AB 362: Water policy: California tribal communities.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

(1)The Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act establishes a statewide program for the control of the quality of all the waters in the state and makes certain legislative findings and declarations. Existing law defines the term “beneficial uses” for the purposes of water quality as certain waters of the state that may be protected against quality degradation, to include, among others, domestic, municipal, agricultural, and industrial supplies.

This bill would add findings and declarations related to California tribal communities, as defined, and the importance of protecting tribal water use. The bill would add tribal water uses as waters of the state that may be protected against quality degradation for purposes of the defined term “beneficial uses.” The bill would require any project or regulatory program subject to approval by the State Water Quality Control Board or a regional water quality control board, within a specified environmental review, and in any findings and declarations presented for state board or a regional board approval, to describe, with both quantitative and qualitative information, how the project or regulatory program will impact tribal water uses, and would require, on or before December 1, 2026, and every 2 years thereafter, the state board to publish a report on implementation of this provision on its internet website.

(2)Existing law requires the state board to consult with and carefully evaluate the recommendations of concerned federal, state, and local agencies during the process of formulating or revising state policy for water quality control.

This bill would additionally require the state board to consult and carefully evaluate the recommendations of concerned California tribal communities.

(3)Existing law requires the state board to formulate and adopt state policy for water quality control. Existing law requires each regional board to formulate and adopt water quality control plans for all areas within the region and prohibits a water quality control plan, or a revision of the plan, adopted by a regional board from becoming effective unless it is approved by the state board. Existing law authorizes the state board to adopt certain water quality control plans. Existing law requires a regional board to establish water quality objectives in water quality control plans that in its judgment will ensure reasonable protection of beneficial uses and the prevention of nuisance and requires each regional board to consider specified factors in establishing water quality objectives.

This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2027, the state board to propose, and solicit tribal consultation and public comment on, water quality standards to achieve reasonable protection of tribal water uses into the water quality control plan for the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta watershed.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 2

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. February 2, 2026Died on inactive file.
2. January 16, 2026Ordered to inactive file at the request of Assembly Member Ramos.
3. January 12, 2026Ordered to third reading.
4. January 12, 2026From inactive file.
5. January 8, 2026Notice of intention to remove from inactive file given by Assembly Member Ramos.
6. September 10, 2025Ordered to inactive file at the request of Assembly Member Ramos.
7. September 3, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
8. September 2, 2025Ordered to second reading.
9. September 2, 2025Withdrawn from committee.
10. September 2, 2025Assembly Rule 96 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 15. Page 2806.)
11. May 23, 2025In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
12. May 14, 2025In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.