CA AB 2218
vetoedWater policy: California Native American tribes.
California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · lower
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Quick answers
Did CA AB 2218 pass?
No. CA AB 2218 passed the legislature but was vetoed. Latest recorded action (2026-09-30): Vetoed by Governor.
What is CA AB 2218 about?
Existing law establishes the sovereignty of the state. This bill would require the state government to support California Native Americans to maintain cultural and linguistic traditions, practice ecosystem stewardship, and engage in good faith government-to-government consultations with all California Native American tribes regarding policies that may affect tribal communities. Existing law establishes various state water policies, including the policy that the use of water for domestic purposes is the highest use of water and the human right to water. Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board to act upon all applications for a permit to appropriate water. This bill would declare that it is the established policy of the state to recognize and address the inequities, as described, inflicted upon all California Native American tribes through financial assistance, protection of tribal beneficial uses, consultation on water projects, plans, and policies, and incorporation of indigenous knowledge to restore and protect ecosystems. The bill would require specified state agencies, including the State Water Resources Control Board, regional water quality control boards, and the Natural Resources Agency, to incorporate this policy when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, permits, or grant criteria to address identified inequities. The bill would require those state entities to identify and offer financial assistance to the tribes consistent with existing legal and policy requirements for financial assistance programs. If there is a dispute between a California Native American tribe and one of those state agencies over the implementation of that policy, the bill would require that matter to be brought before the Governor's Office of Tribal Affairs for mediation before the state agency action is challenged in court and would specify procedures and timelines for mediation, as provided. Existing law authorizes the board to conduct investigations and to issue information orders in administering water rights, as provided. The bill would require the state board, in furtherance of an investigation and upon request, to consult with a tribe whose ancestral territory includes the water body or water bodies at issue for the claimed riparian or appropriative right.
Who sponsors CA AB 2218?
Kalra is the primary sponsor of CA AB 2218, joined by 2 cosponsors.
Description
Existing law establishes the sovereignty of the state. This bill would require the state government to support California Native Americans to maintain cultural and linguistic traditions, practice ecosystem stewardship, and engage in good faith government-to-government consultations with all California Native American tribes regarding policies that may affect tribal communities. Existing law establishes various state water policies, including the policy that the use of water for domestic purposes is the highest use of water and the human right to water. Existing law requires the State Water Resources Control Board to act upon all applications for a permit to appropriate water. This bill would declare that it is the established policy of the state to recognize and address the inequities, as described, inflicted upon all California Native American tribes through financial assistance, protection of tribal beneficial uses, consultation on water projects, plans, and policies, and incorporation of indigenous knowledge to restore and protect ecosystems. The bill would require specified state agencies, including the State Water Resources Control Board, regional water quality control boards, and the Natural Resources Agency, to incorporate this policy when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, permits, or grant criteria to address identified inequities. The bill would require those state entities to identify and offer financial assistance to the tribes consistent with existing legal and policy requirements for financial assistance programs. If there is a dispute between a California Native American tribe and one of those state agencies over the implementation of that policy, the bill would require that matter to be brought before the Governor's Office of Tribal Affairs for mediation before the state agency action is challenged in court and would specify procedures and timelines for mediation, as provided. Existing law authorizes the board to conduct investigations and to issue information orders in administering water rights, as provided. The bill would require the state board, in furtherance of an investigation and upon request, to consult with a tribe whose ancestral territory includes the water body or water bodies at issue for the claimed riparian or appropriative right.
- Introduced
- 2026-04-15
- Latest action
- 2026-09-30 — Vetoed by Governor.
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Subjects
Sponsors
- Kalraauthor
- Rogersprincipal coauthor
- McGuirecoauthor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-09-30
Vetoed by Governor.
executive-veto
2026-09-03
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
executive-receipt
2026-08-26
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2026-08-26
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 56. Noes 0.).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-08-26
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 56. Noes 0. Page 6600.).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-08-25
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 28. Noes 0.).
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-08-13
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-08-13
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (August 13).
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-08-03
In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
referral-committee
2026-07-02
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (July 1).
amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,referral-committee
2026-07-02
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2026-06-24
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on E.Q. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on E.Q.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2026-06-10
Referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and E.Q.
referral-committee
2026-05-28
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
reading-1,referral-committee
2026-05-27
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 57. Noes 0.)
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-05-27
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 57. Noes 0. Page 5454.)
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-05-18
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-05-14
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 14).
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-05-06
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
referral-committee
2026-04-20
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
referral-committee
2026-04-16
Read second time and amended.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2
2026-04-15
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (April 14).
amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,referral-committee
2026-04-14
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on E.S & T.M. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on E.S & T.M.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2026-03-26
Assembly Rule 56 suspended.
2026-03-26
(Pending re-refer to Com. on E.S. & T.M.)
referral-committee
2026-03-26
Assembly Rule 56 suspended. (Page 4433.)
2026-03-24
In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
2026-03-09
Referred to Coms. on W., P., & W. and E.S & T.M.
referral-committee
2026-02-20
From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
2026-02-19
Read first time. To print.
reading-1
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Votes
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials]
2026-04-14 · pass · 9-0
Member-level votes (13)
- Boerner: yes
- Hart: yes
- Rogers: yes
- Ávila Farías: yes
- Muratsuchi: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Bennett: yes
- Alvarez: yes
- Papan: yes
- Bains: other
- Alanis: other
- Jeff Gonzalez: other
- Gallagher: other
Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2026-04-14 · pass · 5-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
- Connolly: yes
- McKinnor: yes
- Lee: yes
- Papan: yes
- Castillo: other
- Ellis: other
Do pass.
2026-05-14 · pass · 11-0
Member-level votes (15)
- Krell: yes
- Sharp-Collins: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Fong: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Solache: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Aguiar-Curry: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Tangipa: other
- Ta: other
- Dixon: other
- Hoover: other
AB 2218 Kalra Assembly Third Reading
2026-05-27 · pass · 57-0
Member-level votes (80)
- Bennett: yes
- Connolly: yes
- Stefani: yes
- Rivas: yes
- Michelle Rodriguez: yes
- Schiavo: yes
- Ávila Farías: yes
- Papan: yes
- Fong: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Sharp-Collins: yes
- Aguiar-Curry: yes
- Hart: yes
- Ramos: yes
- Addis: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Boerner: yes
- Ward: yes
- Alvarez: yes
- Rogers: yes
- Soria: yes
- Harabedian: yes
- McKinnor: yes
- Lee: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Zbur: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Bonta: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Petrie-Norris: yes
- Carrillo: yes
- Berman: yes
- Valencia: yes
- Gabriel: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Bryan: yes
- Ahrens: yes
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
- Haney: yes
- Arambula: yes
- Gipson: yes
- Lowenthal: yes
- Quirk-Silva: yes
- Nguyen: yes
- Krell: yes
- Patel: yes
- Ortega: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Garcia: yes
- Solache: yes
- Kalra: yes
- Schultz: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Ransom: yes
- Irwin: yes
- Muratsuchi: yes
- Macedo: other
- Davies: other
- Patterson: other
- Ta: other
- Bains: other
- Johnson: other
- Celeste Rodriguez: other
- Flora: other
- Chen: other
- Jeff Gonzalez: other
- Tangipa: other
- Ellis: other
- Hoover: other
- Hadwick: other
- Blanca Rubio: other
- Alanis: other
- Sanchez: other
- Lackey: other
- DeMaio: other
- Dixon: other
- Wallis: other
- Castillo: other
- Gallagher: other
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Environmental Quality]
2026-06-23 · pass · 5-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Becker: yes
- Laird: yes
- Stern: yes
- Allen: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Grove: other
- Seyarto: other
Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2026-07-01 · pass · 4-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Allen: yes
- Blakespear: yes
- Menjivar: yes
- Gonzalez: yes
- Dahle: other
- Hurtado: other
- Valladares: other
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
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Attribution
Data from openstates_api_sync, retrieved 2026-10-02T18:21:48.879917Z
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