CaliforniaCalifornia water board would help low-income households pay water bills
If lawmakers provide enough money, California’s water board would help low-income households pay water bills, starting with selected systems if funds are limited.
What it does
If lawmakers provide funding, the state water board would help low-income households pay residential water bills, starting with selected water systems if funds are limited.
Eligible households would receive monthly water bill credits through participating systems; statewide rules would require nontribal community systems to serve them once funding is sufficient.
The board would track spending and report on the program; the Attorney General could seek a court order to stop violations at the board’s request.
Argument forIf lawmakers fund the program, eligible households could receive monthly water bill credits that may lower what they owe.
Argument againstWater systems could face added work enrolling customers and applying bill credits once they must participate, even though the bill ties that work to available funding.
More detail
The State Water Resources Control Board would establish a program and fund to help pay low-income households’ residential water bills. The program would serve low-income residential customers of eligible community or participating tribal water systems. Low-income means household income no greater than 200 percent of the federal poverty guideline, consistent with CARE program rules. The Legislature must appropriate money before any part of the program can be implemented. If funding supports only a partial rollout, the board would select systems to serve; statewide service requires a separate finding that enough money is available. The board would begin distributing assistance within three years after it gives public notice that the minimum implementation amount was appropriated.
The board would set enrollment rules, and eligible systems would provide monthly bill credits to qualifying households. The credit would go to low-income residential customers of participating systems. Customers whose eligibility is not established through automatic enrollment must meet the program’s income rules; systems may confirm eligibility through a self-certification made under penalty of perjury. Guidelines would provide for automatic enrollment of households with a customer enrolled in CARE. Other listed benefit program enrollments could support enrollment where federal law allows; other customers must meet the low-income rules. For statewide service, nontribal community water systems would have to participate; tribal water systems could choose to participate. Eligible systems would receive at least 180 days’ notice before they must provide assistance. The standard credit would be at least $20 per month and adjusted annually for inflation. A system could instead choose a credit equal to 20 percent of specified water charges if that amount is higher. The board would adopt guidelines within two years after the program’s effective date. Nontribal community systems would begin statewide assistance within two years after notice that sufficient money was appropriated; that deadline would be delayed if the board adopts guidelines late.
The board would track program money, oversee its use, and report on results; at the board’s request, the Attorney General could ask a court to stop violations. These duties apply to the state fund, water systems receiving program funds, and violations of the program’s rules. Reports would cover spending, households served, estimated eligibility and funding needs, and program results. Systems receiving money would be audited and would repay funds disallowed in an audit, except money already applied to customer accounts. The board could not request, and the Attorney General could not bring, an action against a system making a good-faith effort to comply or told it need not comply. The board would submit its first report four years after the program’s effective date, then post another every three years.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed Assembly
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 30In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending.Latest
- Sep 30Vetoed by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Major
- Aug 31Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 6 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 26Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 31. Noes 9. Page 5915.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.Major
- Vote recorded Unfinished Business SB1125 Menjivar et al. Concurrence. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 25In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
- Vote recorded SB 1125 Menjivar Senate Third Reading By Celeste Rodriguez. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 25Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 62. Noes 10. Page 6473.) Ordered to the Senate.Passed Assembly
- Aug 19Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 19Read third time and amended.Major
- Aug 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 13Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 13From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 1.) (August 13).Major
- Aug 13Assembly Rule 63 suspended.
- Aug 5August 5 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.
- Jun 25From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 1.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 25Coauthors revised.
- Jun 24
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 17From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on U. & E. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (June 16). Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.Minor
- Jun 16
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Utilities and Energy]. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 9From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E.S & T.M.Major
- Jun 4Referred to Coms. on E.S & T.M. and U. & E.Minor
- May 27In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading SB1125 Menjivar et al. Result: pass.Upper
- May 27Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 30. Noes 9. Page 4499.) Ordered to the Assembly.Passed Senate
- May 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- May 14From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 6. Noes 1. Page 4265.) (May 14).Major
- May 8Set for hearing May 14.
- May 4May 4 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 24Set for hearing May 4.
- Apr 22From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 1. Page 3974.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 21
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 16Set for hearing April 21.
- Apr 15Re-referred to Com. on E., U & C.Minor
- Apr 8From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on RLS. (Ayes 5. Noes 1. Page 3792.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on RLS.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Rules]. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 25From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E.Q.Major
- Mar 10Set for hearing April 8.
- Feb 26Referred to Com. on E.Q.Minor
- Feb 18From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 20.
- Feb 17Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.Introduced
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