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AB-1938 • 2026

Coastal recreation: designated state surfing reserves.

Coastal recreation: designated state surfing reserves.

Budget
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Irwin
Last action
2026-05-14
Official status
In committee: Held under submission.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Coastal recreation: designated state surfing reserves.

AB 1938, as amended, Irwin.

What This Bill Does

  • AB 1938, as amended, Irwin.
  • Coastal recreation: designated state surfing reserves.
  • The California Coastal Act of 1976 requires oceanfront land suitable for recreational use to be protected for recreational use and development unless present and foreseeable future demand for public or commercial recreational activities that could be accommodated on the property is already adequately provided for in the area.
  • Existing law, the California Ocean Protection Act, establishes the Ocean Protection Council and provides that the purpose of the act is to integrate and coordinate the state’s laws and institutions responsible for protecting and conserving ocean resources, including coastal waters and ocean ecosystems, to provide for public access to the ocean and ocean resources, including to marine protected areas, for recreational use, and aesthetic, educational, and scientific purposes, consistent with the sustainable long-term conservation of those resources, among other objectives.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-14 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Held under submission.

  2. 2026-04-08 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  3. 2026-03-26 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  4. 2026-03-25 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended.

  5. 2026-03-24 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 1.) (March 23).

  6. 2026-03-09 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

  7. 2026-02-14 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 16.

  8. 2026-02-13 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1938, as amended, Irwin.
Coastal recreation: designated state surfing reserves.
The California Coastal Act of 1976 requires oceanfront land suitable for recreational use to be protected for recreational use and development unless present and foreseeable future demand for public or commercial recreational activities that could be accommodated on the property is already adequately provided for in the area. Existing law, the California Ocean Protection Act, establishes the Ocean Protection Council and provides that the purpose of the act is to integrate and coordinate the state’s laws and institutions responsible for protecting and conserving ocean resources, including coastal waters and ocean ecosystems, to provide for public access to the ocean and ocean resources, including to marine protected areas, for recreational use, and aesthetic, educational, and scientific purposes, consistent with the sustainable long-term conservation of those resources, among other
objectives. Existing law establishes surfing as the official state sport.
This bill would require, on or before July 1, 2027, the council to establish criteria and an application process for purposes of designating an area of the coastline as a state surfing reserve, as defined. The bill would authorize a local government to, after adopting a formal resolution, apply to the council for purposes of designating an area of the coastline within the jurisdiction of the local government as a state surfing reserve. The bill would require the local government to include in its application, among other things, a description of the proposed surfing reserve. The bill would require the council to approve the application if the area of the coastline meets the established
criteria. The bill
criteria and
would require, once the application is approved, the council to designate the area as a state surfing reserve.
The bill would require the council to, upon appropriation, publicize the state
surfing reserve and partner with local governments to erect signs designating an approved surfing reserve, and would authorize the council to accept donations for these purposes. The bill would authorize the council to revoke the designation if the surfing reserve no longer meets the established criteria. The bill would require the council to include designated surfing reserves in the state’s 30x30 goal.
The bill would authorize the council to revoke its designation as a state surfing reserve if the council determines that the designated state surfing reserve no longer meets specified criteria and would require a local government to remove any signage used to identify a surfing reserve upon this revocation.

Current Bill Text

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