CaliforniaWilliamson Act contracts: cancellation fees: photovoltaic solar facilities.
What it does
The California Land Conservation Act of 1965 (act), otherwise known as the Williamson Act, authorizes a city or county to contract with a landowner to limit the use of agricultural land to agricultural use if the land is located in an agricultural preserve designated by the city or county, as specified. Existing law authorizes the county or city to cancel a contract under certain circumstances and conditions. Existing law requires the city or county to determine the amount of the cancellation fee, based on the assessor's determination of the fair market value of the land as though it were free of the contractual restriction, that the landowner shall pay if the city and county approves a cancellation of a contract, as specified.
More detail
Existing law authorizes the city or county to waive the payment or extend the time for making payment if the cancellation is caused by an involuntary transfer or change in the use which may be made of land, the county or city has determined that it is in the best interest of the program to conserve agricultural land use that the payment be either deferred or not required, and the extension is approved by the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, as provided.
This bill would remove the ability of a city or county to waive payment or extend the time for making payment, as described above. The bill would instead authorize the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, upon application by the landowner, to waive payment or extend the time for making payment, as described above, if either the cancellation is caused by an involuntary transfer or change in the use which may be made of the land, as described above, or the cancellation is to facilitate a photovoltaic solar facility that meets specified conditions. The bill, until January 1, 2037, would require the secretary to approve a completed application for extension of making the payment by a landowner if it includes certain items, as provided, and would require the secretary to waive payment if the landowner attests and provides proof to the secretary that a solar project has been constructed on the property.
The act deems a contract null and void upon acquisition of the land subject to the contract in an eminent domain action or upon acquisition of land in lieu of eminent domain, as provided. The Jobs and Economic Improvement Through Environmental Leadership Act of 2021 authorizes the Governor, until January 1, 2032, to certify, among other projects, a clean renewable energy project that generates electricity exclusively through wind or solar, as specified, for certain streamlining benefits.
This bill would additionally deem a contract null and void when that land is approved for use as a photovoltaic solar facility certified under the Jobs and Economic Improvement Through Environmental Leadership Act of 2021, as provided.
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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 30Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 875, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 30Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 14Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 1:30 p.m.To Governor
- Sep 1
- Vote recorded AB 1156 WICKS Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 31Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 56. Noes 6. Page 7068.).Major
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB1156 Wicks By Laird. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 31Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Page 7068.)
- Aug 31In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Aug 31Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 21. Noes 14.).Major
- Aug 28From committee: That the measure be returned to Senate Floor for consideration. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (August 28)Minor
- Vote recorded That the measure be returned to Senate Floor for consideration. Ordered to third reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 28From committee: Be re-referred to Com. on L. GOV. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10 (b). (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.Minor
- Aug 28Re-referred to Com. on RLS. pursuant to Senate Rule 29.10 (b).Minor
- Aug 28Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 27Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Aug 27Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 27(Ayes 30. Noes 10.)
- Aug 27Action rescinded whereby the bill was read third time, passed, and to Assembly.Major
- Jun 4In Senate. Held at Desk.
- Jun 4Ordered to the Senate.
- Jun 4From inactive file.
- 2025
- Sep 13Ordered to inactive file at the request of Assembly Member Wicks.
- Sep 13Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Page 3477.)
- Sep 13In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Sep 12Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 25. Noes 8. Page 2963.).Passed Senate
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB1156 Wicks By Laird. Result: pass.Upper
- Sep 10Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Sep 9Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Sep 9Joint Rule 61(a)(13) suspended. (Ayes 28. Noes 8. Page 2568.)
- Aug 29Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 29From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (August 29).Minor
- Aug 18In committee: Referred to suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 22Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Major
- Jul 22From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 16).Major
- Jul 16
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 9From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on E.Q. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 9). Re-referred to Com. on E.Q.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Environmental Quality]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 18Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and E.Q.Minor
- Jun 4In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 1156 Wicks Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 3Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 66. Noes 5. Page 2015.)Passed Assembly
- May 27Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 23Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Lower
- May 23From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 1.) (May 23).Major
- May 23Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.)
- May 21Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 1627.)
- May 21In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- May 14In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
- May 6Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- May 5Read second time and amended.Major
- May 1From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (April 30).Major
- Apr 30
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 24From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on AGRI. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 23). Re-referred to Com. on AGRI.Minor
- Apr 23From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on U. & E. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 23). Re-referred to Com. on U. & E.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Utilities and Energy]. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Agriculture]. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 10(Pending re-refer to Com. on U. & E.).)Minor
- Apr 10Assembly Rule 56 suspended. (Page 1114.)
- Mar 24Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.Minor
- Mar 20From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 10Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and AGRI.Minor
- Feb 21From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
- Feb 20Read first time. To print.Introduced