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SB-462 • 2026

California Farmland Conservancy Program: conservation easements: funding.

California Farmland Conservancy Program: conservation easements: funding.

Budget
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Cortese
Last action
2026-02-02
Official status
Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify continuous appropriation to the Department of Conservation or the exact definition and inclusion criteria for conservation easements.

California Farmland Conservancy Program: Funding for Conservation Easements

This law requires $20 million to be transferred annually from the state's general fund to a new funding account within the California Farmland Conservancy Program Fund, starting in July 2025.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a new funding account called the 'California Farmland Conservancy Program Funding Account' within the existing California Farmland Conservancy Program Fund.
  • Requires $20 million to be transferred from the state's general fund into this new account each fiscal year, starting in July 2025.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The state's general fund
  • The California Farmland Conservancy Program Fund

Terms To Know

Conservation Easement
A legal agreement that limits the use of land to protect its natural or agricultural value.
General Fund
The main fund used by a government to pay for day-to-day operations and other expenses.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how the funds will be allocated among different projects or regions.
  • Does not provide details on how conservation easements are defined or what they include.
  • Does not mention any penalties if the required transfers do not occur as planned.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-02 California Legislative Information

    Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  2. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

  3. 2025-05-16 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 23.

  4. 2025-04-21 California Legislative Information

    April 21 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  5. 2025-04-10 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  6. 2025-04-09 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 21.

  7. 2025-04-08 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 707.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  8. 2025-03-27 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on N.R. & W.

  9. 2025-03-24 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 8.

  10. 2025-02-26 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on N.R. & W.

  11. 2025-02-20 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 22.

  12. 2025-02-19 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 462, as amended, Cortese.
California Farmland Conservancy Program: conservation easements: funding.
Existing law establishes the California Farmland Conservancy Program in the Department of Conservation and authorizes the program to offer financial assistance, including grants or contracts, for projects and activities on agricultural lands that support agricultural conservation and sustainable land management. Existing law creates the California Farmland Conservancy Program Fund and requires moneys in the fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act, to be used for purposes of the program. Notwithstanding that provision, existing law continuously appropriates moneys in the fund from federal grants and gifts and donations to the department for purposes of the program.
This bill would require the Controller to transfer $20,000,000 on July 1 of each fiscal year, commencing with the 2025–26 fiscal year, from the General
Fund to the California Farmland Conservancy Program Funding Account, which the bill would create within the California Farmland Conservancy Program Fund. The bill would continuously appropriate moneys in the account to the department for expenditure as provided. The bill would require that the funding only be awarded for agricultural conservation easements on agricultural land, as defined.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF