Plain English Breakdown
The official source text does not provide a specific effective date; it only notes that the bill passed the Legislature.
AB-1772: Rules to Stop Invasive Mussels in California Waters
This law creates new rules requiring boats to dry out before launching, establishes a licensed inspection program for watercraft, updates plans for water supply systems, and adds fees for nonmotorized vessels.
What This Bill Does
- Prohibits launching any conveyance until a specified drying period has been completed.
- Creates an inspection and decontamination program where the department licenses stations to check and clean boats for invasive species.
- Requires water supply system operators to update their plans to address all invasive mussel species present in their systems as of January 1, 2026.
- Mandates that a plan be created within 180 days if an invasive mussel is detected in a water supply system after January 1, 2026.
- Imposes a $20 fee every two years on nonmotorized vessels to fund prevention efforts and requires these vessels to display a state-issued sticker.
- Changes the legal definition of 'invasive mussel' to mean any nonnative biofouling mussel.
Who It Names or Affects
- Owners and operators of boats, including those with nonmotorized vessels like canoes or kayaks.
- Agencies that manage public water supply systems in California.
- Businesses seeking to become licensed inspection and decontamination stations.
Terms To Know
- Conveyance
- Any vehicle or equipment used on the water, such as a boat or trailer, that may carry invasive species.
- Biofouling mussel
- A nonnative type of mussel that attaches to surfaces like pipes and boats.
- Decontamination station
- A licensed place where inspectors check and clean equipment to remove invasive species before it enters a waterbody.
Limits and Unknowns
- The specific length of the required drying period is not set in this text but will be determined by department standards.
- Money collected from fees can only be used if the Legislature approves spending plans for those funds.
- The bill does not specify an effective date.