CA SB 31
enactedWater quality: recycled water.
California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · upper
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Quick answers
Did CA SB 31 pass?
Yes. CA SB 31 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2025-10-13): Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 736, Statutes of 2025.
What is CA SB 31 about?
(1) The Water Recycling Law generally provides for the use of recycled water. Existing law requires any person who, without regard to intent or negligence, causes or permits an unauthorized discharge of 50,000 gallons or more of recycled water in or on any waters of the state to immediately notify the appropriate regional water board. This bill would, for the purposes of the above provision, redefine "recycled water" and provide that water discharged from a decorative body of water during storm events is not to be considered an unauthorized discharge if recycled water was used to restore levels due to evaporation. (2) Existing law regulating the use of recycled water prohibits the use of prescribed potable water by state and local agencies for any nonpotable uses, including cemeteries, golf courses, parks, and highway landscaped areas if prescribed recycled water is available, and deems use of the recycled water in lieu of the potable water to constitute a reasonable beneficial use of that water. The bill would provide that incidental amounts of spray, mist, or runoff are to be permitted to enter outdoor eating areas of parks and open spaces when irrigated with disinfected tertiary treated recycled water that complies with a specified regulation regarding irrigation. (3) Existing law authorizes any public agency, including a state agency, city, county, city and county, district, or any other political subdivision of the state, to require the use of recycled water for irrigation of residential landscaping, as specified. The bill would provide that outdoor landscape irrigation of common areas that does not enter the boundaries of a residence is not to be considered a part of the same premises as an individual residence and is not to be considered a dual-plumbed system. The bill would require recycled water used for this purpose to comply with specified water quality and cost conditions. (4) Existing law authorizes any public agency, including a state agency, city, county, city and county, district, or any other political subdivision of the state, to require the use of recycled water for toilet and urinal flushing in structures, as specified. Existing law defines "structures" for the purposes of these provisions. This bill would include food handling and processing facilities as part of the definition of "structures." The bill would authorize the use of recycled water for toilet or urinal flushing or outdoor irrigation in and around food handling or processing facilities, commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings, and cafeterias, provided the recycled water does not enter the room where food handling or processing occurs, as specified.
Who sponsors CA SB 31?
McNerney is the primary sponsor of CA SB 31, joined by 7 cosponsors.
Description
(1) The Water Recycling Law generally provides for the use of recycled water. Existing law requires any person who, without regard to intent or negligence, causes or permits an unauthorized discharge of 50,000 gallons or more of recycled water in or on any waters of the state to immediately notify the appropriate regional water board. This bill would, for the purposes of the above provision, redefine "recycled water" and provide that water discharged from a decorative body of water during storm events is not to be considered an unauthorized discharge if recycled water was used to restore levels due to evaporation. (2) Existing law regulating the use of recycled water prohibits the use of prescribed potable water by state and local agencies for any nonpotable uses, including cemeteries, golf courses, parks, and highway landscaped areas if prescribed recycled water is available, and deems use of the recycled water in lieu of the potable water to constitute a reasonable beneficial use of that water. The bill would provide that incidental amounts of spray, mist, or runoff are to be permitted to enter outdoor eating areas of parks and open spaces when irrigated with disinfected tertiary treated recycled water that complies with a specified regulation regarding irrigation. (3) Existing law authorizes any public agency, including a state agency, city, county, city and county, district, or any other political subdivision of the state, to require the use of recycled water for irrigation of residential landscaping, as specified. The bill would provide that outdoor landscape irrigation of common areas that does not enter the boundaries of a residence is not to be considered a part of the same premises as an individual residence and is not to be considered a dual-plumbed system. The bill would require recycled water used for this purpose to comply with specified water quality and cost conditions. (4) Existing law authorizes any public agency, including a state agency, city, county, city and county, district, or any other political subdivision of the state, to require the use of recycled water for toilet and urinal flushing in structures, as specified. Existing law defines "structures" for the purposes of these provisions. This bill would include food handling and processing facilities as part of the definition of "structures." The bill would authorize the use of recycled water for toilet or urinal flushing or outdoor irrigation in and around food handling or processing facilities, commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings, and cafeterias, provided the recycled water does not enter the room where food handling or processing occurs, as specified.
- Introduced
- 2024-12-02
- Latest action
- 2025-10-13 — Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 736, Statutes of 2025.
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Subjects
Sponsors
- McNerneyauthor
- Rubioprincipal coauthor
- Seyartocoauthor
- Valladarescoauthor
- Alvarezcoauthor
- Bennettcoauthor
- Macedocoauthor
- Tangipacoauthor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2025-10-13
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 736, Statutes of 2025.
became-law
2025-10-13
Approved by the Governor.
executive-signature
2025-09-09
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.
executive-receipt
2025-09-04
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2512.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2025-09-03
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
2025-09-03
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 2867.) Ordered to the Senate.
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2025-09-02
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2025-08-29
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 29).
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2025-08-29
Coauthors revised.
2025-08-20
August 20 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2025-07-02
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-06-17
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on E.S & T.M. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on E.S & T.M.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-06-09
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on W. P., & W.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-06-05
Referred to Coms. on W. P., & W. and E.S & T.M.
referral-committee
2025-05-29
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
reading-1
2025-05-29
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1322.) Ordered to the Assembly.
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2025-05-27
Ordered to special consent calendar.
2025-05-23
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2025-05-23
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1188.) (May 23).
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2025-05-23
May 23 set for first hearing. Reconsideration of favorable vote granted.
2025-05-16
Set for hearing May 23.
2025-05-12
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-05-12
May 12 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2025-05-02
Set for hearing May 12.
2025-05-01
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0. Page 962.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-04-21
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E.Q.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-04-02
Set for hearing April 30.
2025-03-26
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E.Q.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-03-25
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on E.Q. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 531.) (March 25).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-03-12
Set for hearing March 25.
2025-02-19
Re-referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and E.Q.
referral-committee
2025-02-10
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-01-29
Referred to Com. on RLS.
referral-committee
2024-12-03
From printer. May be acted upon on or after January 2.
2024-12-02
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
introduction,reading-1,referral-committee
Versions
- 12/02/24 - Introduced — 2024-12-02Compare
- 02/10/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-02-10Compare
- 03/26/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-03-26Compare
- 04/21/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-04-21Compare
- 05/12/25 - Amended Senate — 2025-05-12Compare
- 06/09/25 - Amended Assembly — 2025-06-09Compare
- 09/05/25 - Enrolled — 2025-09-05Compare
- 10/13/25 - Chaptered — 2025-10-13Compare
- SB31Compare
- (document, no version)Compare
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Votes
Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Environmental Quality]
2025-03-25 · pass · 7-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Allen: yes
- Laird: yes
- Limón: yes
- Hurtado: yes
- Stern: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Grove: yes
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2025-04-30 · pass · 8-0
Member-level votes (8)
- Hurtado: yes
- Blakespear: yes
- Valladares: yes
- Pérez: yes
- Menjivar: yes
- Gonzalez: yes
- Dahle: yes
- Padilla: yes
Placed on suspense file
2025-05-12 · pass · 7-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Wahab: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Dahle: yes
- Caballero: yes
Do pass
2025-05-23 · pass · 6-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Richardson: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Dahle: other
[05-23-2025] set for [First] hearing: Reconsideration of favorable vote granted
2025-05-23 · pass · 6-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Caballero: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Dahle: other
Special Consent SB31 McNerney et al.
2025-05-29 · pass · 38-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Grove: yes
- Dahle: yes
- Rubio: yes
- Jones: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Stern: yes
- Padilla: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Pérez: yes
- McNerney: yes
- Gonzalez: yes
- Durazo: yes
- Cortese: yes
- Archuleta: yes
- Blakespear: yes
- Laird: yes
- Strickland: yes
- Choi: yes
- Valladares: yes
- McGuire: yes
- Niello: yes
- Allen: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Hurtado: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Menjivar: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Becker: yes
- Alvarado-Gil: yes
- Ochoa Bogh: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- Limón: other
- Reyes: other
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials]
2025-06-17 · pass · 10-0
Member-level votes (13)
- Celeste Rodriguez: yes
- Boerner: yes
- Tangipa: yes
- Rogers: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Bains: yes
- Hart: yes
- Bennett: yes
- Papan: yes
- Jeff Gonzalez: yes
- Alvarez: other
- Macedo: other
- Ávila Farías: other
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar
2025-07-01 · pass · 7-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Connolly: yes
- Ellis: yes
- McKinnor: yes
- Lee: yes
- Papan: yes
- Castillo: yes
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
Do pass.
2025-08-29 · pass · 15-0
Member-level votes (15)
- Ta: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Fong: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Tangipa: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Arambula: yes
- Dixon: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Sanchez: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Ahrens: yes
- Solache: yes
SB 31 McNerney Senate Third Reading By Alvarez
2025-09-03 · pass · 79-0
Member-level votes (79)
- Pacheco: yes
- Flora: yes
- Schultz: yes
- Patterson: yes
- Ellis: yes
- Gabriel: yes
- Valencia: yes
- Petrie-Norris: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Gipson: yes
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
- Lee: yes
- Muratsuchi: yes
- Alanis: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Zbur: yes
- Schiavo: yes
- Michelle Rodriguez: yes
- Macedo: yes
- Kalra: yes
- Rivas: yes
- Ortega: yes
- Berman: yes
- Davies: yes
- Connolly: yes
- Bains: yes
- Nguyen: yes
- Arambula: yes
- Garcia: yes
- Krell: yes
- Chen: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Carrillo: yes
- Hadwick: yes
- Stefani: yes
- Blanca Rubio: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Gallagher: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Jeff Gonzalez: yes
- Ramos: yes
- Wallis: yes
- Alvarez: yes
- Addis: yes
- Ransom: yes
- Haney: yes
- Harabedian: yes
- Irwin: yes
- Solache: yes
- DeMaio: yes
- McKinnor: yes
- Patel: yes
- Quirk-Silva: yes
- Aguiar-Curry: yes
- Bennett: yes
- Hart: yes
- Castillo: yes
- Ward: yes
- Rogers: yes
- Ahrens: yes
- Dixon: yes
- Bryan: yes
- Sanchez: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Sharp-Collins: yes
- Lowenthal: yes
- Ávila Farías: yes
- Soria: yes
- Boerner: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Ta: yes
- Hoover: yes
- Papan: yes
- Tangipa: yes
- Celeste Rodriguez: yes
- Lackey: yes
- Bonta: yes
- Fong: yes
Unfinished Business SB31 McNerney et al. Concurrence
2025-09-04 · pass · 39-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Stern: yes
- Durazo: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- McGuire: yes
- Laird: yes
- Limón: yes
- Valladares: yes
- Menjivar: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Alvarado-Gil: yes
- Rubio: yes
- Pérez: yes
- Cortese: yes
- Gonzalez: yes
- Choi: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Allen: yes
- Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Blakespear: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Hurtado: yes
- Padilla: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Niello: yes
- Grove: yes
- Jones: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Ochoa Bogh: yes
- Archuleta: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Dahle: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Strickland: yes
- McNerney: yes
- Becker: yes
- Reyes: other
Related bills
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