California · 2025–26 Regular Session · Assembly Bill
AB 524: Farmland Access and Conservation for Thriving Communities Act.
Vetoed Official data
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed one chamber
- Passed both chambers
- Enacted
- Vetoed
Last official action: ·Record last updated:
Plain-language summary
AB 524 is a assembly bill introduced in the California Assembly on February 10, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: Farmland Access and Conservation for Thriving Communities Act. Primary sponsor: Lori Wilson (D). It lists 9 additional sponsors. Most recent recorded action (January 22, 2026): Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.
Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written
Official summary
Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.
Existing law, the California Farmland Conservancy Program Act, establishes within the Department of Conservation the California Farmland Conservancy Program. Existing law authorizes the program to offer financial assistance, including grants or contracts, for projects and activities on agricultural lands, as defined, that support agricultural conservation and sustainable land management.
This bill would require the department, in collaboration with the California Agricultural Land Equity Task Force, to establish the Farmland Access and Conservation for Thriving Communities Program in the department to provide financial and technical assistance to support agricultural land acquisition and protection. The bill would require the department, subject to specified requirements, to provide financial assistance under the program to qualified entities for the purpose of acquiring agricultural lands to transfer or provide long-term leases to qualified farmer participants, as specified. The bill would establish the Farmland Access Fund in the State Treasury and would make moneys in the fund available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the department for program expenditures. The bill would authorize the department to contract with one or more nonprofit organizations to administer the program. The bill would make the operation of the program contingent upon the Legislature making an appropriation for purposes of the program.
Sponsors
Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 7 · Republican 3
| Name | Role | Party | Chamber | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lori Wilson | Primary sponsor | Democratic | Assembly | 11 |
| Cecilia Aguiar-Curry | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Assembly | 4 |
| Juan Alanis | Co-sponsor | Republican | Assembly | 22 |
| Dave Cortese | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 15 |
| Jeff Gonzalez | Co-sponsor | Republican | Assembly | 36 |
| Heather Hadwick | Co-sponsor | Republican | Assembly | 1 |
| Melissa Hurtado | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Senate | 16 |
| Jacqui Irwin | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Assembly | 42 |
| Rhodesia Ransom | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Assembly | 13 |
| Esmeralda Soria | Co-sponsor | Democratic | Assembly | 27 |
“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.
Recent official actions
- Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.
- Consideration of Governor's veto pending.
- Vetoed by Governor.
- Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
- Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 3195.).
- In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 31. Noes 5. Page 2746.).
- Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
- Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
- From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (August 29).
- In committee: Referred to suspense file.
- (Ayes 27. Noes 0. Page 2172.)