AB 442: Z’berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973: working forest management plans: nonindustrial timber management plans.

Official summary

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

Under the Z’berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973, the Legislature finds and declares that it is the policy of the state to encourage prudent and responsible forest management of nonindustrial timberlands by approving working forest management plans in advance. Existing law regulates nonindustrial tree farmers and working forest landowners for timberland management purposes, including by setting a maximum acreage each may own, and authorizes a person who intends to become a nonindustrial tree farmer or a working forest landowner to submit to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection a nonindustrial timber management plan or a working forest harvest plan, respectively, regarding that acreage. Existing law provides a maximum of 2,500 acres owned for nonindustrial tree farmers and nonindustrial timber management plans and a maximum of 10,000 acres owned for working forest landowners and working forest management plans.

This bill would increase the maximum acreage for nonindustrial tree farmers and nonindustrial management plans to 4,000 acres and for working forest landowners and working forest management plans to 15,000 acres.

Existing law requires the harvest area of a working forest management plan to be contained within a single hydrological area, as defined.

This bill would eliminate the requirement that the harvest area of a working forest management plan be contained within a single hydrological area.

Existing law requires the working forest landowner who owns, leases, or otherwise controls or operates on all or any portion of any timberland within the boundaries of an approved working forest management plan, and who plans to harvest any of the timber during a given year, to file a working forest harvest notice, as defined, with the department in writing. Existing law exempts the Southern Subdistrict of the Coast Forest District, as described in regulations, from these provisions regarding working forest management plans.

This bill would eliminate this exemption.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 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. September 27, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 504, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 27, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. August 24, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m.
4. August 17, 2026Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 6199.).
5. July 2, 2026In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
6. July 2, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 5188.).
7. June 30, 2026Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.
8. June 29, 2026From committee: Be ordered to second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to Consent Calendar.
9. June 22, 2026In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
10. June 9, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 9). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
11. June 1, 2026From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.
12. May 6, 2026Referred to Com. on N.R. & W.