by an involuntary transfer or change in the use which may be made of the land, as described above, or the cancellation is to facilitate a photovoltaic solar facility that meets specified conditions. The bill, until January 1, 2037, would require the secretary to approve a completed application for extension of making the payment by a landowner if it includes certain items, as provided, and would require the secretary to waive payment if the landowner attests and provides proof to the secretary that a solar project has been constructed on the property. The act deems a contract null and void upon acquisition of the land subject to the contract in an eminent domain action or upon acquisition of land in lieu of eminent domain, as provided. The Jobs and Economic Improvement Through Environmental Leadership Act of 2021 authorizes the Governor, until January 1, 2032, to certify, among other projects, a clean renewable energy project that generates electricity exclusively through wind or solar, as specified, for certain streamlining benefits. This bill would additionally deem a contract null and void when that land is approved for use as a photovoltaic solar facility certified under the Jobs and Economic Improvement Through Environmental Leadership Act of 2021, as provided.

Sponsors

Source-supplied history

Actions

  1. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 56. Noes 6.).

    amendment-passage, committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable

  2. Assembly Rule 63 suspended.

  3. In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

  4. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 21. Noes 14.).

    passage, reading-1, reading-3

  5. From committee: That the measure be returned to Senate Floor for consideration. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (August 28)

    committee-passage

  6. From committee: Be re-referred to Com. on L. GOV. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10 (b). (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.

    committee-passage, referral-committee

  7. Re-referred to Com. on RLS. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10 (b).

    referral-committee

  8. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1, reading-2, reading-3

  9. Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

    amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-2, reading-3

  10. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1, reading-3

  11. (Ayes 30. Noes 10.)

  12. Action rescinded whereby the bill was read third time, passed, and to Assembly.

    passage, reading-1, reading-3

  13. In Senate. Held at Desk.

  14. Ordered to the Senate.

  15. From inactive file.

  16. Ordered to inactive file at the request of Assembly Member Wicks.

  17. Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Page 3477.)

  18. In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

  19. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 25. Noes 8. Page 2963.).

    passage, reading-1, reading-3

  20. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1, reading-2, reading-3

  21. Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

    amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-2, reading-3

  22. Joint Rule 61(a)(13) suspended. (Ayes 28. Noes 8. Page 2568.)

  23. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1, reading-2, reading-3

  24. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (August 29).

    committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable

  25. In committee: Referred to suspense file.

    referral-committee

  26. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-2, referral-committee

  27. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 16).

    amendment-introduction, amendment-passage, committee-passage, referral-committee

  28. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on E.Q. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 9). Re-referred to Com. on E.Q.

    committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable, referral-committee

  29. Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and E.Q.

    referral-committee

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

    reading-1, referral-committee

  31. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 66. Noes 5. Page 2015.)

    passage, reading-1, reading-3

  32. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1, reading-2, reading-3

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

    amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-2

  34. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 1.) (May 23).

    amendment-introduction, amendment-passage, committee-passage

  35. Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.)

  36. Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 1627.)

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

    referral-committee

  38. In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

  39. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    referral-committee

  40. Read second time and amended.

    amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-2

  41. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (April 30).

    amendment-introduction, amendment-passage, committee-passage, referral-committee

  42. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on AGRI. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 23). Re-referred to Com. on AGRI.

    committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable, referral-committee

  43. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on U. & E. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 23). Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.

    committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable, referral-committee

  44. (Pending re-refer to Com. on U. & E.).)

    referral-committee

  45. Assembly Rule 56 suspended. (Page 1114.)

  46. Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.

    referral-committee

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

    amendment-introduction, amendment-passage, committee-passage, reading-1, reading-2, referral-committee

  48. Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and AGRI.

    referral-committee

  49. From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

  50. Read first time. To print.

    reading-1

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