The legislative session that started Jan. 3 — and kept going and going, other than spring break and summer recess — is set to end tonight.
Here are some noteworthy developments:
- Watering lawns: A bill that would ban businesses, institutions and other facilities from using potable, or drinkable, water to irrigate ornamental lawns or grasses is on its way to the governor, writes CalMatters’ Rachel Becker. Authored by Democratic Assemblymember Laura Friedman of Burbank, the measure does not include residential lawns, but may lead to more businesses tearing out their lawns and installing landscapes that use less water. If Assembly Bill 1572 is signed into law, the measure would roll out in stages, starting in 2027 with government properties. Newsom’s office declined to comment, but he previously called for a similar irrigation ban through an emergency measure effective until next June. Read more about the issue in Rachel’s story.