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California 20252026

AB 2218

Water policy: California Native American tribes.

Open original source Back to bills
Source: Open States / PluralUpdated 2026-09-12 13:12:55 UTC.

Official record

Measure details

Jurisdiction
California
Session
20252026
Chamber
lower
Classification
bill
Subjects
CaliforniaNativeAmericantribes, Waterpolicy
Introduced / first action
2026-02-19 00:00:00

Source-supplied abstracts

Existing law establishes the sovereignty of the state. This bill would require the state government to support California Native Americans to maintain cultural and linguistic traditions, practice ecosystem stewardship, and engage in good faith government-to-government consultations with all California Native American tribes regarding policies that may affect tribal communities. Existing law establishes various state water policies, including the policy that the use of water for domestic purposes is the highest use of water and the human right to water. Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board to act upon all applications for a permit to appropriate water. This bill would declare that it is the established policy of the state to recognize and address the inequities, as described, inflicted upon all California Native American tribes through financial assistance, protection of tribal beneficial uses, consultation on water projects, plans, and policies, and incorporation of indigenous knowledge to restore and protect ecosystems. The bill would require specified state agencies, including the State Water Resources Control Board, regional water quality control boards, and the Natural Resources Agency, to incorporate this policy when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, permits, or grant criteria to address identified inequities. The bill would require those state entities to identify and offer financial assistance to the tribes consistent with existing legal and policy requirements for financial assistance programs. If there is a dispute between a California Native American tribe and one of those state agencies over the implementation of that policy, the bill would require that matter to be brought before the Governor's Office of Tribal Affairs for mediation before the state agency action is challenged in court and would specify procedures and timelines for mediation, as provided. Existing law authorizes the board to conduct investigations and to issue information orders in administering water rights, as provided. The bill would require the state board, in furtherance of an investigation and upon request, to consult with a tribe whose ancestral territory includes the water body or water bodies at issue for the claimed riparian or appropriative right.

Sponsors

Source-supplied history

Actions

  1. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.

    executive-receipt

  2. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 56. Noes 0.).

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

  3. In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

  4. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 28. Noes 0.).

    passage, reading-1, reading-3

  5. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1, reading-2, reading-3

  6. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (August 13).

    committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable

  7. In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

    referral-committee

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

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

  9. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (July 1).

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

  10. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on E.Q. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on E.Q.

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

  11. Referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and E.Q.

    referral-committee

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

    reading-1, referral-committee

  13. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 57. Noes 0.)

    passage, reading-1, reading-3

  14. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

    reading-1, reading-2, reading-3

  15. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 14).

    committee-passage, committee-passage-favorable

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

    referral-committee

  17. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

    referral-committee

  18. Read second time and amended.

    amendment-passage, reading-1, reading-2

  19. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (April 14).

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

  20. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on E.S & T.M. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on E.S & T.M.

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

  21. (Pending re-refer to Com. on E.S. & T.M.)

    referral-committee

  22. Assembly Rule 56 suspended.

  23. In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

  24. Referred to Coms. on W., P., & W. and E.S & T.M.

    referral-committee

  25. From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.

  26. Read first time. To print.

    reading-1

Documents and versions

Official links

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Related measures

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