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AB-1663 • 2026

Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act: single-family residence: exemption.

Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act: single-family residence: exemption.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Wallis
Last action
2026-04-23
Official status
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 23).
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on enforcement or penalties for violating local ordinances.

Western Joshua Tree Protection Law: Single-Family Home Exemption

The Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act protects western Joshua trees by limiting activities like importing, exporting, and selling them, but allows some exceptions for single-family homes that meet certain conditions.

What This Bill Does

  • Protects the western Joshua tree from being imported into or exported out of California.
  • Prohibits taking, possessing, purchasing, or selling parts of the western Joshua tree within California.
  • Allows the Department of Fish and Wildlife to give permits for activities that might harm a western Joshua tree if proper measures are taken to protect it.
  • Exempts single-family homes from these restrictions if they were owned by the same person before July 10, 2023, and follow local rules about protecting trees as they existed on that date.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who own or plan to build a single-family home on land with western Joshua trees.
  • Anyone involved in importing, exporting, selling, or taking parts of the western Joshua tree without proper permits.

Terms To Know

mitigation
Actions taken to reduce harm to the environment when a project might damage it.
permittee
A person or organization that has been given permission by the government to do something that is usually restricted.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a single-family home owner violates local rules about protecting western Joshua trees.
  • It's unclear how this exemption will be enforced or monitored for compliance with local ordinances.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 23).

  2. 2026-03-17 California Legislative Information

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

  3. 2026-03-16 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.

  4. 2026-03-16 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on W., P., & W.

  5. 2026-01-30 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 1.

  6. 2026-01-29 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1663, as amended, Wallis.
Western Joshua Tree Conservation
Act.
Act: single-family residence: exemption.
The Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act prohibits any person or public agency from importing into the state, exporting out of the state, or taking, possessing, purchasing, or selling within the state, a western Joshua tree or any part or product of the tree, except as specified.
The act authorizes the Department of Fish and Wildlife to permit the taking of a western Joshua tree if specified conditions are met, including, but not limited to, that the permittee mitigates all impacts to, and taking of, the western Joshua tree through measures that are roughly proportional in extent to the authorized taking of the western Joshua tree. The act authorizes, in lieu of completing the mitigation measures,
a permittee to elect to satisfy the mitigation obligation by paying fees pursuant to a specified fee schedule, as provided.
This bill would exempt from the act a project or activity located within a parcel that contains, or will contain, a single-family residence that has been continuously owned by the same person, as specified, on or before July 10, 2023, and the parcel owner complies with applicable local ordinances regarding western Joshua trees as those local ordinances read on July 10, 2023.
This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to the provision naming the act.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF