AB-2016 • 2026

State Water Resources Control Board: drinking water: hexavalent chromium removal.

Taxes

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Jeff Gonzalez
Last action: 2026-04-20
Official status: Re-referred to Com. on E.S & T.M. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included claims about expanding tax exclusions that were not fully supported in the official source material. The bill does expand these exclusions but only within a specific timeframe (2025-2030).

Drinking Water Safety: Hexavalent Chromium Removal

AB-2016 provides funding for the State Water Resources Control Board to remove hexavalent chromium from drinking water and expands tax exclusions for military retirement pay and survivor benefit payments.

What This Bill Does

Provides $69,425,000 in funding to help remove hexavalent chromium from drinking water.
Requires the State Water Resources Control Board to give grants to entities that need money to build or plan facilities for removing hexavalent chromium from drinking water.

Who It Names or Affects

Entities that need to build or plan facilities to remove hexavalent chromium from drinking water
People who receive military retirement pay or survivor benefits

Terms To Know

Hexavalent Chromium: A form of the chemical element chromium that can be harmful if it is in drinking water.
State Water Resources Control Board: The agency responsible for regulating and controlling drinking water quality in California.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify how the funds will be allocated among different entities.
Expands tax exclusions for military retirement pay and survivor benefit payments by removing income limits and increasing the amount of income eligible for exclusion, but only applies from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2030.

Bill History

2026-04-20 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on E.S & T.M. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
2026-04-20 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.
2026-04-16 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on REV. & TAX. Read second time and amended.
2026-04-06 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
2026-03-02 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.
2026-02-18 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 20.
2026-02-17 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2016, as amended, Jeff Gonzalez.
Personal Income Tax Law: exclusions: military retirement pay: survivor benefit pay.
State Water Resources Control Board: drinking water: hexavalent chromium removal.
The California Safe Drinking Water Act provides for the operation of public water systems and imposes on the State Water Resources Control Board various duties and responsibilities for the regulation and control of drinking water in the State of California. The act requires the state board to adopt primary drinking water standards for contaminants in drinking water based upon specified criteria, and requires a primary drinking water standard to be established for hexavalent chromium.
This bill would appropriate $69,425,000 from the General Fund to the board for the purpose of removing hexavalent chromium from drinking water. The bill would require the board to make specified grants to specified entities to undertake construction or planning
and design of facilities to remove hexavalent chromium from drinking water.
The Personal Income Tax Law, in conformity with federal income tax laws, defines “gross income” as income from whatever source derived, except as specifically excluded, and provides various exclusions from gross income, including, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, and before January 1, 2030, an exclusion from gross income for retirement pay received by a qualified taxpayer, as defined, during the taxable year, not to exceed $20,000, from
the federal government for service performed in the uniformed services, as defined, and an exclusion for income annuity payments received by a qualified taxpayer, as defined, not to exceed $20,000, pursuant to a United States Department of Defense Survivor Benefit Plan, as specified. Existing law defines “qualified taxpayer” for the purpose of these exclusions to mean taxpayers that satisfy specified income limitations.
This bill would amend the above-described exclusions to eliminate the income limitations for taxpayers and to eliminate the $20,000 limitation on income eligible for exclusion.
Existing law requires any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure to contain, among other things, specific goals that the tax expenditure will achieve, detailed performance indicators, and data collection requirements.
This bill also would
include additional information required for any bill authorizing a new tax expenditure.
This bill would take effect immediately as a tax levy.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF