SB 462: California Farmland Conservancy Program: conservation easements: funding.

Official summary

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

Existing law establishes the California Farmland Conservancy Program in the Department of Conservation and authorizes the program to offer financial assistance, including grants or contracts, for projects and activities on agricultural lands that support agricultural conservation and sustainable land management. Existing law creates the California Farmland Conservancy Program Fund and requires moneys in the fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act, to be used for purposes of the program. Notwithstanding that provision, existing law continuously appropriates moneys in the fund from federal grants and gifts and donations to the department for purposes of the program.

This bill would require the Controller to transfer $20,000,000 on July 1 of each fiscal year, commencing with the 2025–26 fiscal year, from the General Fund to the California Farmland Conservancy Program Funding Account, which the bill would create within the California Farmland Conservancy Program Fund. The bill would continuously appropriate moneys in the account to the department for expenditure as provided. The bill would require that the funding only be awarded for agricultural conservation easements on agricultural land, as defined.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 4

“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, 2026Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
2. May 23, 2025May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
3. May 16, 2025Set for hearing May 23.
4. April 21, 2025April 21 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
5. April 10, 2025From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
6. April 9, 2025Set for hearing April 21.
7. April 8, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 707.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
8. March 27, 2025From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.
9. March 24, 2025Set for hearing April 8.
10. February 26, 2025Referred to Com. on N.R. & W.
11. February 20, 2025From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 22.
12. February 19, 2025Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.