SB 804: Hydrogen Pipeline Safety Act.

Official summary

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

(1)The Elder California Pipeline Safety Act of 1981 requires the State Fire Marshal to adopt regulations relating to intrastate pipelines used for the transportation of hazardous liquid substances or highly volatile liquid substances. The act requires these regulations to comply with federal law, which defines hazardous liquid to include, among others, petroleum, petroleum products, and ethanol or other nonpetroleum fuel. Federal law also defines highly volatile liquid substances to mean a hazardous liquid that will form a vapor cloud when released, as provided. The act governs various issues related to intrastate pipelines, including, among others, pipeline design and construction, pipeline testing, land use restrictions within pipeline easements, reporting and document retention requirements on pipeline operators, pipeline inspections, emergency protocols, and enforcement.

This bill would enact the Hydrogen Pipeline Safety Act, a regulatory program, similar to the Elder California Pipeline Safety Act, governing pipelines dedicated to transporting hydrogen, to be administered by the State Fire Marshal, as specified. The bill would require the State Fire Marshal to adopt regulations governing various issues related to the operation and safety of hydrogen pipelines, including those listed above.

The Elder California Pipeline Safety Act authorizes the State Fire Marshal to assess and collect an annual fee from each operator of a pipeline regulated by the act for the purposes of carrying out the act, as provided, and requires those annual fees to be deposited into the Pipeline Operations Account within the California Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Fund. The act requires specified civil penalties provided for by the act to be deposited into the Local Training Account in the fund. Moneys in the accounts are available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the State Fire Marshal for specified purposes.

This bill would similarly authorize the State Fire Marshal to assess and collect an annual fee from each hydrogen pipeline operator for the purposes of carrying out the bill. The bill would require those annual fees to be deposited into the Pipeline Operations Account and specified civil penalties provided for by the bill into the Local Training Account. The bill would make the moneys in the accounts available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the State Fire Marshal for specified purposes relating to these pipeline regulatory programs. The bill would rename the California Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Fund the California Pipeline Safety Fund.

The Elder California Pipeline Safety Act requires that a person who willfully and knowingly violates the act or a regulation issued pursuant to the act be subject to a fine of not more than $25,000, imprisonment, or both, as provided. The act requires a person who willfully and knowingly defaces, damages, removes, or destroys any hazardous liquid pipeline sign or right-of-way marker required by law to be subject to a fine of not more than $5,000, imprisonment, or both, as provided.

This bill would require the same penalties described above to be imposed on a person who willfully and knowingly violates a provision of the bill or a regulation issued pursuant to the bill or defaces, damages, removes, or destroys any hydrogen pipeline sign or right-of-way marker required by law. By creating new crimes, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 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 30, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 981, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 30, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 981, Statutes of 2026.
3. September 30, 2026Approved by the Governor.
4. September 30, 2026Approved by the Governor.
5. September 4, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
6. September 4, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
7. August 28, 2026Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 38. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
8. August 28, 2026Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 38. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
9. August 27, 2026From committee: That the Assembly amendments be concurred in. (Ayes 8. Noes 0. Page 6045.)
10. August 27, 2026From committee: That the Assembly amendments be concurred in. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.)
11. August 26, 2026From committee: Be re-referred to Com. on E.M. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(d). (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 5823.) Re-referred to Com. on E.M.
12. August 26, 2026Re-referred to Com. on RLS. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10(d).