Z’berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973: working forest management plans: nonindustrial timber management plans.

Land

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Hadwick
Last action: 2026-06-09
Official status: From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 9). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Forest Management Plan Changes

AB-442 increases the maximum acreage limits for nonindustrial tree farmers and working forest landowners, removes restrictions on harvest areas, and eliminates an exemption for a specific district.

What This Bill Does

Increases the maximum number of acres that nonindustrial tree farmers can manage from 2,500 to 4,000 acres.
Raises the limit for working forest landowners from 10,000 to 15,000 acres.
Removes the requirement that harvest areas must be within a single hydrological area.
Eliminates an exemption for the Southern Subdistrict of the Coast Forest District.

Who It Names or Affects

Nonindustrial tree farmers
Working forest landowners

Terms To Know

nonindustrial timber management plan: A plan submitted to manage nonindustrial timberlands.
working forest harvest notice: A written notice filed by a landowner planning to harvest timber.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify an effective date.
It is unclear how the changes will affect existing management plans.

Bill History

2026-06-09 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 9). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-06-01 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.
2026-05-06 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on N.R. & W.
2026-01-29 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2026-01-29 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 3871.)
2026-01-22 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2026-01-22 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (January 22).
2026-01-22 California Legislative Information
Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Page 3806.)
2026-01-13 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (January 12). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-22 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.
2025-04-21 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. Read second time and amended.
2025-02-18 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.
2025-02-07 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 9.
2025-02-06 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 442, as amended, Hadwick.
Z’berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973: working forest management
plans: harvest area.
plans: nonindustrial timber management plans.
Under the Z’berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973, the Legislature finds and declares the policy of the state to encourage prudent and responsible forest management of nonindustrial timberlands by approving working forest management plans in advance.
Existing
This bill would increase the maximum acreage for nonindustrial tree farmers and nonindustrial management plans to 4,000 acres and for working forest landowners and working forest management plans to 15,000 acres. Existing law regulates “nonindustrial tree farmers” and “working forest landowners” for timberland management purposes, including by setting a maximum acreage each may own, and authorizes a person who intends to become a nonindustrial tree farmer or a
working forest landowner to submit to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection a nonindustrial timber management plan or a working forest harvest plan, respectively, regarding that acreage. Existing law provides a maximum of 2,500 acres owned for nonindustrial tree farmers and nonindustrial timber management plans and a maximum of 10,000 acres owned for working forest landowners and working forest management plans.
Existing
law requires the harvest area of a working forest management plan to be contained within a single hydrological area, as defined.
This bill would
delete
eliminate
the requirement that the harvest area of a working forest management plan be contained within a single hydrological area.
Existing law requires the working forest landowner who owns, leases, or otherwise controls or operates on all or any portion of any timberland within the boundaries of an approved working forest management plan, and who plans to harvest any of the timber during a given year, to file a working forest harvest notice, as defined, with the department in writing. Existing law exempts the Southern Subdistrict of the Coast Forest District, as described in regulations, from these provisions regarding working forest management plans.
This bill would eliminate this exemption.

Current Bill Text

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