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<ns0:Id>20250SB__113999INT</ns0:Id>
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<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-02-18</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Senator Laird</ns0:AuthorText>
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<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Laird</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Title> An act to amend Section 10608.14 of the Water Code, relating to water. </ns0:Title>
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<ns0:Subject>Nonfunctional turf: noncompliance and enforcement.</ns0:Subject>
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<html:p>Existing law prohibits the use of potable water for the irrigation of nonfunctional turf located on commercial, industrial, and institutional properties, other than a cemetery, and on properties of homeowners’ associations, common interest developments, and community service organizations or similar entities, as specified. Existing law requires a person or entity to be subject to civil liability or penalties by the State Water Resources Control Board, as prescribed, or to civil liability and penalties imposed by an urban water supplier, pursuant to a locally adopted ordinance or policy. Existing law authorizes a public water system, city, county, or city and county to enforce the provisions relating to the prohibition, as specified.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would require a person or entity to be subject to civil liability or penalties imposed by a special
district with water conservation enforcement authority pursuant to a locally adopted ordinance or policy. The bill would authorize a special district with water conservation enforcement authority to enforce the provisions relating to the prohibition, as specified.</html:p>
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<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
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<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
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Section 10608.14 of the
<ns0:DocName>Water Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
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<ns0:Num>10608.14.</ns0:Num>
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(a)
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The use of potable water for the irrigation of nonfunctional turf located on commercial, industrial, and institutional properties, other than a cemetery, and on properties of homeowners’ associations, common interest developments, and community service organizations or similar entities is prohibited as of the following dates:
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(1)
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All properties owned by the Department of General Services, beginning January 1, 2027.
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(2)
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All properties owned by local governments, local or regional public agencies, and public water systems, except those specified in paragraph (5), beginning January 1, 2027.
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(3)
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All other institutional properties and
all commercial and industrial properties, beginning January 1, 2028.
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(4)
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All common areas of properties of homeowners’ associations, common interest developments, and community service organizations or similar entities, beginning January 1, 2029.
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(5)
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All properties owned by local governments, local public agencies, and public water systems in a disadvantaged community, beginning January 1, 2031, or the date upon which a state funding source is made available to fund conversion of nonfunctional turf on these properties to climate-appropriate landscapes, whichever is later.
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(b)
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Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the use of potable water is not prohibited by this section to the extent necessary to ensure the health of trees and other perennial nonturf plantings, or to the extent necessary to address an immediate health
and safety need.
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(c)
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The board may, upon a showing of good cause for reasons including economic hardship, critical business need, and potential impacts to human health or safety, postpone a compliance deadline in subdivision (a) by up to three years for certain persons, institutions, and businesses, and may create a form to be used for compliance certification to the board by property owners.
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(d)
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Public water systems shall, by no later than January 1, 2027, revise their regulations, ordinances, or policies governing water service to include the requirements of subdivisions (a) and (b), as revised by the board pursuant to subdivision (c), and shall communicate the requirements to their customers on or before that date.
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(e)
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(1)
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An owner of commercial, industrial, or institutional property with
more than 5,000 square feet of irrigated area other than a cemetery shall certify to the board, commencing June 30, 2030, and every three years thereafter through 2039, that their property is in compliance with the requirements of this chapter.
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(2)
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An owner of a property with more than 5,000 square feet of irrigated common area that is a homeowners’ association, common interest development, or community service organization or similar entity shall certify to the board, commencing June 30, 2031, and every three years thereafter through 2040, that their property is in compliance with the requirements of this chapter.
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(f)
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Noncompliance by a person or entity with this chapter or regulations adopted thereunder shall be subject to civil liability and penalties set forth in Section 1846, or to civil liability and penalties imposed by an urban retail water supplier
or special district with water conservation enforcement authority pursuant to a locally adopted ordinance or policy.
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(g)
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(1)
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A public water system, special district with water conservation enforcement authority, city, county, or city and county may enforce the provisions of this chapter.
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(2)
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To avoid duplication of enforcement, any entity identified in paragraph (1) that is not a retail public water system shall notify the retail public water system 30 days prior to enforcement of the provisions of this chapter against a property served by such system.
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(3)
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Nothing in paragraph (2) shall preclude enforcement by any entity identified in paragraph (1)
once adequate notice is given.
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(h)
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The department shall, when using funds appropriated for water conservation for turf replacement, prioritize financial assistance for nonfunctional turf replacement to public water systems serving disadvantaged communities and to owners of affordable housing.
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(i)
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The department shall utilize the saveourwater.com internet website and outreach campaign to provide information and resources on converting nonfunctional turf to native vegetation.
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(j)
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The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development shall support small and minority-owned businesses that provide services that advance compliance with this chapter.
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