20250HR__002299INT INTRODUCED 2025-03-04 REVISED 2025-03-13 2025 HR INT Introduced by Assembly Member Soria (Coauthors: Assembly Members Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Flora, Fong, Gabriel, Gallagher, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Haney, Harabedian, Hoover, Jackson, Kalra, Krell, Lackey, Lowenthal, Macedo, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Quirk-Silva, Ransom, Rivas, Celeste Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Wallis, Wicks, Wilson, and Zbur) LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Soria COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Addis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Aguiar-Curry COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Alanis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Alvarez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Arambula COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ávila Farías COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bains COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bauer-Kahan COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bennett COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Berman COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Boerner COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bonta COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Bryan COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Calderon COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Caloza COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Carrillo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Castillo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Chen COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Connolly COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Davies COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Dixon COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Elhawary COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ellis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Flora COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Fong COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Gabriel COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Gallagher COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Gipson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Jeff Gonzalez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Mark González COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Haney COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Harabedian COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Hoover COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Jackson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Kalra COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Krell COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Lackey COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Lowenthal COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Macedo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY McKinnor COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Muratsuchi COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Nguyen COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Pacheco COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Papan COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Patel COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Patterson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Pellerin COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Quirk-Silva COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ransom COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Rivas COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Celeste Rodriguez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Michelle Rodriguez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Rogers COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Blanca Rubio COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Sanchez COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Schiavo COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Schultz COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Sharp-Collins COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Solache COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Stefani COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Ta COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Tangipa COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wallis COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wicks COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Wilson COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Zbur Relative to Groundwater Awareness Week.

Groundwater Awareness Week

WHEREAS, Groundwater is a vital natural resource essential to the health, safety, and prosperity of both urban and rural California residents and to the functioning of California’s many industries, including agriculture; and

WHEREAS, Groundwater accounts for percent of the state’s total annual water supply on average, and as much as percent of the total annual water supply in critically dry years; and

WHEREAS, About percent of Californians depend on groundwater for some portion of their water supply, and many communities are percent reliant on groundwater for all of their water needs; and

WHEREAS, As climate change leads to reduced snowpack and reduced availability of water in California’s streams and rivers, the demand for groundwater to fulfill California’s water needs will only increase with time; and

WHEREAS, The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) (Part 2.74 (commencing with

Section 10720) of Division of the Water Code) was passed into law in September 2014, establishing a new structure for the management of groundwater resources in California while clearly recognizing that groundwater management is most effectively and efficiently accomplished locally; and

WHEREAS, In their efforts to implement SGMA, groundwater sustainability agencies throughout the state are creating and implementing groundwater sustainability plans to sustainably manage groundwater basins through efforts like reductions to groundwater pumping, the development and implementation of projects that benefit the overall sustainability of our water supply, and protecting and replenishing groundwater aquifers; and

WHEREAS, Assembly Bill 685 (Chapter of the Statutes of 2012) was passed into law in September 2012, making California the first state in the nation to recognize that “every human being has the right to safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes”; and

WHEREAS, The ongoing responsible management of groundwater will be crucial in meeting both the requirements of SGMA and ensuring every Californian’s right to water; and

WHEREAS, The National Ground Water Association declares that a full week of March each year shall be known as Groundwater Awareness Week to bring awareness through education and public outreach to the importance of effective management, protection, and conservation of groundwater resources;

now, therefore,

be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the Assembly hereby recognizes and declares March 9, 2025, through March 15, 2025, as Groundwater Awareness Week; and be it further Resolved, That the Assembly seeks to raise awareness about the importance of groundwater resources to California as a state and the people that rely on groundwater for their basic and fundamental human needs; and be it further Resolved, That the Assembly is committed to proactive leadership in the management of those resources; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution. REVISIONS: Heading—Line 2.