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AB-14 • 2026

Coastal resources: Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program.

Coastal resources: Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Hart (A) , Bennett (A) , Connolly
Last action
2025-10-11
Official status
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 606, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify the exact nature of the incentives or how they are calculated, only that they exist based on distance traveled at reduced speeds.

Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program

This law requires the Ocean Protection Council to advise on a voluntary program that helps reduce air pollution from large ships near the California coast.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Ocean Protection Council to participate in an advisory capacity with coastal air districts for a voluntary vessel speed reduction and sustainable shipping program.
  • Expands the existing Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program to include incentives based on distance traveled at reduced speeds by participating vessels larger than 300 gross tons.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Air pollution control districts along the coast of California
  • Large shipping vessels over 300 gross tons

Terms To Know

Ocean Protection Council
A state government group that works on policies to protect coastal and ocean resources.
Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program
A program aimed at reducing air pollution from ships, protecting whales, and improving air quality along the coast.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law only applies to vessels larger than 300 gross tons.
  • Funding for this initiative is not guaranteed and must be available separately.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-11 California Legislative Information

    Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 606, Statutes of 2025.

  2. 2025-10-11 California Legislative Information

    Approved by the Governor.

  3. 2025-09-22 California Legislative Information

    Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

  4. 2025-09-10 California Legislative Information

    Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 3210.).

  5. 2025-09-09 California Legislative Information

    In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

  6. 2025-09-09 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2661.).

  7. 2025-09-02 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  8. 2025-08-29 California Legislative Information

    Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  9. 2025-08-29 California Legislative Information

    Ordered to third reading.

  10. 2025-08-29 California Legislative Information

    Action rescinded whereby the bill was read third time, passed, and to Assembly.

  11. 2025-08-25 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Held at Desk.

  12. 2025-08-25 California Legislative Information

    Ordered to the Senate.

  13. 2025-07-17 California Legislative Information

    In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

  14. 2025-07-17 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 35. Noes 0. Page 2137.).

  15. 2025-07-15 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.

  16. 2025-07-14 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Be ordered to second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to Consent Calendar.

  17. 2025-07-02 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (July 2). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  18. 2025-06-10 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on E.Q. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 10). Re-referred to Com. on E.Q.

  19. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.

  20. 2025-05-14 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on N.R. & W. and E.Q.

  21. 2025-05-01 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  22. 2025-05-01 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 1385.)

  23. 2025-04-24 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.

  24. 2025-04-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (April 23).

  25. 2025-04-08 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  26. 2025-03-25 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

  27. 2025-03-17 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on W. P., & W.

  28. 2025-03-13 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on W. P., & W. Read second time and amended.

  29. 2025-02-03 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on W. P., & W. and NAT. RES.

  30. 2024-12-03 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee January 2.

  31. 2024-12-02 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 14, Hart.
Coastal resources: Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program.
Existing law establishes the Ocean Protection Council in state government to, among other things, establish policies to coordinate the collection, evaluation, and sharing of scientific data related to coastal and ocean resources among agencies. Existing law requires the council to develop and implement a voluntary sustainable seafood promotion program for the state, to consist of specified components, including a competitive grant and loan program for eligible entities, including, but not limited to, fishery groups and associations, for the purpose of assisting California fisheries in qualifying for certification to internationally accepted standards for sustainable seafood.
This bill would, subject to the availability of funding, require the council to participate, as a stakeholder and in an advisory capacity, in the Protecting Blue Whales
and Blue Skies Program with air pollution control districts and air quality management districts along the coast and other stakeholders to support, in an advisory capacity, coastal air districts in their efforts to implement a statewide voluntary vessel speed reduction and sustainable shipping program for the California coast in order to reduce air pollution, the risk of fatal vessel strikes on whales, and harmful underwater acoustic impacts. The bill would authorize the expansion of the existing Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program to include specified components, including incentives to program participants based on a percentage of distance traveled by a participating vessel at a reduced speed, as provided. The bill would limit application of the program to vessels that are 300 gross tons or greater. The bill would require the participating air pollution control districts and air quality management districts, on or before December 31, 2029, to submit a report to the Legislature regarding the
implementation of the program.

Current Bill Text

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