California Senate Bill 1153
Session 20252026
Disaster preparedness: urban retail water suppliers and public water systems: wildfire.
Active
Passed Senate on May 22, 2026
Origin Chamber
Senate
Type
Bill
Bill Number
1153
State
California
Session
20252026
Rubio
Coauthor
Motion Text
3rd Reading SB1153 Caballero et al.
Senate Roll Call Votes
Yes
Yes
Other
Yes
Other
Yes
Other
Other
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Other
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Other
Yes
Summary
Existing law, the California Emergency Services Act, requires all public water systems, as defined, with 10,000 or more service connections to review and revise their disaster preparedness plans in conjunction with related agencies, including, but not limited to, local fire departments and the Office of Emergency Services, to ensure that the plans are sufficient to address possible disaster scenarios. A person, as defined, who violates the provisions of this act is guilty of a misdemeanor.
This bill, beginning January 1, 2028, would require all urban retail water suppliers, as defined, serving a high or very high fire hazard severity zone to include incident-specific response procedures for wildfires as part of their disaster preparedness plans, including any applicable emergency response plan as required by federal law. The bill would require these plans to include, among other things, mitigation actions, including actions, procedures, and equipment, that can obviate or significantly lessen the impact of a wildfire on the water system and the supply of drinking water provided by the water supplier. Because violation of these requirements by certain urban retail water suppliers would constitute a misdemeanor, the bill would expand the scope of a crime, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program.
This bill would provide that the inability of a public water system to maintain water supply or water pressure during a wildfire shall not be considered a substantial cause of the damages resulting from a wildfire, and that the spread of wildfire shall not be considered an inherent risk presented by the deliberate design, construction, or maintenance of a public water system.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest.
This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.
02/18/26 - Introduced
February 18, 2026
03/25/26 - Amended Senate
March 25, 2026
04/06/26 - Amended Senate
April 6, 2026
04/28/26 - Amended Senate
April 28, 2026
03/20/26- Senate Emergency Management
March 20, 2026
04/17/26- Senate Natural Resources and Water
April 17, 2026
05/08/26- Senate Appropriations
May 8, 2026
05/16/26- Sen. Floor Analyses
May 16, 2026
Sort by most recent
05/22/2026
Assembly
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
05/22/2026
Senate
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 33. Noes 0.) Ordered to the Assembly.
05/14/2026
Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
05/14/2026
Senate
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (May 14).
05/12/2026
Senate
Set for hearing May 14.
05/11/2026
Senate
May 11 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
05/04/2026
Senate
Set for hearing May 11.
04/28/2026
Senate
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
04/27/2026
Senate
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (April 21).
04/10/2026
Senate
Set for hearing April 21.
04/08/2026
Senate
April 14 hearing postponed by committee.
04/06/2026
Senate
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.
04/02/2026
Senate
Set for hearing April 14.
03/25/2026
Senate
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.
03/24/2026
Senate
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on N.R. & W. (Ayes 8. Noes 0. Page 3657.) (March 24).
03/18/2026
Senate
Set for hearing March 24.
03/04/2026
Senate
Referred to Coms. on E.M. and N.R. & W.
02/19/2026
Senate
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 21.
02/18/2026
Senate
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Sources
Record Created
Feb 19, 2026 8:47:16 AM
Record Updated
May 23, 2026 8:54:50 AM