California · 2025–26 Regular Session · Assembly Bill
AB 639: Dams: exceptions.
Enacted Official data
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed one chamber
- Passed both chambers
- Enacted
Last official action: ·Record last updated:
Plain-language summary
AB 639 is a assembly bill introduced in the California Assembly on February 13, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: Dams: exceptions. Primary sponsor: Esmeralda Soria (D). Most recent recorded action (October 11, 2025): Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 617, Statutes of 2025.
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 defines a dam to mean any artificial barrier, together with appurtenant works, that does or may impound or divert water, and meets other specified criteria. Existing law excludes from the definition a barrier that is or will be not in excess of 6 feet in height, regardless of storage capacity, or that has or will have a storage capacity not in excess of 15 acre-feet, regardless of height. Existing law requires the Department of Water Resources to supervise the construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, maintenance, operation, and removal of dams and reservoirs for the protection of life and property.
This bill would additionally exclude from the definition of a dam a barrier that does not impound water above the top of a levee where maximum storage behind the barrier has a minimum of 3 feet of freeboard on the levee and is a weir, as defined, but would apply only to specified weirs named in the bill.
Sponsors
Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1
| Name | Role | Party | Chamber | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Esmeralda Soria | Primary 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
- Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 617, Statutes of 2025.
- Approved by the Governor.
- Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
- Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 2918.).
- In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 1. Page 2427.).
- Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
- From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.
- Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
- From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 10).
- Referred to Com. on N.R. & W.
- In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.