AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 17, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

98

Introduced by Assembly Member Patterson

February 13, 2026

An act to add Section 1526 to the Water Code, relating to water.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law requires each person or entity who holds a permit or license to appropriate water, leases water pursuant to specified provisions of law, or files a specified application, registration, or petition to pay a fee according to a fee schedule established by the State Water Resources Control Board.

This bill would require the board to exempt a water right applicant person who holds a water right permit or license from paying the annual fee pursuant to a specified regulation for a pond with 20 acre-feet or less of water.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 1526 is added to the Water Code, to read:

1526.

The board shall exempt a water right applicant person who holds a water right permit or license from paying the annual fee pursuant to Section 1063 1066 of Title 23 of the California Code of Regulations for a pond with 20 acre-feet or less of water.