CaliforniaCalifornia changes weed grant rules and extends broomrape program
The law changes who can receive weed grants and how local groups plan and spend them, and extends the Broomrape Program until July 1, 2030.
What it does
Eligible local weed management groups can seek state grants from the account’s 60% weed control share. The department weighs how important each proposal is to local and regional efforts to remove high-priority weeds.
Each geographic area can belong to only one weed management group. Groups seeking funding must submit plans with specific goals, and may use up to 25% of distributed funds for meetings, travel, administration, and coordination.
County agricultural commissioners, resource conservation districts, and entities chosen by a weed management group to handle its funds qualify to apply for grants supporting weed research and related work.
The Broomrape Program covers processing tomatoes and other commodities affected by broomrape if the secretary specifies them. The program is scheduled to end on July 1, 2030.
Argument forWeed groups could compete for grants focused on locally important weeds, which may help direct control work toward high-priority infestations.
Argument againstGroups could spend more of their grants on travel and coordination, leaving less available to control weeds.
More detail
The law makes 60% of the account’s funds available to eligible weed management areas through state grants for weed control. The grants support control of noxious and invasive weeds. Groups need an approved plan. The department judges grant proposals by their importance to local and regional efforts to remove high-priority weeds.
The law limits each geographic area to one weed management group and raises the share of distributed funds groups may use for meeting, travel, administration, and coordination from 10% to 25%. These rules apply to weed management groups formed in a county or other geographic area. Groups submit plans to the department for review, approval, and funding. Plans must include goals such as protecting native ecosystems and reducing weed-related costs.
The law revises who qualifies to apply for grants from the account’s 20% research and related work share. The grants support weed research, mapping, prevention, and education. Eligible applicants include county agricultural commissioners, resource conservation districts, and other entities a weed management group chooses as its fiscal agent, meaning the organization that handles its funds.
The law extends the Broomrape Program for two years and expands its definitions of covered people and commodities. A covered person is a producer, handler, or other entity holding title to a commodity assessed under the program. A covered commodity includes tomatoes intended for processing and any other commodity affected by broomrape that the secretary specifies. The program becomes inactive on July 1, 2030, and is repealed on January 1, 2031.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 20Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 395, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 20Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 10Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 31
- Vote recorded AB 2326 Agriculture Concurrence in Senate Amendments By SORIA. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 30Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 6875.).Major
- Aug 28In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Aug 27Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.).Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Special Consent AB2326 AGRI. (Soria) By Caballero. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 25Ordered to special consent calendar.
- Aug 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 13Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).Major
- Aug 3In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 30From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 8From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on AGRI.Major
- Jun 3Referred to Com. on AGRI.Minor
- May 27In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- May 26Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 5314.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 2326 Agriculture Assembly Third Reading By SORIA. Result: pass.Lower
- May 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 8In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Mar 26From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Mar 25
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 9Referred to Com. on AGRI.Minor
- Feb 20From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
- Feb 19Read first time. To print.Introduced
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