Across California, dozens of new laws went into effect on New Year’s Day. The new legislation includes health care improvements, an increase of the state’s minimum wage, and a number of laws affecting California’s agricultural operations.
For growers in the Golden State, the new policies tackle everything from water rights to pesticide distribution. We’ll spotlight a few of them below.
Senate Bill 389
Written by Senator Ben Allen, this bill clarifies the California State Water Resources Control Board’s authority to investigate whether the rights of a water user in California are valid and impose penalties for unauthorized diversions. Previously, the Board could only investigate cases of illegal water use at the request of another water-rights holder. Senate Bill 389 allows the board to launch investigations on its own accord.
Trucking Regulations
Adopted in 2023, the Advanced Clean Fleets regulation goes into effect this year. It requires all federal agencies (including the U.S. Postal Service), all companies with 50 or more vehicles, and all companies with at least $50 million in annual revenue to begin phasing out the use of their diesel trucks in California. The phasing out process will take place over two decades.
Also adopted in 2023, the Clean Truck Check became mandatory on January 1. Agricultural vehicles must undergo emission testing every year, and all truck owners are required to enter their vehicles into a statewide database, properly maintain their vehicle’s emission system, and pay a small fee.
Assembly Bill 1016
Sponsored by the California Farm Bureau and signed in October, this law allows the Department of Pesticide Regulation to update the certification process for farmers looking to utilize drones in spraying pesticides and other biological treatments on their properties. If all goes according to plan, it will streamline the regulatory process, increase farmers’ access to useful technology, and boost crop yields. “The technology allows you to use (applications) in areas where you previously couldn’t, because it’s so targeted,” explains California Farm Bureau’s government affairs director, Christopher Reardon.
Senate Bill 505
Although it won’t take effect until July, this bill will be a welcome piece of legislation for agricultural businesses in wildfire-prone areas. It improves commercial property insurance options for those who’ve lost coverage due to fire risk. Ricardo Lara, the insurance commissioner of California, urges everyone to be patient. “This isn’t going to happen overnight,” he explains, while also promising that California’s government has “made a commitment that the (insurance) companies will be back.”
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