SB 149: Public resources trailer bill.

Official summary

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

(1)Existing law, until January 1, 2030, generally prohibits a person from possessing, importing, shipping, or transporting in the state, or from placing, planting, or causing to be placed or planted in any water within the state, dreissenid mussels, and authorizes the Director of Fish and Wildlife or the director’s designee to engage in various enforcement activities with regard to dreissenid mussels. Existing law requires any person, or federal, state, or local agency, district, or authority that owns or manages a reservoir, as defined, where recreational, boating, or fishing activities are permitted, except as specified, to develop and implement a program designed to prevent the introduction of nonnative dreissenid mussel species, as provided. Under existing law, except as otherwise provided, any violation of the Fish and Game Code, or of any rule, regulation, or order made or adopted under the code, is a crime.

This bill would expand the scope of the above-described provisions relating to dreissenid mussels to instead apply to invasive mussels, defined to mean any nonnative detrimental mussel species, as provided. By expanding the scope of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

Existing law requires a public or private agency that operates a water supply system to cooperate with the Department of Fish and Wildlife to implement measures to avoid infestation by dreissenid mussels and to control or eradicate any infestation that may occur in a water supply system, and, if dreissenid mussels are detected, to prepare and implement a plan, as specified, to control or eradicate dreissenid mussels within the system. Existing law requires any person or entity that manages any aspect of the water in a reservoir, as defined, where recreational, boating, or fishing activities are permitted, to be eligible to receive a grant for the reasonable regulatory costs incident to the implementation of a dreissenid mussel infestation prevention plan.

This bill would instead apply the above-described provisions to invasive mussels, as defined. The bill would require the department to, on or before December 31, 2026, review all approved plans and require all plans that do not specifically address all invasive mussel species known to be present in bodies of water in the state as of January 1, 2026, to be updated or revised, as provided. The bill would require every invasive mussel species to be addressed in a plan within a specified timeframe. By expanding the scope of a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the department to either approve the plan or provide written comments and suggestions on plan review deficiencies, as provided.

Existing law requires the owner of a vessel, as described, to register the vessel in accordance with prescribed requirements governing the registration and transfer of vessels. Existing law requires vessel registration to be renewed every 2-year period, as specified. Existing law establishes a registration fee and a renewal fee for vessels, and imposes an additional fee, known as the quagga and zebra mussel infestation prevention fee, in specified amounts, as determined by the Division of Boating and Waterways in the Department of Parks and Recreation, on a vessel required to pay the registration fee or renewal fee. Existing state regulations require the quagga and zebra mussel infestation prevention fee to be payable in specific instances of vessel registration or renewal. Existing law requires that all revenues collected from the quagga and zebra mussel prevention fee be deposited into the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund created in the State Treasury, and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, expended for specified purposes.

This bill would instead apply the above-described provisions to invasive mussels, as defined, including renaming the quagga and zebra mussel infestation prevention fee as the invasive mussel infestation prevention fee. The bill would, for invasive mussel infestation prevention fees due in the 2026 calendar year, and each year thereafter, increase the fee in specified amounts, and would require the amounts to be adjusted for inflation, as provided.

Sponsors

“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 12, 2025Re-referred to Com. on BUDGET pursuant to Assembly Rule 97.
2. September 10, 2025Ordered to third reading.
3. September 10, 2025Withdrawn from committee.
4. September 10, 2025Assembly Rule 96 suspended. (Ayes 56. Noes 19. Page 3164.)
5. September 9, 2025From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on BUDGET.
6. September 8, 2025From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on BUDGET.
7. March 24, 2025Referred to Com. on BUDGET.
8. March 20, 2025In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
9. March 20, 2025Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 28. Noes 10. Page 446.) Ordered to the Assembly.
10. March 18, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
11. March 17, 2025Ordered to second reading.
12. March 17, 2025Withdrawn from committee. (Ayes 27. Noes 10. Page 384.)