ACWA Advocacy Delivers Significant Wins for Members
October 2, 2026
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom this week acted on several bills of interest to ACWA members, including signing the association’s two sponsored bills and vetoing two bills that, while well-intentioned, would have negatively impacted members’ water rights and infrastructure work.
The two sponsored bills — SB 1153 and AB 2180 — will provide new clarity for water agencies related to wildfire liability and water rate-setting.
ACWA led coalitions in support of both bills, and strong member engagement was essential to their success. The two laws, which take effect in 2027, are outlined below along with the governor’s final decisions on other key water bills that ACWA advocated on during the 2026 legislative session.
More background is available in an Oct. 1 Advisory. Member login is required. Summaries of the two bills and final status of other key pieces of water-related legislation are outlined below.
Wildfires
SB 1153 (Caballero, D-Merced) establishes that limitations in water supply or pressure during wildfires are not a substantial cause of damages. It also bolsters wildfire preparedness by requiring urban retail water suppliers in high fire risk areas to include wildfire response procedures in their existing emergency response plans by 2028.
Rate Setting
AB 2180 (Ward, D-San Diego) clarifies how water agencies comply with Proposition 218 when setting water rates, helping to minimize unnecessary legal disputes and providing greater predictability for agencies while supporting California’s water-use conservation goals.
Other Key Water Bills
ACWA staff tracked and engaged on approximately 75 bills during the 2026 legislative session. The governor’s decisions on several other key water bills are outlined below.
Author: Assemblymember James Ramos (D-San Bernardino)
Status: Vetoed
What it would have done: ACWA had an oppose-unless-amended position on this bill, which would have required state governmental agencies to allow access to state public lands for the purposes of tribal religious freedoms. ACWA worked with a coalition of partner organizations to seek amendments that would exclude water from the bill’s provisions and clarify that the bill would not impact public infrastructure projects.
Author: Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose)
Status: Vetoed
What it would have done: ACWA had an oppose-unless-amended position on this bill, which would have required state agencies to implement a policy to address historical inequities affecting California Native American tribes across a wide range of policy decisions. ACWA staff had advocated to ensure the bill included appropriate legal guardrails to protect existing water rights, highlighting concerns regarding the bill’s intent and potential implementation challenges.
Author: Assemblymember Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park)
Status: Vetoed
What it would have done if signed into law: Co-sponsored by ACWA member agencies, this bill would have prohibited a public agency from prohibiting imported water deliveries for groundwater replenishment due to invasive mussels.
Author: Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton)
Status: Signed
What it will do: Co-sponsored by ACWA member agencies, it will assist water managers in their response to golden mussels by streamlining rapid response actions, directing consistent interim guidance through a state task force. Given the urgency clause in the bill, it will take effect immediately.
Author: Sen. Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando)
Status: Vetoed
What it would have done: This ACWA-supported bill would have established a statewide low-income rate assistance (LIRA) program. ACWA strongly supports state efforts to protect water affordability and has consistently advocated for a LIRA program that is workable and efficient for the public water agencies that will play a key role in administering it.
State Budget
The governor signed the state budget on June 29 and signed an updated and amended version into law on Sept. 18.
The June budget included a one-time allocation of $25 million from the General Fund for the ACWA-supported Healthy Rivers and Landscapes (HRL) Program. This funding will support both flow commitments and the habitat and scientific investments associated with the HRL program.