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AB 124

Relating to: prohibiting persons who have been convicted of a violent crime from changing their name and providing a penalty.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Elijah Behnke and 12 co-sponsors

AB 124, a Budget Act trailer, authorizes funding and policy tweaks across natural resources programs, affecting parks, firefighting staffing, tanks, foresters, and habitat work.

Referred to committee on Rules
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Bill Summary · AB 124

AB 124 — Public resources trailer bill (Budget Act of 2025)

Status: Re‑referred to Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review
Introduced: January 8, 2025
Classification: Bill; appropriation

Purpose / Intent

AB 124 is a Natural Resources “trailer” to the Budget Act of 2025 that (1) implements or clarifies budget‑related policy changes affecting multiple public resources programs and (2) authorizes certain appropriations and program adjustments across state natural resources agencies.

Key provisions (summary)

  1. Holocaust memorial at Exposition Park
  2. Authorizes the Natural Resources Agency to execute a noncompetitive grant with a specified nonprofit to plan, construct, and maintain a memorial to Holocaust victims and survivors at Exposition Park (Sixth District Agricultural Association).
  3. Requires consultation and approvals with the Department of General Services (DGS) and Exposition Park; DGS must review preliminary designs for maintenance concerns.

  4. Requires the nonprofit to prepare, with park and agency approval, items including a long‑term maintenance and security agreement.

  5. Bay Fill Clean‑Up and Abatement Fund (San Francisco Bay)

  6. Expands allowable uses of the Bay Fill Clean‑Up and Abatement Fund to include enforcement activities and technology, services, programs, and personnel that directly support enforcement or the fund’s existing purposes (resource enhancement, remedial cleanup/abatement).

  7. Underground storage tank (UST) loan/grant program (State Water Resources Control Board)

  8. Redefines “project tanks” to include tanks that must be permanently closed on or before December 31, 2025.

  9. Eliminates authority to reimburse costs incurred for Enhanced Vapor Recovery Phase II compliance.

  10. Authorizes loan/grant funds to reimburse up to 100% of removal/replacement costs for project tanks if the board receives the loan application before June 30, 2025 and costs are incurred during specified (but truncated in provided text) dates.

  11. Professional Foresters Law — fee ranges

  12. Increases statutory ranges for certain registration and penalty fees under the Professional Foresters Law.

  13. Because those fees deposit to a continuously appropriated fund under specified circumstances, raising fee ranges constitutes an appropriation.

  14. Cal Fire staffing

  15. Requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL‑FIRE), subject to appropriation, to begin employing sufficient permanent firefighting personnel to increase base hand‑crew staffing levels.

  16. Retains CAL‑FIRE’s ability to hire seasonal/temporary firefighters for surge capacity.

  17. State park highway funding in the Budget Bill

  18. Increases the required maximum annual Budget Bill line for transfer from the Highway Users Tax Account to the State Parks and Recreation Fund for state park highway purposes from up to $3,400,000 to up to $12,000,000.

  19. Department of Water Resources (DWR) contracting for habitat restoration

  20. Authorizes DWR to enter into contracts for habitat restoration projects as specified. (Full contract provisions were truncated in the provided text.)

Who is affected

  • Natural Resources Agency, Department of General Services, Exposition Park and the nonprofit partner (Holocaust memorial).
  • San Francisco Bay Conservation & Development Commission (administration/uses of Bay Fill Fund) and parties subject to enforcement.
  • Small businesses and owners/operators of underground storage tanks; applicants for UST loans/grants.
  • Professional foresters (registration, renewal, penalty fees).
  • CAL‑FIRE, existing and prospective firefighting personnel.
  • Department of Parks & Recreation (state park highway funding).
  • Department of Water Resources and habitat restoration contractors.
  • Potentially state budget/appropriations due to fee increases and fund use changes.

Fiscal/Procedural notes & timeline

  • Classified as a budget trailer bill with appropriation effects (fee increase = appropriation).
  • Introduced Jan 8, 2025. Passed Assembly (third reading) on March 20, 2025 (Ayes 53, Noes 17). Sent to Senate; read and referred to committees. Amended and re‑referred to Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review; as of July 2, 2025, re‑referred to that committee.
  • Several sections reference deadlines (e.g., Dec 31, 2025 tank closure, June 30, 2025 loan application deadline); further implementation depends on appropriations and agency rulemaking.

Note: Some contract and timing details in the provided text were truncated; consult the engrossed bill text for full statutory language and exact effective dates and covered time windows.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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